Hallmark Corp A Brief History Essay

Hallmark Corp.: A Brief History Essay, Research Paper

History Hallmark corporation, with its numerous subsidiaries, has become the king of an industry which deals in everything from greeting cards to real-estate. Through creativity, innovation and drive, Hallmark has set the standard for success. A success which is rooted in its people at every level, and from every walk of life. A success which has thrusted Hallmark from a shoebox to a 3.8 billion dollar industry giant that employs over 11,000 employees worldwide. Unlike many large corporations, Hallmark s birth began in a most unique fashion. Three young brothers Joyce, Rollie and William Hall pooled their money together and created the Norfolk Post Card Company. With minimal success, the new business venture hung on by a thin thread. Unsatisfied with the route the new company was taking, Joyce C. Hall the eldest of the three, decided it was time for him to venture on his own. On January 11, 1910, at the early age of eighteen, Joyce C. Hall dropped out of high school, packed two shoeboxes with postcards and boarded a train for Kansas City. Once in Kansas City, Joyce, wasted no time implementing his new mail-order plan for distributing postcards. Using the floor beneath his bed for inventory storage, Joyce invoiced, packaged and distributed packets of postcards to card dealers throughout the mid-west. Within a couple months, Joyce C. Hall, had profited two-hundred dollars and set the foundation for an unstoppable business. With the foundation now laid for a promising business, Joyce Hall s brother Rollie joined in. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. On January 11, 1915 a fire devoured his entire inventory. Undaunted by this tragedy, the two Hall brothers floated a loan and purchased a local engraving firm. This was a bold move, but one that would eventually pay-off. Hall was quoted as saying “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.” Ultimately, this would set the stage for one of Hallmark s first original designs. By 1922, the Hall Brothers firm, which now included the third brother William, began growing at a phenomenal rate. Now with one-hundred twenty employees and its own six-story building, their dreams in a shoebox had transformed into a reality. Their success continued to ascend, and in 1954 they officially changed their name to the all too familiar “Hallmark Cards Inc.” The rest is history Management style Managing a successful business was not an easy task, it took devotion, pride and the drive to succeed regardless of obstacles. Hall, with his unique style of managing, guided Hallmark on a path that few companies can match. Hall drove himself hard and expected no less from those who worked for him. Known as the “Benevolent Patriarch”, he could blister an executive who failed to follow through, yet on the other hand comfort and console on who made an honest mistake. Hallmark was run with as a small, close-knit personable business, regardless of the fact that it was actually a billion dollar corporation. Hall was always seen as a “people person” that always found time to walk around the building to greet and speak with his employees. With his personable yet firm nature, he rule his people as a benevolent patriarch, advising, cajoling, reprimanding, praising and even helping whenever times were tough. He created an environment of pride that reflected not only in business but in the lives of all his employees. A pride that bolstered creativity, promoted innovation, and above all invigorated hope. I don t believe that there was a single employee that didn t believe that the ultimate success of the company relied on each and every individual. Pride was not the only compensation for employees to do their best. Hallmark, respectively, has one of the most unique and productive employee compensation packages. To begin with, Hallmark initiated the Career Rewards Program. In this program, employees are given the option to own a sizable piece of the company. According to recent reports, three-quarters of Hallmark is owned by the Mr. Hall, whereas the remaining one-fourth of the company is owned by the employees. Hallmark also initiated a special program called the ” Career Development Program”. Designed to increase employee knowledge of the company as a whole, this program has proven to be asset to not only Hallmark but to all of its employees. Within the program there are several focused stages which candidates participate. Each candidate completes up to four to six assignments in different areas of the company, such as Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations and Sales. As the candidates successfully perform their duties within each of these sections, they inevitably gain valuable knowledge as to how the company operates from every level and every aspect. In addition, the candidates receive high visibility and exposure from within the company, which allows their creativity and talents to be seen and recognized. Upon completion of the program, the candidates then begin working full-time in one of the many diverse divisions, armed with the complete knowledge of how Hallmark works at every level. Additionally, Hallmark has one of the most commendable minority programs in the U.S. In an era when discrimination all too often creates impassable obstacles for minorities, Hallmark has taken a different path. Hallmark, recognizing the potential in minority groups, has initiated extensive program