Who owns Hallmark? Meet the KC family helping the Royals move to Crown Center
The family behind one of the biggest greeting card companies in the country is helping bring the Kansas City Royals closer to downtown.
The Royals announced April 22 their intention to move to Crown Center, a sprawling, 85-acre mixed-use shopping district near downtown Kansas City as part of a joint partnership with Hallmark Cards. The Hallmark Headquarters, located in the Crown Center district at 2501 McGee St., will move to make room for the new stadium.
“When the new Royals stadium opens at Crown Center, something proud will come full circle,” Hallmark Cards Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Don Hall Jr. said in a press release. “The iconic Royals crown that Hallmark created will return to the very neighborhood where it was conceived. Every time a fan walks through the stadium doors, they’ll be standing in a place shaped by Kansas City and Hallmark’s creative spirit.”
Hall Jr. is the grandson of Joyce C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark. Hall Jr. joined the company in 1971 and has worked in manufacturing, customer service, product development and sales.
From 1993 to 2002, Hall Jr. had five promotions within Hallmark. He held roles as the general manager of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, vice president of creative, a corporate officer, vice president of product development in executive vice president of strategy and development. In January 2002, he took on the role of president and CEO, becoming the third generation of the Hall family to lead the company.
Outside of Hallmark, Hall Jr. is a member of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art Board of Trustees, the University of Kansas School of Business Board of Advisors and the Kansas City Civic Council. He also holds an MBA from the University of Kansas.
The Hall family has had a hand on Hallmark for generations. Joyce Hall came to Kansas City in 1910, where he used a shoebox full of cards and a rented YMCA room to begin the business that would become Hallmark Cards.
Joyce’s son, Don Hall Sr., was Hallmark’s chief executive officer from 1966 to 1986. Hallmark said Hall Sr. got the company through “its greatest period of growth” during his tenure. Under his leadership, Hallmark developed the Crown Center, entered international markets, introduced product lines that promoted diversity acquired Crayola, the company that specializes in art supplies.
In 2016, he assumed the position of chairman emeritus of the board and held it until his death on Oct. 13, 2024. The current president and CEO of Hallmark is Mike Perry, who assumed that role in 2019.
How much is the Hall family worth?
In 2015, the Hall Family’s net worth was listed at $2.8 billion in 2015 by Forbes. The Hallmark company had $3.5 billion in revenue for 2025 according to Forbes.
Hallmark was listed as the 28th most trusted companies in America list for 2026.
How has the Hall family contributed to Kansas City?
According to a ProPublica database, the Hall Family Foundation had over $47 million in charitable disbursements in 2024. Causes they’ve given back to over the years include Children’s Mercy, SchoolSmartKC, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and more.
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 5:11 PM.
