Pedigree’s New Power
Why AI will cause a reliance on status
It’s almost poetic that after spending his early 20s as a “yachtie” on the water, Richard Hart now spends his time firmly on land trying to save homes from wildfires.
A self-described nonconformist, Hart credits Haas for igniting his professional trajectory. “I came away with a sense of confidence that I didn’t have going in,” he says.
When Hart initially learned about an opening at Frontline Wildfire Defense through the Haas Career Management Group, he was intrigued by a position that looked different from the other corporate jobs he was considering. A recent dramatic spike in Bay Area wildfires, including the 2017 fires that left his own family with weeks of heavy smoke, power outages, and school closures, convinced him to take the leap.
Now in his fifth year at Frontline, Hart is helping to implement a new generation of wildfire protection systems that can turn on automatically when fire is within 7 miles of a home to saturate the property with water and biodegradable firefighting foam. The goal is to create an environment that’s too wet to burn. During the 2025 Los Angeles fires, 96% of homes equipped with Frontline systems survived, the company reports.
Results like that make Hart realize he’s gained more than just a job; he’s found a calling. “Our homes generally contain so many meaningful things that bind our families together, many of which are impossible to replace,” he says. “It’s an extremely traumatic experience to lose a home. Trying to do everything we can to prevent that is really meaningful. It’s what drives me every day.”
Posted in:
Topics:
