# Stern Pinball Hires Chief Revenue Officer **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2012-12-01 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/news/sternhires2.html --- ## Analysis Stern Pinball announced the hiring of John Buscaglia as Chief Revenue Officer in December 2012. Buscaglia came from Topps Trading Cards where he served as Vice President, bringing experience in consumer sales and collectibles. The hire signals Stern's focus on expanding sales channels and exploring new revenue opportunities. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] John Buscaglia joined Stern Pinball as Chief Revenue Officer — _Official press release from Stern Pinball dated December 2012_ - [HIGH] Buscaglia previously served as Vice President at Topps Trading Cards — _Official press release_ - [HIGH] Buscaglia's background in consumer sales and collectibles will help reach new players — _Gary Stern quote in official press release_ - [MEDIUM] Stern is the only maker of full-sized, arcade quality pinball games on the planet — _Company official statement (though this claim may be debatable depending on the market definition and time period)_ ### Notable Quotes > "John is a perfect addition to our company. His experience with consumer sales and collectibles will help us reach our goal of creating a whole new generation of pinball players" > — **Gary Stern, Founder, CEO and Chairman**, December 2012 > _Official rationale for the hire, emphasizing market expansion and new player recruitment strategy_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | John Buscaglia | person | Newly hired Chief Revenue Officer at Stern Pinball, formerly Vice President at Topps Trading Cards | | Stern Pinball Inc. | company | Pinball game manufacturer based in Melrose Park, Illinois; self-described as world's leading maker of real pinball games | | Gary Stern | person | Founder, CEO and Chairman of Stern Pinball; son of Sam Stern | | Topps Trading Cards | company | Previous employer of John Buscaglia; trading card company | | Sam Stern | person | Founder who entered pinball business in Philadelphia in the 1930s; partnered with Harry Williams | | Harry Williams | person | Partner of Sam Stern in Williams Manufacturing Company | | Williams Manufacturing Company | company | Historic pinball company founded by Sam Stern and Harry Williams in the 1930s | ### Topics - **Primary:** Personnel hiring and leadership, Revenue strategy and business growth - **Secondary:** Market expansion and new sales channels, Stern Pinball company history ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.75) — Announcement is framed positively as part of Stern's growth trajectory. Use of 'rapidly growing' and emphasis on new revenue opportunities conveys optimism about company direction. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** CRO hire suggests Stern is preparing for business expansion, including exploring new sales channels and product opportunities (confidence: medium) — Article notes job title suggests responsibility to increase revenue and create new sales opportunities; expectation for wider product range through website - **[personnel_signal]** John Buscaglia hired as Chief Revenue Officer from Topps Trading Cards, signaling focus on revenue expansion and market growth (confidence: high) — Official Stern Pinball press release announcing Buscaglia's hiring --- ## Transcript Date: 3rd January, 2013 Stern Pinball Inc continues with its hiring of new staff as it fills the slightly ominous-sounding post of Chief Revenue Officer. John Buscaglia is the man to fill the post and he comes to Stern from Topps Trading Cards where he was Vice-President. The job title suggests his key responsibility is to increase the money flowing into Stern's coffers, be it through new sales opportunities or increasing the margins on existing sales. So expect to see Stern Pinball exploring new ways to sell their products and a wider range of items available for sale through their own website. Here's the official press release from the company. Stern Pinball Hires New Chief Revenue Officer John Buscaglia Joins the Rapidly Growing Stern Team MELROSE PARK, IL – December 2012 – Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s leading maker of real pinball games, today announced the hiring of former Topps Trading Cards Vice President John Buscaglia as the new Chief Revenue Officer. John joins the rapidly growing Stern Pinball team as they continue to grow pinball sales and enthusiasm around the world. “John is a perfect addition to our company. His experience with consumer sales and collectibles will help us reach our goal of creating a whole new generation of pinball players,” said Gary Stern, Founder, CEO and Chairman of Stern Pinball, Inc. Mr. Buscaglia joins the Stern Pinball family tradition of producing quality pinball games. The company traces its lineage to Philadelphia in the 1930’s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Sam Stern subsequently partnered with Harry Williams to build the Williams Manufacturing Company and passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary. Today pinball remains one of the world’s favorite games. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Stern Pinball, Inc., located just outside Chicago, Illinois, designs and manufactures arcade-quality pinball games. Stern is the only maker of full-sized, arcade quality pinball games on the planet and has released many popular titles including Xmen, AC/DC, Transformers, Avatar, The Rolling Stones, Iron Man, Tron and many more. Stern’s games continue to be enjoyed by both pinball enthusiasts and casual players around the globe. For more information, please visit www.sternpinball.com. Back to the News page Like this page? Share it with your Facebook friends: Back to the front page _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 64442bd2-4f3b-4e5c-abd9-871a1db79c15*