DaySpring Cards was born in a small commercial print shop in Covina, California, in 1971. The company was founded by four Christian men — Dean Kerns, Don Leetch, Russ Flint, and Roy Lessin. These men started DaySpring with a common vision, to make Christ known through the printed message. The first greeting card was created in the winter of that year. It was a Christmas card with the very simple but direct message, “When you get right down to it, the only thing that really matters is Jesus.” The public response to the card was overwhelming, thus making DaySpring aware of the great need for development of Christian cards. Today, DaySpring is a leading manufacturer and distributor of Christian greeting cards and other personal expression products and gifts. DaySpring products are sold in Christian retailers, card and gift stores, and other outlets in the United States and 60 foreign countries. Based in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, DaySpring has a staff of approximately 400 employees. In 1999, the company was acquired by Hallmark. DaySpring offers more than 7,000 products each year and "touches" more than 850 million people in a year. The company has changed many times throughout the years, but the purpose and vision remains the same — to make Christ known.
