The GameBoard Promotes Annie Sugden to Brand Manager
Formalizing the position points to future growth for the company.
SHEBOYGAN, WI — December 17, 2024 — The GameBoard, the innovative game store in Sheboygan, WI, that’s changing the way you think about playing games, announced today that Annie Sugden has been promoted to the position of Brand Manager. In her new position, Sugden will focus on building the store’s brand and taking it to a larger audience.
“Annie understands why I founded this company and what we’re trying to do for our customers. I’m so pleased she has stepped into this important role,” said Lynn Potyen, the award-winning founder of TheGameBoard. “The brand is the heart of a company. This is especially true for a small business. I can’t think of anyone I would trust more than Annie with safeguarding the heart of The GameBoard.”
Earlier this year, Potyen was singled out by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and presented with its 2024 Outstanding Contribution to the Games Industry award. Since Potyen opened the game store in 2006, she and her team have brought innovative gameplay to the community to stimulate brain development and advance critical thinking. By formalizing this new position, Potyen says Annie will be empowered to take that message deeper into the community.
“When I was hired, The GameBoard was still a small shop on the corner of North 8th street, a tiny space packed to the brim with all things nerdy,” Sugden says. “It felt less like a shop and more like a place where friends hung out.”
Like everyone who works at The GameBoard, she found herself playing more games. This is when the company’s real brand came into focus for her.
“When I played a strategy game, it put me into a calmer, clearer, more analytical headspace,” she said. “Games allowed me to step outside of my own expectations (and limitations) for myself and step into a different mindset that I didn’t think I could manage. They tricked me into having fun in the face of a challenge!”
The GameBoard provides a safe and inclusive environment for diverse players of all kinds. Its mission is to provide a culture where all community members and associates feel like they belong. The store was founded by CEO Lynn Potyen, an award-winning female executive who is nationally recognized for her long history of advocacy. She has taken a strong position on the use of games as a vehicle for education, therapy, and socialization, becoming an industry leader in the process.
When in Sheboygan, visit The GameBoard at 621 N. 8th Street in the city’s historic downtown or call (920) 453-4263.
About The GameBoard
The GameBoard was founded in 2006 by Lynn Potyen, an award-winning proprietor after her son was diagnosed with a severe speech delay, through his journey she was able to connect his therapy to the games they played at home. Since then, studies have shown that playing games together enhances creativity, fosters communication and socialization, and builds emotional skills and cognitive learning ability. Potyen is an outspoken advocate for using board games in education, therapy, and corporate team building. Her story is archived in the Library of Congress and in the 2023 book “What Board Games Mean to Me,” where she is part of an anthology featuring 28 voices from around the world. For more information about getting Potyen to speak to your organization or to visit the shop, https://the-GameBoard.com.
