From Art Dealer to Advocate – Ron Hall

A businessman, art dealer, speaker, philanthropist, and advocate for people experiencing homelessness. Ron’s life has taken him from boardrooms and art galleries around the world to shelters, mission chapels, and stages across America, all shaped by a simple belief: one person can make a difference.

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Ron earned both his BBA and MBA from Texas Christian University. After a brief career in banking, he found his way into the art world, where a single painting purchase unexpectedly changed the course of his life and launched a career that would span decades.

Over the years, Ron built an internationally respected art business, representing important artists and placing major works in museums, corporate collections, and private collections around the world. One of his most notable accomplishments was the sale of a monumental sculpture by Alexander Calder that now stands in Seattle's waterfront park near the Space Needle.

Ron’s life changed again when his late wife, Debbie, asked him to volunteer at a homeless mission in Fort Worth. There he met Denver Moore, an illiterate homeless ex-con whose friendship would transform both of their lives. Together, Ron and Denver co-authored Same Kind of Different as Me, the true story of friendship, faith, forgiveness, and second chances. The book became a #1 New York Times bestseller, was published in multiple languages, and was later adapted into a major motion picture by Paramount Pictures.

Since then, Ron has spoken to audiences across the country, helped raise over one-hundred million dollars for organizations serving people experiencing homelessness, and continued supporting missions and ministries for more than three decades. He has also served on a U.S. State Department cultural properties committee and received honors including Texas Christian University's Distinguished Alumni Award, Philanthropist of the Year, and Good Samaritan of the Year.

"Today, Ron continues to write, speak, travel, and serve. Alongside his wife Beth, he manages the Same Kind of Different as Me Foundation and encouraging others to live with purpose."

As Denver Moore often reminded him, "The courthouse is full of judges, and God don't need no more of them. He needs servants."