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• JUNE 2016

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Growing up, “my favorite toys were

Legos and blocks,” Hagel says. “I was always

building things.” So working at a Toys “R” Us

was like working at a candy shop.

“We worked hard, but we also had fun,

especially when doing timed trials around the

store on pallet jacks! I learned a lot there by

doing a little bit of everything, but my pas-

sion was to set store layouts and redesign

aisles to meet the ever-changing need for

new products. Although I didn’t know it

then, that job was really my start in market-

ing,” Hagel says. “Since then, I have worked

in multiple roles where I was responsible for

helping to create merchandising, signage and

POS programs, and I have often thought

back to my experiences at Toys “R” Us. It was

a great time in my life and it still makes me

smile.”

Hagel’s innate creativity has fueled his

ability to help distributors solve their client’s

problems. “Creativity is not just about mak-

ing things. It’s about problem solving. When

there are lean budgets, you have to get cre-

ative with how to spend money. You have to

do things differently to be more effective.”

With two kids of his own now—seven-

year-old Maddi and 10-year-old Dylan—

Hagel has plenty of opportunity to be a role

model and pass on his creativity, as well as his

passion for his job.

“I approach life as if it is my No. 1 goal

to leave this world a little better than when I

came into it. I want to be a great coworker as

much as I want to be a great father, an aspira-

tional leader and a good friend. I try to give

my life balance and I hold integrity as my

most important asset,” he says.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not

working?

First and foremost, I am a car guy. I’ve

loved them since I was little and they still

fascinate me today. I enjoy vintage cars, but I

CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING HAS always come naturally to

RJ Hagel. From his first job at Toys “R” Us (at age 15) to his current

role as marketing manager for Goldstar (UPIC: GLDSTAR), Hagel’s

ability to think outside the box has allowed him to help the companies

he works for market their products more effectively.

RJ HAGEL DISCOVERED HIS MARKETING TALENT IN THE TOY STORE AISLE

By Julie Richie

Born To Be

CREATIVE

TOP

RJ Hagel (left)

and members of the Goldstar team including (from left) Howard Cubberly,

general manager, Kenny Ved, VP of sales and Karen Hoy, (former) inside sales manager, pose in

front of their booth at the 2015 PPAI Expo.

BOTTOM

Hagel and his two children,

Dylan (right)

and Maddi take a selfie after reaching the top of Coba Pyramid in Mexico in 2015.