Thomas J. Haas, PhD

Office of the President
22 Zumberge Library
616-331-2100
president@gvsu.edu

During the past 28 years, Haas has been a tenured faculty member, department chair, dean, vice president and president. Just prior to his appointment in 2006, Haas was president of the State University of New York Cobleskill.

He is a 1973 honors graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and retired as a captain in 1996. He earned a Master of Science in chemistry and another in environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. Haas also holds a Master of Science in human resource management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT).

Haas is an internationally recognized expert in hazardous material transportation, strategic planning and academic leadership. In addition to his appointment as president of Grand Valley, Haas has also been appointed professor of chemistry.

He is active in the community serving on the boards for Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, Grand Rapids Economic Club, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, The Right Place, Inc., Spectrum Health Hospitals, Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Grand Rapids Opera. He is a member of the Grand Rapids Rotary Club, consultant and evaluator for North Central Association Higher Learning Commission and a commissioner for the American Council of Education Commission on Effective Leadership. He is also chair of the Michigan Public Universities Presidents Council.

Haas has professional and personal ties to Michigan. Haas is married to Marcia (Knapp) Haas, who is a native of Union City and a graduate of Albion College. They have three children and three grandchildren and have other family living in Grand Rapids.

Grand Valley State University attracts more than 24,000 students with academic excellence, first-rate faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is the comprehensive university for the state’s second largest metropolitan area and offers 77 undergraduate and 28 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, and Holland and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university’s focus on a strong liberal education fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding; through personalized learning enhanced by active scholarship, Grand Valley accomplishes its mission of educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies.