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Donald J. Hall Sr.

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Donald J. Hall Sr.
Born(1928-07-09)July 9, 1928
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
DiedOctober 13, 2024(2024-10-13) (aged 96)
Mission Hills, Kansas, U.S.
Alma materDartmouth College (AB)
OccupationBusinessman
TitleChairman and majority owner, Hallmark Cards
Spouse
Adele Coryell
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2013)​
Children3, including Donald J. Hall Jr.
FatherJoyce Hall

Donald Joyce Hall (July 9, 1928 – October 13, 2024) was an American billionaire businessman from Kansas City, Missouri. He was chairman and president of Hallmark Cards, the world's largest greeting card manufacturer. In 2015, Forbes estimated his family's net worth to be $2.8 billion.[1]

Early life

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Donald Joyce Hall was born on July 9, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Elizabeth Ann (née Dilday) and Joyce Hall. His father was the founder and president of Hallmark Cards.[2][3][4] He graduated from Pembroke-Country Day School. In 1946, he worked as a sales trainee and later as an assistant salesman for Hallmark.[5][6] Hall graduated from Dartmouth College in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics.[2][4] He served in the United States Army from September 1950 to October 1953, spending time in Gifu, Japan. He attained the rank of first lieutenant.[4][5]

Career

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Following his military service, Hall returned to Hallmark in 1953 and became assistant to the president in 1954. In 1956, he became a director. In March 1958, Hall was elected administrative vice president. On March 16, 1966, Hall's father, Joyce Hall, retired as president and Hall became president of Hallmark.[4][6][5] In 1981, he oversaw the litigation from the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse, which cost the company more than $100 million.[7] In 1983, he stepped down as president and became chairman of the board. Irvine O. Hockaday Jr. succeeded him as president.[2][4][8] He served as chairman emeritus of Hallmark from 2016 to his death.[9]

Philanthropy

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Hall was chair of the Hall Family Foundation. He was a founding member of the Kansas City Community Foundation. He helped start the Kansas City Area Economic Development Council.[9] In 1972, he led the "Prime Time" campaign in Kansas City to market the city as "one of the few livable cities left". He was credited with locating the 1976 Republican National Convention to Kansas City.[4][7] He served on the board of trustees of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for 31 years and in the 1960s helped establish the Hallmark Photographic Collection. In 2005, the collection was donated to the Nelson-Atkins museum.[4] He was chairman of the board of MRIGlobal.[4]

George H. W. Bush appointed Hall as chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.[4] In 2005, he served on the boards of the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Full Employment Council.[4]

Personal life and death

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Hall married Adele Coryell, of Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 28, 1953. They had three children, Margaret Elizabeth, David Earl and Donald J. Hall Jr. His wife died in 2013. Hall lived in Mission Hills, Kansas.[2][5][8][10] He was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.[4] Hall died at home on October 13, 2024, at the age of 96.[9][11]

Awards and honors

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Legacy

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In 2013, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art established the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park in his honor.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hall family". Forbes. July 1, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Donald J. Hall". NNDB. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ^ Ingham, John N. (1983). Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders, Volume 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 529. ISBN 0313239088.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Remembering the Life of Donald J. Hall". Hallmark. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "To A Hallmark Post". The Kansas City Star. March 28, 1958. p. 4. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ a b "Moves to Top at Hallmark". The Kansas City Star. March 16, 1966. p. 1A. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ^ a b "Hallmark: It Defined Corporate Culture in Community". The Kansas City Star. January 10, 2010. p. A14. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ a b "Forbes profile: Donald Hall". Forbes. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c Hartle, Sam (October 15, 2024). "Donald J. Hall, longtime Hallmark leader and civic champion, dies at 96". KSHB. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "Adele Coryell Hall". The Kansas City Star. February 1, 2013. p. A10. Retrieved October 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  11. ^ Sandomir, Richard (October 30, 2024). "Donald J. Hall, 96, Dies; Expanded Hallmark Beyond Greeting Cards". The New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  12. ^ "Hallmark CEO is named Kansas Citian of the Year". Kansas City Business Journal.
  13. ^ "Hall Receives Parsons Award for Contributions to the Arts". Kansas City Times. January 19, 1977. p. 6B. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  14. ^ "Contemporary Honorees". Kansas Business Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  15. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
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