Learn about Ron’s 34-year career bringing some of Hallmark’s most popular Keepsake Ornaments to life.

Engineer Ron Carlson retires from Keepsake studio

When Ron Carlson joined Hallmark in July 1978 as a tool design engineer, it wasn’t long before he lent his expertise to new decorative processes for a handful of Keepsake Ornaments. Fast-forward to 2012, and Ron’s duties led him to play a part in creating more than 150 ornaments a year—almost half of the entire line.

“I’ve always looked at this job as teamwork,” says Ron, who retired from Hallmark in October 2012. “The designers and I go back and forth with ideas until something gels. Keepsake engineers work with designers to work through technical issues and make sure an ornament will do what they really would like it to do. Sometimes it will take a few compromises, and there’s a bit of push-pull there.”

Valued collaboration

No one acknowledges that relationship more than Keepsake Artist Ken Crow, who worked with Ron on dozens of ornaments since Ron came full-time to the Keepsake studio in 1995.

“He improved me, and I will always be thankful that I knew and worked with Ron, and I can tell you that it wasn’t always that way,” says Ken with a laugh. “When I first worked with him, it was oil and water. He was the guy who would tell me what I couldn’t do. But I learned that he was right, and not only that, but I learned he had lots of ideas for improving things.”

Ron also counts his work with Ken as his most memorable in the studio, particularly their first Magic ornament in 1997. Santa’s Showboat features a turning paddle wheel, glowing portholes and running lights, flickering light in the steamboat’s twin chimneys and it plays “Jingle Bells.”

“Ken’s objective was to make ornaments as small as possible. The only way to do that was to use computer-assisted drafting to accomplish the magic,” says Ron. “We set our chairs together at one computer. I handled the mouse because I knew the software and he just told me what to do. Now that’s collaboration. And today, Ken is a lot farther ahead in using that software than just about anyone in the country.”

Steamboat Junction

Motors, mentorship and memories

Ron went on to develop smaller, quieter motors for Magic ornaments, programming capabilities for synchronizing light and sound and countless other innovations to help Keepsake Ornaments capture memories. With his background in injection molding, he assisted with decorative processes on scores of non-Magic ornaments each year of his career. Ron also mentored and trained a number of young engineers who went on to work for the Keepsake studio and elsewhere in Hallmark.

Next, Ron intends to spend time with family at his home that he designed in Idaho’s Teton Valley. He says he suspects he won’t be totally finished with Keepsake Ornaments—especially if Ken has any say in the matter.

Ken says, “People have asked me what I’m going to do without Ron. I say that I am better because I knew Ron Carlson, and I can do my job even better now. He’s a mentor and a leader and didn’t mind me challenging him, which is a great thing in an artist working with an engineer. He was working for the best as I was working for the best.”