On Monday, March 4, 2013, Alliance and Diamond lost a beloved family member, devoted coworker, and irreplaceable friend as Phyllis Opolko lost her battle with cancer.

A game industry icon, Phyllis spent many years with Baltimore game pioneer The Avalon Hill Game Company. She joined Alliance Game Distributors in 1999 and was the driving force behind many of the company’s marketing initiatives. She led the staff in creating Game Trade Magazine, which is still going strong after more than 12 years of continuous publication.

Phyllis was a rare combination – creative and detail oriented, forward thinking yet focused on the finer points. Her fingerprint could be seen on our Open Houses, Retailer Summits, and events; on our website, our social media, and most clearly on our hearts.

Phyllis will be laid to rest on Friday, March 8 at Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney in Lutherville, MD. In lieu of flowers, donations can also be made in her name to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org