John Lee Callaway

Through his work with educational and child development products, business leader John Lee creates new opportunities for early childhood enrichment in his role as co-founder at Callaway Digital Arts, which produces and distributes innovative new media products across a wide variety of platforms and outlets. John Lee and his colleagues at Callaway have launched a number of unique brands including David Kirk's Miss Spider, Nova the Robot, David Kirk's Fun House, and the Sunny Patch Kids products.

John Lee applies knowledge accumulated during his years of experience in product branding, retailing, and team building to his work at Callaway Digital Arts. After completing three years of military service in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, John Lee found success as a Director of Executive Training and Development at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia from 1977 to 1980. He continued his career in the retail sector as the President and CEO of women's fashion retail chain Chas A. Stevens, and later assisted Marquette Partners as an entrepreneur in residence, consulting on various retail and consumer products.

In 1990, John Lee began to direct his attention to the early childhood play and learning industry, focusing on products and media designed to enhance early learning and development. John Lee was recruited to serve as CEO for the Early Learning Centers, Inc., a retail educational toy store chain, in June 1990. He established Learning Curve International, Inc. in 1993 to develop high quality, engaging, educational products for children. Merging the firm with Racing Champions in 2003 to form RC2 Corporation, John Lee expanded the multimillion-dollar Learning Curve International into an even greater success. The company produces a number of leading children’s brands, including Thomas the Tank Engine, a product line that earned John Lee the 2004 inaugural Playthings Industry Achievement Award for Brand Builder.