| George Haas Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 10, 1920 New York City |
| Died | June 12, 2006(2006-06-12) (aged 85) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, polo player |
George Haas Jr. (September 10, 1920 – June 12, 2006) was an American businessman and polo player. He founded the Haas Financial Corporation.
Biography
Early life
George Haas Jr. was born on September 10, 1920, in New York City. He attended Brooks School, a private school in North Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated from Yale University, where he won his first polo trophy in 1938.
Second World War
He joined the United States Army in the Second World War and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Armored Division. He was captured by German soldiers and managed to escape six months later. He later received the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and the Air Medal.
Business
In the 1950s, he worked in industrial sales for The Coca-Cola Company, followed by PepsiCo. In 1960, he founded the Haas Financial Corporation headquartered in New York City. It specialized in beverage industry mergers and acquisitions as well as commercial aviation leases.
Polo
As a professional polo player, he won the East Coast Open three times, the Monty Waterbury Cup three times and the Arena Sherman Memorial.
He served as President of the Gulfstream Polo Club in Lake Worth, Florida. In 2003, he sold his property near the grounds of the Gulfstream Polo Club, in the midst of controversy about the possible relocation of the club.
As chairman of the United States Polo Association's Safety and International Committees, he improved the safety of polo helmets. He also served on the executive committee of the Federation of International Polo. He served as chairman of the Polo Training Foundation. He served on the board of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame and was inducted on February 16, 2002.
Personal life
He died on June 12, 2006.
Bibliography
- Against All Odds (1998)
References
- ^ "Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, George Haas Jr.'s biography". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
- ^ "Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame: George Haas Remembered". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
- Sam Tranum, Pushing For Change, Sun-Sentinel, May 12, 2003
- 1920 births
- 2006 deaths
- Businesspeople from New York City
- Yale University alumni
- American polo players
- People from Lake Worth Beach, Florida
- Brooks School alumni
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- United States Army officers
- American prisoners of war in World War II
- World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
- American escapees
- Escapees from German detention