Bernie Stolar Moves to Mattel

Remember Bernie Stolar? In short, he turned around Sega of America for the better, and he was fired just before the 9.9.99 DC Launch. Well, now, he works at Mattel Interactive, according to Daily Radar:

Former president and chief operating officer of Sega of America, Bernard Stolar, has been named president of Mattel’s Interactive division. Stolar, controversial because of his outspokenness, was ousted by Sega just before the company launched the Dreamcast in September.

…The Wall Street Journal reports that Stolar will supervise more than 2,000 employees and annual revenue of some $1 billion. He will work in Novato, Calif., and report directly to Chief Executive Jill Barad.

Stolar is entering choppy waters: he’s charged with turning around Mattel’s Learning Co. unit, which reported unexpected losses of $105 million in the third quarter. Learning Co. founders Michael Perik and Kevin O’Leary, who were heading the division, left the company in November. Chief Financial Officer Harry Pearce will retire in March.

Mattel Interactive is attempting to reposition itself as a family products concern, emphasizing interactive games, software and Internet businesses.