Industry vet Vinnie D’Alleva is joining Mattel as its new SVP of Fisher-Price Friends.

He’s been tapped to oversee the management of product development for the Thomas & Friends brand, along with other HIT Entertainment properties like Bob the Builder.

Previously president and GM of North America at the Mayborn Group, D’Alleva brings with him more than 25 years of marketing experience, the majority of which has been earned in the toy and juvenile products industries.

In other Fisher-Price news, the preschool division of Mattel also announced that Steve LaBella, SVP of Fisher-Price Preschool, is expanding his remit. He’s assuming responsibility for product development on the company’s licensed properties, including Dora and Friends: Into the City! (Nickelodeon) and Jake and the Never Land Pirates (Disney).

Mattel’s Q3 results reported worldwide gross sales for its Fisher-Price brands (Fisher-Price Core, Fisher-Price Friends and Power Wheels) at US$663.4 million, which were down by 16% from the third quarter of 2013.