John C. Haas
John C. Haas | |
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John Charles Haas (May 22, 1918 – April 2, 2011) was an American businessman and
Early life and education
John Haas was the son of Otto Haas, founder of the chemical company
John Haas grew up in Haverford, Pennsylvania, with his parents and his older brother F. Otto Haas.[2] He attended the Quaker Haverford Friends School, and then Episcopal Academy, from which he graduated in 1936.[5][6]
Haas attended Amherst College, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1940, majoring in chemistry. He then went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving a master's degree in chemical engineering in 1942.[2]
Career and family
John Haas was employed as a process engineer at Rohm and Haas as of 1942, working at the Bridesburg plant in Philadelphia. After serving in the navy during World War II, he returned to Rohm and Haas in 1946. He worked as a manager in the company's production facilities in Knoxville, Tenn., and Houston, Texas. In Houston, he met his future wife, Chara A. Cooper (1927-2012). The couple were married in Bryn Athyn on June 21, 1952.[7] They later lived in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, and then at Stoneleigh, the Haas family estate in Villanova.[7] They had five children: a daughter, Barbara, and four sons, David, Leonard, Frederick and Duncan.[5]
John Haas became vice president in charge of personnel in 1953, a position in which he promoted the advancement of
Philanthropy
In 1960,[10] Haas was named chairman of the William Penn Foundation, originally established by his parents in 1945 as the Phoebe Waterman Charitable Foundation, to address post-war social problems.[6]
In 2006, Haas and his wife Chara established their own foundation, the Stoneleigh Foundation. He credits his wife with the inspiration to use their personal fortune to target the needs of vulnerable and underserved children and families.[2][10]
In 2009, Rohm and Haas was sold to
Throughout his life Haas was active with many charitable organizations, including the
Haas was instrumental in establishing the Center for the History of Chemistry (later the Chemical Heritage Foundation, now the Science History Institute).[6] The John C. Haas Archive of Science and Business at the Chemical Heritage Foundation is named in his honor, and includes the Rohm and Haas Company archives.[12][13][14][15]
John C. Haas and his brother F. Otto Haas received the Edward Powell Memorial Award in 1987 for their philanthropic work in Philadelphia. They donated the award's cash prize to the Philadelphia Committee for the Homeless.[16] Haas was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1992.[17]
Political activities
John was an early opponent of the
Conservation
He was also an active proponent of
As of April 20, 2016, the Haas family donated the 42-acre Stoneleigh estate in Villanova, including its Tudor Revival mansion, to
Later life
John Haas died of natural causes on April 2, 2011, at the age of 92.[7][10][20][21][22]
External links
- Finding aid to The Rohm & Haas Company archives, 1743-1998, Science History Institute
References
- ISBN 978-1-56000-830-9. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Downey, Sally A. (April 3, 2011). "John C. Haas, 92, retired Rohm & Haas chairman and philanthropist, dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Philadelphia Philanthropist John C. Haas Dies at 92". Philanthropy News Digest. April 5, 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Finding aid to The Rohm & Haas Company archives, 1743-1998". Othmer Library Catalog. Science History Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Morrison, John F. (April 5, 2011). "Chemical heir John C. Haas, who gave away millions to charities, dies at 92". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ a b c Tritton, Thomas R. (2012). "John C. Haas" (PDF). Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 156 (4): 458–462. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ a b c "Foundation Remembers Chara Haas". The William Penn Foundation. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
- ^ a b Miller, Paul F. (2012). "John C. Haas" (PDF). Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 156 (4): 458–462. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "John C. Haas Notice Condolences". Philly.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Key, Peter (Apr 4, 2011). "Philanthropist, former Rohm chairman John C. Haas dies". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Philadelphia Orchestra Award Presented to Wyncote Foundation and Members of Haas Family; David Haas, Frederick R. Haas, and Leonard C. Haas". Philadelphia Orchestra. June 23, 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ "Constructing History: The John C. Haas Archive of Science and Business at CHF". Transmutations (14). Chemical Heritage Foundation: 1. 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ Gussman, Neil. "The Power of John C. Haas's Good Name". Chemical Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on July 12, 2016.
- ^ Shea, Patrick (November 5, 2013). "CHF Opens John C. Haas Archive of Science and Business". Delaware Valley Archivists Group. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Chemical Heritage Foundation John C. Haas Archive". Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Plastics Maker F. Otto Haas Dies". Philly.com. January 4, 1994. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
- ^ Matza, Michael (May 4, 2016). "Haas estate in Villanova to be preserved as public garden". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ^ "John C. Haas of Rohm and Haas chemical firm dies". Seattle Times. April 2, 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "John C. Haas, May 22, 1918 - April 2, 2011". Stoneleigh Fellowships for Social Change. Stoneleigh Foundation. 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Obituary: John C. Haas, 92, Leading Philadelphia Philanthropist". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. April 6, 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2014.