David A. Haist

Dave Haist , a 1973 business and economics alumnus who has remained connected with his alma mater throughout his corporate and legal career, begins his new job on July 9,2012 as alumni relations leader of Manchester College

Haist is retiring as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Fort Wayne-based Do it Best cooperative of 4,000 hardware and building supply stores.

Haist was managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Fort Wayne law office, before joining his client in 1997 as general counsel and vice president of corporate affairs. Then he tackled Do it Best’s retail development, continuing to expand his leadership role as the 4,000-member cooperative grew to more than $2.4 billion in sales at hardware and building materials stores in all 50 states and more than 50 countries. In 1999, he became vice president of retail development and was promoted to senior vice president of member services in 2001. In 2002, Dave was promoted to executive vice president & COO.

The Indiana Academy in 2008 inducted Dave Haist of of Spencerville, Ind., is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Do It Best Corp., a $3 billion member-owned international hardware and building materials cooperative headquartered in Fort Wayne. He also chairs the Parkview Hospital Board, and is former chair of the Manchester College Board of Trustees and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

Manchester College (Bachelor of Science, 1973). Indiana University (Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, 1977). Certified Public Accountant, Indiana, 1977

Manchester gave the David A and Sandra C. Haist its Alumni Honor Award in 2011.

Haist also has many connections in northeast Indiana, with service on community boards that have included Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance, YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne, Honeywell Foundation, Parkview Health Systems.

married Sandra Cleveland.