New President of Mattel Is Top Woman Executive in Southland

Mattel Inc. promoted Jill Elikann Barad to the posts of chief operating officer and president on Thursday, making her the highest-ranking woman executive in Southern California and one of the highest in the nation.

The move was applauded by toy industry analysts, who credited the promotion of Barad, one of two presidents of Mattel USA, to the strong sales she has created for the company’s Barbie doll and other girls’ toys.

“I think it’s great,” said Carol Palmer of Duff & Phelps. “Mattel appears to be a meritocracy. They seem to be recognizing her performance.”

Some analysts also suggested that the move would make Barad the prime contender to replace Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive John W. Amerman when he retires.

Glenn Bozart, spokesman of the El Segundo-based company, said Amerman has no plans to step down.

“Amerman at 60 is nowhere ready to retire,” said Gary Jacobson, senior vice president of Kidder, Peabody & Co. “But given that Jill is 41--20 years his junior--this firmly puts her at the front of the pack to succeed him.”

David Mauer, who shared the Mattel USA presidency with Barad, will also be promoted to an expanded position overseeing the company’s national marketing and sales, Mattel announced yesterday. Mauer will report to Barad in his new position.

In a prepared statement, Amerman said Barad was awarded the chief operating officer’s position because of “the substantial contributions Jill has made to Mattel’s success and her demonstrated ability to take on increased responsibility.”

Barad said she was “thrilled” with the promotion. While she said that a move was “not unexpected,” she added, “it came sooner than I had hoped.”

Barad said she hoped to use the new position to expand Mattel’s franchises and move into new categories, such as activity toys--the “good-for-you toys,” she said.

With existing products, Barad said she hoped to concentrate on boys’ toys, including the company’s line of Hot Wheels miniature cars.

Barad has made a speedy assent to her current position since joining the company as product manager in 1981. She was named executive vice president in 1986 and president of Mattel USA in 1990. In 1991, she was elected to the company’s board.

A graduate of Queen’s College in New York, Barad has made her primary mark on Mattel by expanding its line of toys for girls, particularly the Barbie doll. Barad updated the plastic, perennially adolescent doll with media campaigns like the 1990 Barbie Summit, which gathered 40 children from 28 countries to discuss the world’s problems.

Under her supervision, the 33-year-old doll has recaptured a star position among Mattel products. In 1991, Barbie accounted for $840 million in sales--more than half of the company’s total revenues.