Native Baltimorean Joseph Haskins Jr. has had a hand in many of the city?s development projects for more than two decades.
Developments in Canton, Federal Hill, the Inner Harbor, East Baltimore and almost every sector of the city have had a connection to The Harbor Bank of Maryland, one of the state?s leading community-based financial institutions.
Haskins, 59, the chairman, president and CEO of Harbor Bankshares Corp., knows Baltimore and knows what projects will and won?t work in the city.
“Many developers come to us [for financing] because we know and understand the process,” Haskins said. “Community-based financial institutions are close enough to the ground that they see the real needs.”
Haskins was part of a team that raised the $2 million necessary to start a commercial bank in Maryland in the early 1980s. Harbor Bank opened in 1982, and Haskins began running the bank?s day-to-day operations in 1987.
The bank built itself on helping finance small and minority-owned businesses. Today, Harbor Bank has more than $300 million in assets and is one of the top 10 black-owned and -operated financial institutions in the United States, according to Black Enterprise magazine. The bank does business out of six branches in Baltimore and another in Prince George?s County.
Haskins and Harbor Bank have operated on the principle that the project has to work for Baltimore before the bank approves financing. Haskins said he once turned down a group of condo developers because he said their projects wouldn?t succeed in Baltimore.
“If I?m knowingly allowing you to walk into a problematic situation, that?s a shortcoming on my part,” Haskins said. “I don?t let people walk into troubled situations.”
Further giving back to the community, Haskins is board chairman of East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI) ? the organization leading the redevelopment of 80 acres near Johns Hopkins Hospital.
“Joe is a man of great integrity who is always prepared to do the right thing when it isn?t necessarily the easiest thing to do,” said Jack Shannon, president and CEO of EBDI. “He?s not someone you would pick out as the center of attention, but in his own quiet, capable way, he?s someone who always delivers.”
Haskins said his work keeps him energized because he knows Harbor Bank is improving Baltimore and helping its residents.
“I feel a great sense of pride,” Haskins said. “Baltimore?s future can be much brighter than its past.”
JOSEPH HASKINS JR.
First job: I sold Coke and hot dogs at Memorial Stadium when I was 14.
Education: Economics degree from Morgan State University, Master of Business Administration from New York University, Master of Liberal Arts in economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Daily e-mails received: Easily more than 100.
Daily voicemails received: About 25.
Favorite gadget: BlackBerry ? I?m constantly reading e-mails.
Career objective: To be a part of the model of a community-based financial institution.
Essential Web sites: Several financial association sites, news sites, newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Hometown: Baltimore.
Birth date: Feb. 26, 1948.
Original aspiration: I wanted to be an architect.
Sports/hobbies: Developing a decent golf game, reading, traveling.
