LeapFrog Enterprises

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is an educational entertainment and electronics company based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog designs, develops, and markets technology-based learning products and related content for the education of children from infancy through grade school. The company was founded by Michael Wood and Robert Lally in 1994. John Barbour is the chief executive officer of LeapFrog.

The history of LeapFrog traces back to the late 1980s when LeapFrog founder Michael Wood, an attorney at Cooley LLP, had difficulties teaching his son how to read. He began researching phonics and marketing while continuing as a partner at Cooley. By 1994, Wood had developed the first prototype of what would become Phonics Desk, LeapFrog's first product. The prototype utilized a Texas Instruments chip that was previously used by one of Wood's clients to develop talking greeting cards. Wood solicited feedback on his prototype from the late Robert Calfee, an expert on children's reading development and a professor of education at the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Wood began manufacturing the Phonics Desk in 1995. That year, Wood resigned as a partner at Cooley LLP and founded LeapFrog Enterprises with Robert Lally. The company received $800,000 in seed funding from friends, family, and former clients of Wood. Toys "R" Us became the first major retailer to carry the Phonics Desk shortly before Christmas 1995. Other retailers such as FAO Schwarz, Walmart and Target later began carrying the toy.

LeapFrog had distribution in over 10 countries and a number of major clients in the US by early 1997. In March of that year, the company hired Brad Crawford, who formerly worked for Little Tikes, to oversee sales and manufacturing. Knowledge Universe acquired a majority stake in LeapFrog in October 1997. Knowledge Universe is an education company founded by brothers Lowell Milken and Michael Milken, Larry Ellison, and Tom Kalinske. LeapFrog subsequently merged with Knowledge Universe's Knowledge Kids division. Kalinske, a former executive at Mattel, became LeapFrog chief executive officer as a result of the merger.

LeapFrog acquired Explore Technologies in August 1998. Explore Technologies produced the Odyssey Globe, an interactive globe that could call out the names of countries when users touched the globe with a specially designed stylus. Explore Technologies' stylus technology was later used in LeapFrog's LeapPad, a learning tablet that sounds out words when users drag a stylus across a word in LeapPad books. The LeapPad launched in 1999 and became Leapfrog's flagship product. It was the top-selling toy in the US for 2001 and 2002, and books and accessories for the device were the best-selling toy in the US in 2003. LeapFrog opened its LeapFrog Schoolhouse division, which markets LeapFrog products directly to schools, in 1999.

LeapFrog co-founder Michael Wood became the company's chief executive officer in early 2002. In July, LeapFrog went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LF. Knowledge Universe retained majority control of the company following the initial public offering. Sega Toys and Benesse also began producing LeapFrog toys localized for the Japanese market in 2002. The Leapster was released in October 2003. LeapFrog products were sold in more than 25 countries by that year. Tom Kalinske was appointed LeapFrog chief executive officer following Michael Wood's retirement in February 2004. Kalinske had previously served as LeapFrog's chief executive officer from the company's acquisition by Knowledge Universe in 1997 until early 2002. Wood was retained as the company's chief creative officer. Jeffrey G. Katz replaced Kalinske as LeapFrog chief executive officer in 2006. Katz was previously the founding chairman and chief executive officer of Orbitz and had served on the LeapFrog board for a year prior to becoming the chief executive officer of LeapFrog. Kalinske remained vice chairman of LeapFrog.

LeapFrog discontinued the LeapPad and released its Tag Reading System in June 2008. Tag became LeapFrog's flagship product and was a successor to the 10-year-old LeapPad. The company released its Leapster2 portable learning system and its Didj educational handheld game console in August 2008.

William "Bill" Chiasson replaced Jeffrey Katz as LeapFrog president and chief executive officer in March 2010. Chiasson had most recently served as LeapFrog chief financial officer. Katz was appointed to the newly created position of executive chairman of the board. LeapFrog also released the Leapster Explorer educational handheld game console in 2010. The Leapster Explorer was the successor to the Leapster2 and was targeted toward older children. The console supports online gameplay as well as learning apps, e-books, and videos. John Barbour was named the chief executive officer of LeapFrog in March 2011. Barbour previously served as an executive for Toys "R" Us and RealNetworks.