ABOUT: OUR FOUNDERS

Otto Haas was the quintessential entrepreneur. Forced to go to work at the age of 15 after the death of his father, a civil servant in Stuttgart, Germany, Otto partnered with the chemist Otto Röhm, little more than a decade later, to create the Rohm and Haas Company, a maker of leather tanning materials. Haas expanded the fledgling company to Philadelphia in 1909 and worked tirelessly over the next half century to create a successful American corporation, which he ran with a firm hand up until two days before his death in 1960.

Otto had a dynamic and influential partner in Phoebe Haas. Born on the North Dakota frontier, she traveled to Vassar and Berkeley to earn undergraduate degrees in mathematics and astronomy. She was among the first women to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy, and met her husband in 1913 while traveling to South America to study the southern sky. Otto and Phoebe were married in 1914. Together, they created the Phoebe Waterman Foundation in 1945, to help fatherless children (including those who had lost a father during World War II) and support medical and educational institutions. Upon his death, much of Otto’s estate was given to the Foundation.

Sons F. Otto and John C. Haas, who followed their father into the family business, took on leadership roles at both the chemical company and the Foundation. In terms of philanthropy, F. Otto and his wife Dorothy (who also served on the board) were most interested in protecting open green space, historic preservation, and arts and cultural institutions. John and his wife Chara primarily focused on efforts to improve the quality of life for children and families, especially in disadvantaged communities.

Along the way, the brothers chose to name the foundation after William Penn, a 17th century Quaker whose pursuit of an exemplary society led to his founding of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.

These quiet, soft spoken, but persistent brothers helped transform the area around Independence Mall from a neglected part of the city to an international tourist destination, reinvigorated both the local and national Boys and Girls Club and United Way organizations, transformed the Morris Arboretum, and supported efforts to improve opportunities for minorities in Philadelphia and as far away as South Africa. Their accomplishments were recognized in 1987 with the Powell Award, Philadelphia’s highest award for vital contributions to the city’s health. They were chosen “not just for their philanthropy, but for their personal commitment to improve the quality of living conditions in Philadelphia.”

John served as chairman of the board of the Foundation until 1992, more than 32 years in that leadership position. F. Otto died in 1994, but his legacy has been furthered by his brother and the next generation of their family, who currently lead the Foundation.

In 2009, just a few months short of its 100th anniversary, the Rohm and Haas Company was acquired by The Dow Chemical Company. In December 2009, John directed a significant portion of the family’s charitable assets from that sale to the William Penn Foundation in the same low-key manner in which his parents had contributed their own personal wealth over time.

The contribution of $747 million in assets to the Foundation strengthens its capacity and ensures a strong future for its work. The legacy of the Haas family, so ably led by John and F. Otto through the closing decades of the 20th century continues today, with F. Otto’s son Thomas serving as chair of the corporation and John’s son David as chair of the board.

Thanks to John and the tangible and intangible gifts that he, his brother, and his parents have given, the Foundation will continue to play an important role as an institution devoted to improving the quality of life in Greater Philadelphia.

Written for the Foundation by Laura Hadden, principal of Riverbend Communications, a Philadelphia-area firm specializing in writing and editing. Hadden spent most of her career with the Rohm and Haas Company in a variety of communications roles, and has known both John C. and F. Otto Haas for many years.