Class Notes – Jan/Feb 2022

Your scribe is saddened to report that Bobby Haas passed away in September. I discovered his aerial photography long after Yale; my copy of Through the Eyes of the Vikings (National Geographic, 2010) has had a prominent place in our living room for a decade. The photographs are truly stunning. (National Geo reminds readers that “All of the royalties from his photographic work go to nonprofit foundations and wildlife conservation organizations throughout the world.”) Classmates who want a fuller picture of Bobby’s careers (with pictures) should go to the class website, yale1969.org. For this memorial, I have edited a version of his obituary published in the Dallas Morning News. Another obituary appeared in the Wall Street Journal.

Excerpts from the Dallas Morning News: “Robert “Bobby” Bradley Haas, passed away unexpectedly of cardiac complications September 28, 2021. Bobby was married to Candice Haas, the mother of his three children, from 1969-2017. Bobby was an extremely proud, loving and protective father to Samantha Joy Haas, Courtney Haas Bauch and Vanessa Haas Hood; he is also survived by his partner Stacey Mayfield. Bobby was a pioneering figure in private equity, a renowned National Geographic photographer and author, founder of the Haas Moto Museum & Sculpture Gallery in Dallas and an acclaimed documentary filmmaker. Bobby was a true visionary who pursued the heights of both private equity and artistic endeavors, including the rarified worlds of aerial photography and museum curation and documentary filmmaking. From 1983-2010, Bobby was Founder and Chairman of Haas Wheat & Partners and its predecessor investment partnership, Hicks & Haas. The Firm compiled a highly acclaimed record of success, and its reputation as a leading strategic investor was established in a series of note-worthy acquisitions, including Dr Pepper Company, The Seven-Up Company, A&W Brands, Sybron International, and AMN Healthcare. Bobby also served as a senior advisor and partner of New MainStream Capital, an investment firm based in New York. In his parallel career as a renowned photographer and author, Bobby has published 12 books, including five by National Geographic. Two of his aerial photography books, Through the Eyes of the Gods – An Aerial Vision of Africa and its successor Through the Eyes of the Condor – An Aerial Vision of Latin America, are two of the most widely distributed single-photographer books ever published by National Geographic. He was the author of Shakespeare and the Brothers: Embedded with a Band of Bikers, inspired by the author’s fascination with the biker culture and exploring the tight-knit bonds of brotherhood within one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world. In 2014, Bobby extended his fascination with the biker culture to become an avid collector of vintage and custom motorcycles, spanning over 100 years of design and engineering excellence. His thirst for collecting rare vintage cycles and innovative custom motorcycles soon expanded his collection to over 230 cycles, including what is believed to be the largest museum collection of custom motorcycles on display anywhere in the world. Bobby is the founder and owner of the Haas Moto Museum & Sculpture Gallery in Dallas. In 2021, Bobby added documentary filmmaker to his storied résumé with Leaving Tracks, a feature-length documentary that was released in 100-plus countries, translated into 11 languages and honored as an Official Selection by 16 film festivals to date. In 2002, Bobby was recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme and The WILD Foundation for his contributions on behalf of endangered species and the Environment. Bobby guest lectured and endowed several professorships, an arts library, and a student center at Yale and Harvard. Bobby is beloved and admired by his family, friends and community as a man of exceptional intellect, creativity, integrity, humor, passion and generosity. He leaves behind a larger-than-life legacy and the innumerable teachings of a great man, husband, father, grandfather, companion, friend, animal lover and philanthropist.”

John Yarmuth, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, is retiring at the end of his current term in Congress. As reported in the Washington Post (and on our website), “Yarmuth has represented the Louisville-based 3rd District of Kentucky since 2007 and has led the powerful budget panel since 2019.  Yarmuth said that he is in excellent health but that he will be 75 by the time his current term in Congress ends, and “the desire to have more control of my time in the years I have left has become a high priority.” “Candidly, I have found new and incomparable joy in spending time with my young grandson, and I’d like to spend more of my golden years with my family in Louisville,” he said. In addition to steering President Biden’s agenda through Congress, Yarmuth said he “will be working hard to ensure that our community is represented in Congress by the best possible Democratic man or woman.” John has continued the long and illustrious tradition of Yale graduates in public service.