Erivan Haub
Erivan Haub | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1932-09-29 Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Died | 2018-03-06 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Years active | 1963–2018 |
| Known for | Managing director and partial proprietor of Tengelmann Group |
Erivan Karl Matthias Haub (29 September 1932 – 6 March 2018) was a prominent German billionaire entrepreneur, serving as managing director and partial proprietor of the Tengelmann Group, one of Germany's foremost retail enterprises. At the time of his passing in 2018, his estimated net worth stood at approximately US$6.4 billion.
Early life
Haub was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, to Erich Haub and Elizabeth Haub (née Schmitz-Scholl), belonging to the family that owned the Tengelmann supermarket chain.
Career
Following World War II, Haub undertook internships at Jewel Tea in Chicago and Alpha-Beta in California before pursuing economic studies at the University of Hamburg. During the 1960s, he and his wife resided in Tacoma, Washington, where they contributed more than 295 pieces of Western American art to the Tacoma Art Museum. At one stage, Haub was ranked as the sixth wealthiest individual in the United States, surpassing Bill Gates, although his ranking later declined to around 250th. He passed away at his residence in Wyoming.
Haub entered the family enterprise in 1963 and assumed the role of managing director following the death of his uncle, Karl Schmitz-Scholl, in 1969. He strategically concentrated Tengelmann’s efforts on retail operations, spearheading its growth through acquiring the Kaiser's grocery chain in 1971 and establishing the discount store Plus in 1972. Under his guidance, Tengelmann expanded internationally, including acquiring The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in 1979. In 2000, management responsibilities were transferred to his son Karl-Erivan Haub, while Erivan took a position on the supervisory board.
Family
In 1958, Erivan Haub married Helga Otto. The couple lived in Wiesbaden and had three sons:
- Karl-Erivan Haub (1960–2018)
- Georg Haub
- Christian W.E. Haub (born 1964)
Honors
The Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph's University bears Erivan Haub’s name. Additionally, the Helga Otto Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming commemorates his wife Helga.