Haas was born to a Jewish family, one of four children of Abraham Haas and Fanny Koshland. His father was an immigrant from Bavaria who founded the Hellman, Hass and Company which eventually became the Smart & Final grocery store chain. His mother was the daughter of one of the most successful wool merchants in San Francisco.
In 1910, Haas graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California-Berkeley College of Commerce.
He also earned an honorary degree from Berkeley in 1958). In 1928, he became president and served in that position until 1955. Thereafter, he served as chairman until 1970 and remained active in company affairs until his death in 1979.
A Republican, he was an alternate delegate to the 1952 Republican National Convention.
He was Jewish, and served as president of the San Francisco Jewish Welfare Federation.
