Walter A. Haas, Jr.
| Walter A. Haas Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 24, 1916 San Francisco, California |
| Died | September 20, 1995 (aged 79) San Francisco, California |
| Cause of death | prostate cancer |
| Residence | San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | United States |
| Alma mater |
University of California Harvard Business School |
| Occupation | businessman philanthropist |
| Known for | president and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co |
| Spouse(s) | Evelyn Danzig Haas |
| Children |
Robert D. Haas Betsy Haas Eisenhardt Walter J. Haas |
| Parent(s) | Elise Stern Walter A. Haas |
| Family |
Roy Eisenhardt (son-in-law) Peter E. Haas Jr. (cousin) |
Walter A. Haas Jr. (January 24, 1916 – September 20, 1995) was a president and CEO (1958–1976) and chairman (1970–1981) of Levi Strauss & Co, succeeding his father Walter A. Haas (1889–1979). He led the company in its growth from a regional manufacturer and wholesaler of work clothes to one of the world’s leading apparel companies. In 1953, together with his wife, Evelyn, he founded the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, a private family foundation based in San Francisco, California.
Haas was born to a Jewish family in San Francisco, the son of Elise (née Stern) and Walter A. Haas. His mother was the daughter of Sigmund Stern, the nephew of Levi Strauss. Haas graduated from the University of California in Berkeley in 1937. His father was a prominent supporter of the university; the Haas School of Business was named in his honor. Haas attended the Harvard Business School and earned an MBA in 1939.
Haas was the owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball club, acquiring the team from Charles O. Finley in August 1980 for less than $13 million. The acquisition was to prevent the team from moving, as Finley had wanted to sell to industrialist Marvin Davis, who planned to move the team to Denver. Under Haas' ownership, the Athletics won five American League West Division titles (the first in 1981 and the last in 1992, advancing to three consecutive World Series between 1988 and 1990, defeating the cross-bay rival San Francisco Giants in 1989 in a sweep marred only by the infamous Loma Prieta earthquake).
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