A Breadth of Expertise

JPMA members have access to a wide range of expertise including business advisors, medical experts, compliance consultants, and legal thought leaders. 

Legal Resources

JPMA’s general counsel, Rick Locker, Esq., has been active in the juvenile products and toy industries for many years. An invaluable resource to the industry, he represents JPMA’s interests in legislative and regulatory matters and assisting in crisis situations. Rick serves as a trusted resource to JPMA member companies and represents their interests in topics ranging from antitrust to recall support to general business advice. Should an issue arise needing legal guidance, JPMA members may reach out to Rick for a courtesy initial consultation.

For an introduction to Rick, or for additional contact information, please contact JPMA at jpma@jpma.org.

Business Resources

Industry veteran and former CEO of The First Years, Ron Sidman, has nearly 40 years of experience in the in the juvenile products industry. Now a mentor and advisor, Ron is passionate about helping budding entrepreneurs and businesses in the space thrive. JPMA members have the exclusive opportunity to consult one-on-one with Ron via Zoom or FaceTime during a telementoring session. The first session is absolutely free. To learn more about Ron and this program, read the FAQs, visit his blog and review the mentor session disclaimer.

Ron's expertise includes...

• Managing a juvenile products company
• Designing and updating your company's business model
• Strategic planning
• Finding and retaining the right people
• Developing new products
• Sourcing, pricing, and distribution strategies
• Managing retailer and e-tailer relations
• Managing consumer relations
• Maximizing profitability by product and account
• Designing and managing business processes
• Executive time management
• Maintaining life balance
• Creating your exit strategy

To learn more about Ron and this program, read the FAQs, visit his blog and review the mentor session disclaimer.

Compliance Consultant

Rachael Shagott, longtime industry member and Principal Consultant at Best Practice Quality, has 40 years of experience in product quality and compliance. For the past 24 years she has been in quality management within the juvenile products industry, where she focused on the areas of product integrity, supplier quality assurance, product safety and regulatory compliance. JPMA members have the opportunity to speak with Rachael one-on-one for a free 90 minute compliance consulting session. JPMA members will also receive an additional 10% discount off of the hourly rate after the first consultation. Reasons to schedule your compliance consultation:

• You are entering a new product category and would like a general overview of the regulatory landscape
• You are designing or improving your internal compliance structure and would like third-party advice
• You've hired compliance staff from outside the industry and would like them to receive a primer on juvenile products
• You are a young company and need help knowing where to start in designing an appropriate compliance roadmap
• You are a mature company that simply wants a gut-check on an approach you are pursuing

For an introduction to Rachael, or for additional contact information, please contact JPMA at jpma@jpma.org.

Juvenile Consumer Product Consultant

Corey Campbell, President of DECA Consulting, has specialized in juvenile consumer products  for decades. He displays his dedication for the industry through long-term active involvement in organizations such as ASTM, SAE, and ISO. Corey and DECA’s participation in the development  of safety standards and industry guidelines (for juvenile products and child restraint systems)  grants our team the knowledge to anticipate upcoming industry changes. Our collaborative  team approach allows us to provide solid expertise to guide any sized company towards  success. 

DECA provides: 

• Safety Engineering. We regularly assist with product design, defining applicable safety standards and performance requirements through safety reviews and audits of products.
• Regulatory Support. DECA routinely deals with handling regulatory agencies and recalls within the United States, Canada, and Europe. Our engineers can guide your company through a defect investigation, develop retrofits, and organize a field retrofit campaign.
• Product Quality and Compliance. Our team regularly develops Product Quality Plans for initial qualification and monitors on-going test plans.
• Product Development. Whether your company needs engineering designs, detail drawings, or 3D CAD files, our engineers regularly support companies from the  beginning concept all the way through completion.
• Product Collateral. DECA Consulting has the expertise and skills to develop warnings, illustrations, graphics, and instruction manuals.
• Manufacturing Engineering. We debug and suggest modifications to new (and existing) products, assist in tooling development, spec changes and cost reduction.

As a member of JPMA, you have access to a free 60-minute consult with Corey. For an introduction or additional contact information, please contact JPMA at jpma@jpma.org .