Passionate entrepreneur, Haas Board member
Stephen Brooks Herrick, a successful entrepreneur and devoted Haas volunteer, died on February 6 at age 84. Herrick was fired from his first position out of college after refusing to be told how to do his job, so he became an entrepreneur. He eventually founded a Japanese auto parts import firm in the ’60s that became the largest importer of Japanese car aftermarket parts in the U.S.
With a tireless work ethic, he bootstrapped his company’s growth with the help of his wife, Sally, whom he married in 1965. After selling his company, Herrick continued to reinvent himself as he ventured into angel investing and real estate.
He was also a devoted volunteer for Berkeley and Haas, serving on numerous committees, including the Haas School Board for more than 25 years.
In 2014, Herrick suffered a serious hemorrhagic stroke, but his tenacious and indomitable strength kicked into high gear. Despite health complications over the remaining years of his life, Herrick poured his heart into his grandchildren and children, finding joy and love in his family and all around him.