Wonya Lucas, who expanded range of Hallmark films, to exit

Wonya Lucas, who as president and CEO of Hallmark Media centered on making the Hallmark Channel extra culturally various, is stepping down from her govt place on the finish of the yr.

A press release launched by the corporate gave no particular purpose for Lucas’ departure; she’s going to proceed to serve on Hallmark’s board of administrators.

In 2020, Lucas changed veteran Hallmark govt Invoice Abbott, who resigned after the community’s resolution to drag an advert from on-line wedding ceremony planning firm Zola as a result of it featured same-sex {couples} erupted into controversy.

In her function, Lucas was praised for increasing range on Hallmark initiatives, which had lengthy been criticized for being predominantly white and straight. (“The Christmas Home,” the community’s first vacation romance with a same-sex couple, premiered in 2020.) The assertion mentioned that Lucas “helped to construct a extra strong basis for the enterprise by means of broadened storytelling with extra various and inclusive storylines and characters.”

“I’m honored to have led this firm and am tremendously happy with the progress we’ve made by creating an advanced leisure expertise that evokes significant, emotionally linked moments for our audiences,” mentioned Lucas within the assertion.

She added, “My ardour for the Hallmark model has grown in deeply rewarding methods and can stay paramount as I proceed to assist information Hallmark Media’s future in a extra strategically centered capability.”

Mike Perry, president and CEO of Hallmark Corporations, will work carefully with Lucas and the Hallmark Media govt management staff to guide the day-to-day operations of the media enterprise and full the method of Lucas’ transition.