Jeff Haste

hasteRetired, Effective May 31, 2021

After a long and distinguished career in state and county government as well as the private sector, Jeff Haste was appointed to the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners in December 2002 by the County Court of Common Pleas, filling the unexpired term of the resigning John D. Payne. Voters then elected him to a full, four-year term in November 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. His fellow Commissioners have chosen him as their chairman since January 2004.

Commissioner Haste has worked hard to hold the line on taxes for 15 straight years. He oversees budgetary and finance matters, the prison, county parks and recreation, the Conservation District, Cooperative Extension, the General Authority, information technology, purchasing, transportation, adult probation, and the Industrial Development Authority.

Prior to his appointment, Haste served as the Director of Government Relations and Business Development for the consulting engineering firm of Herbert, Rowland and Grubic, Inc. He has also served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly as a full-time state legislator for the 104th District. From 1988 to 1996, he served as Dauphin County's Administrator/Chief Clerk/ Personnel Director, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the county. He has also worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the state Senate, Republican State Committee and the Department of State.

Commissioner Haste graduated from Shippensburg University in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice and Law Enforcement, serving all four years as class president and earning dean's list honors. He is a 1977 graduate of Lewistown Area High School. He is also a dedicated husband to his wife, Maria, father of four, grandfather, and avid outdoorsman.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Harrisburg Christian School; and in the past has served on the Pennsylvania State Optometry Board and the State Board of Pharmacy after earning appointments from Governor Tom Ridge. He was Chairman of the Susquehanna Township Recreation Board in 2001 and served on the township's Zoning Hearing Board. In 2012, he was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation. He is also active in the Boy Scouts, youth soccer and baseball and many other community and professional organizations. He received the "Friend of County Government Award" from the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania in 1996 and was named one of the Jaycees' "1984 Outstanding Young Men of America." The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC named Haste, along with his two fellow board members, "Government Leader of the Year" in 2006 and selected him again for the honor in 2011 as well as the 2013 President’s Award. He was also awarded the National Association of Counties’ 2014 Achievement Award in the category of Community/Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association’s President’s Award for the Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank and the Harrisburg Riverboat Society’s 2013 Award for Distinguished Community Service. Jeff serves as the 2014 CCAP President, the NACo Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee Law Enforcement Subcommittee Chairman for 2013-14, the NACo Finance Committee for 2014-15 and Chairman of the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study from 2005 to 2014, among other positions.

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