Hallmark Announces Albert Lai as New Hallmark Labs Senior Vice President and General Manager - Hallmark Labs/Digital

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Albert Lai joined Hallmark Labs as senior vice president and general manager – Hallmark Labs/Digital Sept. 4. Lai brings more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry leading growth, development and strategy, most recently serving as chief technology officer for media at Brightcove.

A business of Hallmark Cards, Inc., Hallmark Labs works to enhance the digital strategies of Hallmark's portfolio of businesses through consumer-facing technology products and services. Hallmark Labs was integral in launching new capabilities such as Hallmark eCards and Hallmark Movies Now, Hallmark's streaming video on demand service.

"A known thought-leader in the industry, Albert brings both great technical expertise and demonstrated leadership in product innovation and consumer experience," said Dave Hall, president of Hallmark Cards, Inc. "Albert's focus on doing everything with the consumer in mind is something I believe will bring great value to the company, and we are excited to have him on board."

"I accepted this opportunity with great excitement," said Lai. "I have long admired the Hallmark brand, and am looking forward to joining the team and driving new capabilities at Hallmark Labs."

In his new role, Lai will work closely with Hallmark's portfolio of businesses, such as Hallmark Greetings and Crown Media's Hallmark Channel. Lai will develop new digital opportunities to advance the consumer experience throughout digital greetings, print on-demand products and streaming video on demand, ensuring strategic alignment among brands.

Prior to joining Hallmark Labs, Lai led the formation and growth of Brightcove's global media business unit and its technical leadership, expanding the company's multi-platform solutions and advancing its next generation video platform and cloud service capabilities. He also served on the technical advisory board of Vrideo, in addition to holding senior positions at prior appointments, such as chief technology officer at SnagFilms before joining Brightcove.

Lai earned his bachelor's degree in computer science from Stanford University.

About Hallmark 
For more than 100 years, family-owned Hallmark Cards, Inc. has been dedicated to creating a more emotionally connected world. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri and employing more than 30,000 worldwide, the approximately $4 billion company operates a diversified portfolio of businesses. Its global Hallmark Greetings business sells greeting cards and gift wrap in more than 30 languages with distribution in more than 100 countries and 100,000 rooftops. Hallmark Retail operates 2,000 Hallmark Gold Crown stores in five countries and Hallmark Home & Gifts sells a broad array of home décor and gift product throughout the U.S. Crayola® offers a wide range of art materials and toys designed to spark children's creativity around the globe. Crown Media Family Networks operates three cable channels – Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama – in addition to Hallmark Publishing, the e-books division of the Hallmark channels, and Hallmark Movies Now, a subscription-based streaming service. Crown Center is a real estate development company that manages the 85-acre hotel, office, entertainment and residential campus surrounding Hallmark's headquarters. For more information, visit Hallmark.com. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Hallmark Labs
Hallmark Labs is a business of Hallmark Cards, Inc., and located in Santa Monica, California. The company aims to extend Hallmark's meaningful connections into the digital age at a rapid pace, implementing cutting-edge technology. Hallmark Labs is the parent company of two digital subscription services: Hallmark Movies Now and HallmarkeCards.com. Its mission is to add the Hallmark touch to any and every form of digital expression.

SOURCE Hallmark Cards, Inc.

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