Mark Victor Hansen

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Mark Victor Hansen (born January 1948) is an American inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer and author. He is best known as the founder and co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series.

Along with business partner, Jack Canfield, Hansen is best known for creating what Time magazine called “the publishing phenomenon of the decade”. Chicken Soup for the Soul books are one of the most successful publishing franchises in the world today, with more than 140 million books sold internationally and more than 100 licensed products. The name “Chicken Soup” was chosen because of the use of chicken soup as a home remedy for the sick. The first Chicken Soup book, published by Health Communications, Inc., sold more than 2 million copies. There are now over 140 million copies in print and in 54 languages world-wide.

Hansen has appeared on Oprah, CNN and The Today Show and was featured in Time, US News and World Report, USA Today, The New York Times and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Hansen's most recent book, co-authored with Art Linkletter, is "How to Make the Rest of your Life The Best of your Life."

In 2005 he co-wrote, along with Robert Allen, the book "Cracking the Millionaire Code" in which he highlights several self-made millionaires such as Bob Circosta, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Alexander Graham Bell, Oprah Winfrey, and others, using them as examples of how to build wealth.

In 2004 Hansen was inducted into the Sales & Marketing Executive International’s Hall of Fame, receiving the Ambassador of Free Enterprise award. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Visionary Philanthropist for Youth Award by Covenant House of CA.

In 2002 The University of Toledo presented Hansen with an Honorary PhD in Business Administration and established the Mark Victor Hansen Entrepreneurial Excellence Fund that will help shape the minds of future business leaders and assist in the development of the faculty who will teach them.

In 2000 The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans honored Hansen with the prestigious Horatio Alger Award as an American leader who personifies the virtues and principles inherent in the success stories written by nineteenth century American author Horatio Alger, Jr.

In 2000 Northwood University honored Hansen as the Outstanding Business Leader of the Year.

Hansen is involved and supports charities such as Horatio Alger Scholarships, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Operation Smile, Oceana, March of Dimes, Covenant House and Childhelp USA.

Hansen graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1970 with a B.A. in speech communications.[1] Hansen says that he also earned two master's degrees at the university,[2] but, according to university officials, this is not true.[3]


[edit] External links

[edit] References and footnotes

  1. ^ "Chicken-Soup Nation," by Cynthia Gorney. The New Yorker (October 6, 2003).
  2. ^ Official Mark Victor Hansen website. Consulted 02/01/08.
  3. ^ "Chicken-Soup Nation," by Cynthia Gorney. The New Yorker (October 6, 2003).