Established in 2003,
EthiDolls® is a dev
eloper of collectible quality, African
signature dolls and accessories, based in New York City. The company's
mission is to create unique dolls and related accessories that help
children and adults embrace African heritage, culture and tradition.
NEW! Watch a video interview with Salome Yilma - CEO
“We're pleased to
contribute to the growing and important movement of African-American
families researching heritage and re-connecting to cultural
traditions,” says Salome Yilma, EthiDolls' chief executive
officer, who conceived and designed the line along with Yeworkwoha
Ephrem, EthiDolls' executive vice president. Both women are
Ethiopian-American entrepreneurs living in New York.
Through EthiDolls, Ms.
Ephrem and Ms. Yilma plan to develop unique African signature dolls and
accessories that teach history and celebrate cultural diversity.
The African royalty
dolls are handcrafted and the fine fabrics are made in select African
countries. The company's special attention to detail and authenticity
delivers collectible quality dolls of unprecedented value.
EthiDolls will launch more dolls based on African royal figures in 2008
A percentage of profits
from the sale of EthiDolls' products will be set aside for charitable
organizations that enrich the lives of young African-American girls.
During our journey into the Doll Market, we've found quite a few online resources to be valuable assets and we would like to share those with you. One is the Official Price Guide to Dolls by Denise Vann Patten, owner of Dollymaker and guide on About.com's doll collecting site. We also admire the breadth and diversity of eShopAfrica.com.
EthiDolls Management
Salome Yilma – Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Yilma is a
co-founder of Ghenet Enterprises, Ltd. (EthiDolls). She has assembled
the management team and developed the business plan for EthiDolls, the
premier offering in a line of products planned for Ghenet Enterprises,
Ltd.
Ms. Yilma was born in
Ethiopia and spent her early years in Washington, D.C. and New York,
where her father served as Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States
and also to the United Nations. She was educated in Ethiopia in her
early years, and then in the U.S. where she earned a bachelor's degree
from Adelphi University. Her education and professional career in
corporate America, combined with extensive travel for business and
leisure, have given her a unique ability to bridge her rich heritage
with the diverse cultural traditions of America.
Yeworkwoha Ephrem – Executive Vice President
Ms. Ephrem is a
culinary pioneer and entrepreneur with more than thirty years of
experience. Also a co-founder of Ghenet Enterprises, Ltd. and
EthiDolls, Ms. Ephrem was also born in Ethiopia and has been for the
past eight years the owner/operator of the highly successful Ethiopian
restaurant, Ghenet, located in the SoHo neighborhood in New York City.
Ms. Ephrem has worked
at Ethiopian Airlines in the Commercial Planning & Marketing
Division, the United Nations Development Program in New York, and the
United Nations Peace Keeping Missions in Israel and Lebanon. She has
traveled extensively throughout Ethiopia, as well as the Middle East.
Patti Gindoff – Senior Vice President, Marketing
Ms. Gindoff has been a
sales and advertising executive for over 22 years. In her various
sales/advertising roles, she has successfully developed marketing
strategies for new business in the computer industry; managed and sold
for Fairchild's Classified Advertising and Textbook Divisions; and
effectively executed sales and training methods for Fairchild's
in-bound and outbound Classified Advertising Division.
Stephanie Janis – Senior Vice President, Product Development
Ms. Janis is a
well-respected toy inventor and commercial product developer whose
focus is the design of girls' products and dolls. Her commercial
product development achievements include involvement as a team member
in the highly successful Cabbage Patch Doll for Coleco, P. J. Sparkles
for Mattel, which sold $100 million to date since 1997, and Tatoodles
for Grand Toys, which has sold $30 million to date.
Ms. Janis began her
career as a designer with such companies as Ideal, Coleco, Am Toy, CBS
Toys, and Avon. She is also a visiting faculty member for the Toy
Design Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she has
been involved in many aspects of the program's development since its
inception in 1989.
Fassil Gabremariam – Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Gabremariam has 32
years of senior financial management experience in the
Telecommunication and Information Technology Industry. He was
previously the Vice President of Finance & Treasurer of Intermedia
Communications, where he directed the corporation's financial planning,
accounting, treasury, purchasing, and facilities management functions.
As President and Founder of the U.S. Africa Free Enterprise Education Foundation he has used his
personal assets and invaluable time to promote Africa by organizing programs and events that
educate and inspire both the business community and school children about the positive
dimensions of this vast continent.
