Don Hasson, CEO of House-Hasson, dies at 70
Don Hasson, president and CEO of House-Hasson Hardware, America’s largest independent regional hardware distributor, has died.
Hasson, 70, died Feb. 15, at Duke University Medical Center of complications from COVID-19.
James Hasson, Jr., chairman of House-Hasson, and Steve Henry, executive vice president, sent a letter on Monday to employees, dealers, vendors, directors and friends of House-Hasson, mourning the passing of Hasson.
“The company will continue the work of Don and his predecessors …The greatest honor we can provide to him will be the continuation of the excellence he instilled in all of us who participate in the work of the company,” the letter reads.
Don Hasson was the third generation of the Hasson family to lead the company, which was founded in 1906 in Knoxville, Tenn., by his grandfather, C.S. Hasson, and Sam House.
James Hasson, Sr., Don Hasson’s father, was president and CEO from 1970 to 1986, when Don Hasson took the company’s helm.
Under Don Hasson’s leadership, House-Hasson grew to serve independent hardware stores and lumberyard dealers in 23 states and the Caribbean Basin.
House-Hasson’s annual sales topped $200 million. The company’s inventory of more than 55,000 items is received from vendors and shipped to dealers from House-Hasson’s combined 750,000 square-feet of warehouse space in Knoxville and Prichard, W. Va.
The latest warehouse expansion, 100,000 square feet at the company’s headquarters in Knoxville’s Forks of the River Industrial Park, was completed in 2020.
Don Hasson was past president of the Southern Wholesale Hardware Association, the International Hardware Distributors Association, the National Hardware Association and HGA. He also served on the board of directors of Distribution America, the independent hardware buying association.
“Don was a dynamic and forward-thinking leader whose business life was devoted to the success of House-Hasson’s thousands of independent hardware and lumberyard dealers,” said James Hasson, Jr. “He was decisive and focused on excellence. He took great personal interest in the well-being of all of the company’s dealers. At pre-COVID-19 dealer market sales events, he loved to stand at the door and greet by name and speak with dealers.”
The company will at present be led by Henry; Bill Hauge, CFO; Pat McCutcheon, vice president of sales; Taylor Hasson, vice president of marketing; and Carrie Hasson, human resources director.
Praised in the Feb. 15 letter were House-Hasson’s “highly accomplished sales force, warehouse and operations team, drivers, and administrative support group.”
Don Hasson is survived by a large family, including his wife Cathy, children Taylor and Carrie, brother Jim, sister Nellaine, and numerous step-children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews).
House-Hasson serves about 2,500 hardware store and lumberyard dealers.