Former Hallmark CEO, Kansas City civic leader Donald Hall dies at 96
Donald J. Hall Sr., the former Hallmark chief executive officer and Kansas City civic leader, died at home Sunday, the company announced.
Hall, 96, held various leadership positions in the company, and served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1986 during a period of significant growth, the company said in a news release Tuesday morning. Most recently, he held the title of chairman emeritus.
In a statement, Hall Sr.’s son, Donald Hall Jr., said: “My father lived our beliefs and values his whole lifetime, and his ability to translate them in a way that others could understand will remain part of his lasting legacy. He truly believed that Hallmark’s purpose was to enrich people’s lives, and you continue to see that reflected in our brand and our people today.”
Hall Sr. was born in Kansas City in 1928, and was the son of Hallmark founder J.C. Hall and his wife, Elizabeth. Hall Sr. joined the company at 17 as an assistant salesman, and eventually helmed the company his father launched in 1910.
Hall Sr. attended Dartmouth College and after graduation served in the Army, including as an officer in Japan.
He returned to the company in 1953, and held leadership titles of administrative vice president beginning in 1958 and then president and CEO starting in 1966. The company also noted Hall’s work chairing the Hall Family Foundation and his efforts as a civic booster in the community.
“He was deeply committed to the Kansas City community, understanding the importance of giving back and fostering inclusive prosperity,” said Don’s son, David Hall. “He took special pride in his work with the Minority Supplier Development Council. He firmly believed it was essential for the business community to contribute toward a better future for everyone.”
Irv Hockaday, a longtime friend and Hallmark president and CEO after Hall Sr., reflected on Hall’s love for his family, his strong ethical compass, and his ability to listen and actually hear people. Hall Sr. had great respect within the company — and not just because of his name, Hockaday said.
He said Hall had an obvious and deep belief in the importance of the company’s business, and together, they recognized that, “This is not a company that just makes ink-on-paper greeting cards. This is a company that enhances relationships and that is a much more profound mission in life. This is not just a bottom-line-oriented enterprise, this is an effort to improve the lives of people and make connections between people.”
Current Hallmark president and CEO Mike Perry credited Hall Sr.’s leadership through the company’s “greatest period of growth,” and said its brands became beloved because of his leadership.
Said Perry: “He led the introduction of new product lines and development of Hallmark’s network of independent retailers. Don oversaw the development of Crown Center in Kansas City and the acquisition of Crayola in 1984. He took great pride in the Hallmark Hall of Fame, maintaining his father’s commitment to high-quality family entertainment and continued to review scripts and production details even as he stepped back from day-to-day roles with the company.”
After hearing about Hall’s death, civic and civil rights leader Alvin Brooks, who is 92, recalled that on his own 70th birthday, “I asked Don Hall and his wife, Adele Hall, to co-chair a charity for me,” and the two agreed.
“They gave of themselves freely,” Brooks said. “They raised more than $160,000 for the 20th anniversary of Ad Hoc (Ad Hoc Group Against Crime),” an anti-crime organization started by Brooks in 1977.
“They were people who were very civic-minded,” Brooks said. “He loved this city and he was a visionary. I’m sorry to hear about this great loss to the civic community and to the business community.”
In a statement, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas hailed Hall’s work as a business leader and his commitment to “equality for all, supporting minority contractors and efforts to build business opportunity for all members of the Kansas City community.”
“As a leader of Kansas City’s most famous global brand, he grew Hallmark’s presence in households all over the world,” Lucas said. “Closer to home, he was a model corporate citizen, carrying out the construction of Crown Center at a time when major businesses were leaving Kansas City’s urban core. Today, Crown Center houses major corporate offices and welcomes millions of visitors each year.”
“Mr. Hall has left a mark on Kansas City that we will never forget,” he added. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the Hall family, his many associates, and all who were blessed to have known him.”
In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said he was deeply saddened by Hall’s death.
“His remarkable contributions to the Kansas City community – through philanthropy, leadership, & a commitment to progress — have left an indelible mark,” Cleaver said. “He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
Don Hall Sr. was married to his wife Adele until her death in 2013. He was the father of three children — Don Jr., David and Margaret — and had nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
The Star’s Mará Rose Williams contributed reporting to this story.
This story was originally published October 15, 2024 at 9:59 AM.
