Bob Haas
Robert D. Haas | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 3, 1942 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Known for | Chairman emeritus of Levi Strauss & Co., former president and CEO (1984–1999), chairman (1989–2008) |
| Notable work | Introduction of Dockers brand, corporate HIV/AIDS initiatives at Levi Strauss & Co. |
Robert D. Haas (born April 3, 1942) holds the title of chairman emeritus at Levi Strauss & Co.. He is the son of Walter A. Haas Jr. and a great-great-grandnephew of the company's founder, Levi Strauss. Haas was the final family member to occupy the positions of president and CEO (1984–1999) as well as chairman (1989–2008).
Biography
Hailing from San Francisco, Haas is the offspring of Walter A. Haas Jr. and Evelyn Danzig Haas. His siblings include Elizabeth Jane "Betsy" Haas Eisenhardt and Walter J. Haas, who previously served as chairman and CEO of the Oakland Athletics and co-chaired the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund.
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964, graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors, followed by an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1968, where he was recognized as a Baker Scholar. Between 1964 and 1966, Haas contributed to the Peace Corps in Ivory Coast, later becoming a White House Fellow from 1968 to 1969, and subsequently worked at McKinsey & Company from 1969 until 1972.
Haas joined Levi Strauss & Co. in 1973, advancing through multiple positions before his appointment to the board in 1979. He ascended to president and CEO in 1984 and held the chairman role from 1989 to 2008; he stepped down from the board in 2014. His tenure saw significant international growth and the introduction of the Dockers brand, which bolstered both sales and profitability.
He implemented a leaner corporate structure at Levi Strauss by flattening management layers and reducing staff by approximately one-third, while simultaneously increasing investments in product innovation, marketing efforts, and technological advancements. In 1985, Haas orchestrated the company’s transition back to private ownership through what was then considered the largest leveraged buyout in U.S. history.
Under his guidance, Levi Strauss deepened its dedication to corporate social responsibility by instituting global workplace safety protocols. Continuing family legacies of principled leadership during challenging periods such as the Great Depression and segregation, Haas prioritized equitable treatment for employees worldwide.
During his leadership, Levi Strauss became a trailblazer in corporate HIV/AIDS initiatives: it was among the earliest companies to establish policies supporting HIV-positive workers and implement employee education programs on HIV/AIDS. Since the early 1980s, the Levi Strauss Foundation has contributed over $60 million to organizations addressing AIDS-related issues. In recognition of his efforts in workplace HIV/AIDS leadership, Haas was honored with the Edward N. Brandt Jr. Award in 1991.
In 1992, Levi Strauss distinguished itself as the first Fortune 500 firm to extend health benefits to employees’ unmarried partners and introduced groundbreaking corporate standards for ethical treatment of workers in contractor factories—standards that have since been widely adopted throughout apparel and footwear sectors.
Philanthropy
Haas has been a committed benefactor to his alma mater through funding the Haas Scholars Program at Berkeley, which offers financial support enabling outstanding undergraduates to pursue research or creative projects during summer or their senior year. Each year, twenty scholars are chosen across various fields based on project quality and innovation. His involvement with Berkeley includes service on its Board of Visitors, leadership as national giving chair for the Campaign for Berkeley, board membership at the Haas School, and receipt of the Chancellor's Award in 2007. In recognition of his contributions, Berkeley established the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion in 2008.
He serves as a trustee for the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, a San Francisco-based private family foundation dedicated to advancing social equity; he joined its board in 1992 and chairs its audit committee. His professional affiliations encompass prior membership in the Trilateral Commission, trusteeship at the Ford Foundation, membership in the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as honorary trusteeships with organizations such as the Brookings Institution, California Business Roundtable, and Bay Area Council. Additionally, he has chaired Stanford University's Humanities and Sciences Council and presided over the Levi Strauss Foundation. Haas is also a supporter of Immigrants Rising.
Awards and Honors
In 1998, President Bill Clinton presented Haas with the first-ever Ron Brown Leadership Award in recognition of Levi Strauss & Co.'s anti-racism program, "Project Change." Later, in 2009, the University of California, Berkeley honored him as its Alumnus of the Year.
Personal Details
Haas wed attorney Colleen Gershon in 1974, and together they have a daughter named Elise.
See also
External links
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- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 1942 births
- American chairpersons of corporations
- American people of German-Jewish descent
- Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Haas family
- Harvard Business School alumni
- American philanthropists
- Living people
- McKinsey & Company people
- University of California, Berkeley alumni
- Levi Strauss & Co. people
- Newmark family