Walter A. Haas, Jr.

Walter A. Haas, Jr. (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. Born in San Francisco, California, he was the great-grandnephew of company founder Levi Strauss. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1937. Like his father, Haas Sr. for whom the Haas School of Business was named, Haas Jr. was a generous supporter of his alm... more

Walter A. Haas, Jr. (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. Born in San Francisco, California, he was the great-grandnephew of company founder Levi Strauss. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1937. Like his father, Haas Sr. for whom the Haas School of Business was named, Haas Jr. was a generous supporter of his alma mater. He was also the owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball club from 1980 until his death, overseeing a prosperous tenure. Under Haas' ownership, the Athletics won five American League Western Division titles (the first being in 1981 and the last being in 1992) and went 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. less