Bill Ritchie Appointed to Board of Directors for TV-Turnoff Network

ThinkFun® Inc., the leading creator of mind challenging games, is pleased to announce that Co-Founder and CEO Bill Ritchie has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the TV-Turnoff Network. The TV-Turnoff Network, based in Washington, DC, is an international non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging individuals to reduce screen time in order to promote healthier lives and communities.

“Having someone with Bill Ritchie’s successful entrepreneurial background and community leadership skills will help us reach the next level of leadership on our issues and allow us to continue making an important difference in people’s lives,” said Robert Kesten, Executive Director, TV-Turnoff Network. “For more than twenty years Bill has been promoting rich and healthy alternatives to screens through the development and distribution of educational games for the home and classroom.”

Mr. Ritchie has been a strong advocate of limiting screen time for several years and has supported the educational benefits of alternative activities such as reading and playing games. In support of his position, recent studies have detailed the negative impact of excessive exposure to TV on children as well as adults. Through his work with several school systems, Mr. Ritchie has promoted the notion of improving children’s learning abilities while, at the same time, ensuring that they engage in fun, family-focused activities.

“I’m excited to be part of such a great organization with a dedicated management team and important mission,” commented Bill Ritchie, Co-Founder and CEO of ThinkFun. “It is estimated that children spend more hours during the year watching TV than attending school and, while there are some positive benefits of enjoying television and other screens, I am committed to help develop programs that create a more balanced lifestyle for today’s children.”

Mr. Ritchie co-founded ThinkFun in 1985 with the mission of helping children develop essential thinking skills through game play. Together, with co-founder Andrea Barthello, Mr. Ritchie built ThinkFun from a small, home-based business into a four-time INC 500 company. Today, the company markets and distributes non-electronic learning games through some of the world’s most prominent retail companies. Mr. Ritchie is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and a founding President of the World Entrepreneur Organization. In 2000, he received the “Sam Lloyd Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mechanical Puzzles” from the Association of Game and Puzzle Collectors. He received a degree in American Studies from Wesleyan University and a Masters Degree from Harvard University.

About TV-Turnoff Network
TV-Turnoff Network is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging individuals to reduce screen time in order to promote healthier lives and communities. The organization’s website is www.tvturnoff.org.