Downtown Council Picks Hall Family for Annual Phil Kirk Award

The Hall family is being recognized by the Downtown Council for its commitment to downtown Kansas City through Hallmark Cards and Crown Center.

The Hall family and Hallmark will be receiving the 2017 J. Phillip Kirk Jr. Award at the Downtown Council’s annual luncheon on Jan. 26. The award honors leaders who’s vision and commitment have contributed to the revitalization of downtown.

“Through Hallmark Cards, Crown Center and their own civic leadership, the Halls have contributed greatly to making Kansas City the creative, artistic and culturally advanced city it is,” Cathy Smith, chairwoman of the Downtown Council, said in a statement.

Hallmark Cards was founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, who grew the business founded on greeting cards into a national icon.

In 1968, the firm established Crown Center Redevelopment Corp. to revitalize an 85-acre site on the south edge of downtown not only as the firm’s headquarters, but a major mixed-used development with office, hotel, retail and residential.

The firm is now led by CEO Don Hall, Jr. and President Dave Hall, grandsons of the founder, and the sons of Donald J. Hall, Hallmark board chairman.

“Hallmark and the Hall family are deeply honored to receive this award,” Don Hall Jr. said in a statement, “because it celebrates the economic vitality of Kansas City, something the company and my family have been deeply committed to for generations.”

The Phil Kirk Award was started in 2002 to recognize people and organizations who’ve played a critical role in revitalizing downtown. It’s named after the late Phil Kirk, who as chairman of DST Realty was a key leader in helping reverse the decline of downtown beginning in the 1990s.

More information about the Downtown Council annual luncheon can be found here.