In February 2021, Hallmark Cards, Inc. named Alexis Kerr as the new vice president of the Hallmark Mahogany brand, a greeting card line that has honored and celebrated Black culture for more than 30 years. The move signified the company’s investment in building the brand to be more than a card line, with Kerr at the helm of the expansion.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle Senior Editor Marie Albiges recently interviewed Kerr to learn more about how the Mahogany brand has changed in its 30-year history and the creative process behind its recent initiatives, like its Uplifted and Empowered collection that features timely, authentic, inspiring messages to support the Black community. Kerr shares how this collection inspired conversation between the Black writers and artists creating the cards, and how this led to the creation of mahogany.com, an online community for Black women. Lastly, Kerr discusses Mahogany’s other upcoming expansions in Hallmark stores, movies and more, as well as her career journey from years in the automotive industry to her current role at the greeting card company.