Former Grand Valley State President and current Professor, Thomas J. Haas, is the inaugural recipient of the GVSU Athletics Faculty of the Year Award.  Moving forward, the annual award will bestow is name as the Haas Athletics Faculty of the Year Award.  Haas serves as an adjunct professor teaching Leadership and Social Change as well as Behavioral, Organizational, and Ethical Decision Making.  However, he is most known as T. Haas, Grand Valley State's fourth president.  
 
During his tenure, Grand Valley State added 30 undergraduate programs and 16 graduate program. In addition, GVSU opened the Detroit Center, added 2.5 million square feet in buildings and he positioned the University as a leader in sustainability with 21 LEED silver, gold or platinum buildings.
 
Haas was also a staunch supporter of Grand Valley State athletics and was a frequent attendee at all Laker athletic events. During his time as President from 2006 – 2019, GVSU won 19 NCAA Division II team National Championships and 10 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup titles as the top overall Division II athletics' department in the country. He also served as the Vice Chair of Division II athletics at the NCAA level.
 
"Thomas J. Haas is a true Laker legend and honoring him as our inaugural Faculty of the Year was an easy choice," said GVSU Director of Athletics Keri Becker. "In his 13 years as President, he led GVSU to unprecedented success is all areas and few individuals have made a bigger impact on Laker Athletics than T. Haas," added Becker.