This is Alan’s obituary, as published by Sugarman Sinai MemorialChapel. Eulogies delivered at his funeral on August 20, 2025, and more tributes follow after the end.
Alan G. Hassenfeld, former Chairman and CEO of Hasbro, Inc., and a global philanthropist, passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 9, 2025, in London. He was 76.
Born November 16, 1948, into the founding family of Hasbro,
Hassenfeld became CEO in 1989 following the untimely death of his brother,
Stephen. Though initially reluctant to lead, he transformed the company into an
industry powerhouse. Under his stewardship, Hasbro acquired Tonka Parker Kenner
bringing iconic brands Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf into its portfolio and
elevating it to #169 on the Fortune 500.
Hassenfeld’s true legacy, however, lies in his profound
humanitarian spirit. He championed corporate social responsibility, product
safety, and he worked to eliminate the use of child labor in toy industry
manufacturing. His compassion was most vividly expressed through philanthropy.
He spearheaded the founding of Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence (1994),
a landmark achievement funded partly by his leadership and a $2.5 million
personal donation. In 2008, he established the Hassenfeld Family Initiatives,
supporting countless causes focused on children, education, health, and social
justice worldwide. His guiding principle was simple yet profound: "Bring
sunshine where there’s darkness."
Dr. Ashish Jha of Brown University School of Public Health,
home to the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Initiative noted that "He
pushed us to make sure our work was relevant to the people of this state and
constantly focused on impact, an extremely funny and warm person. Personally, I
will miss his late-night phone calls railing against the injustices of the
world and ask what we were doing to make things better. His passing is a huge
loss to the world.”
Hassenfeld was also a civic force. He founded "Right
Now!", a successful Rhode Island ethics and campaign finance reform
movement. He fostered a culture of giving at Hasbro, pioneering employee
volunteer programs like "Team Hasbro" and "Global Day of
Joy."
Alfred J. Verrecchia, former Hasbro chairman and CEO and a
longtime friend of Hassenfeld. “He devoted himself to making the world a better
place. He was happiest when he was helping people. He wasn’t afraid to put his
name and reputation on the line for something he believed.”
Tributes poured in from global leaders, colleagues, and
beneficiaries.
Rabbi Leslie Y. Gutterman said "He gave generously and
selflessly of his time, his treasure and his love.”
The Toy Association hailed his "visionary and
passionate leadership" and tireless advocacy for children.
Hasbro stated his "enormous heart" remains the
company's guiding force.
Alan Hassenfeld is survived by his wife, Vivien; stepchildren Karim and Leila Azar; sister Ellen Block; nieces Susan Block Casdin and Laurie Block; nephew Michael Block; grandchildren Chloe, Talullah, Kaia, and Khalil; and grand-nephews Kinsey and Blaisdell Casdin.
Funeral services will be this Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 10:00
am at Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence, RI. Private burial to
follow.
For those unable to attend services in person, you may join
via livestream at https://www.temple-beth-el.org/live-streaming
In lieu of flowers, donations in Alan’s memory may be made
to Hasbro Children’s Hospital – Greatest Needs Fund or The Miriam Hospital –
Centennial Campaign Fund. Both can be accessed at
https://giving.brownhealth.org/Hassenfeld
An irreplaceable loss to Rhode Island, the toy industry, and
the world’s children, Alan Hassenfeld’s legacy of compassion, innovation, and
joyful generosity will endure.
Arrangements are in the care of Sugarman-Sinai Memorial
Chapel, Providence, R.I.
 |
| I visited Alan's grave on Aug. 5, 2035. We had a very nice conversation. |
Eulogies delivered at Alan's funeral
It’s hard to put into words what Alan meant to us.
Because Alan showed us life is lived by action, not words.
Alan was a man of purpose, of
generosity, and — let’s be honest — a man of just enough mischief to keep us
all on our toes.
Most people know of Alan’s
extraordinary legacy leading Hasbro, transforming it into a great company.
I first met Alan as a
philanthropist, the driving force behind the Hassenfeld Institute at Brown
University.
But to sum up Alan as a great
businessman and philanthropist is to describe him accurately — and yet miss the
bigger truth about who he was.
Because in all the ways Alan shaped
the world, it was about much more than business success or philanthropic
generosity.
The great pediatrician — and my
friend — Mike Silverstein often says the job of children is to play.
That’s how kids learn, grow, and
develop essential cognitive and social skills.
Whenever Alan spoke about Hasbro,
it was never about the business of running a toy company.
It was about the toys that helped
kids play.
That’s what delighted him about his
time at Hasbro: that he and his company helped tens of millions of children
play.
And Alan felt the responsibility —
and at times, the burden — of ensuring every child could be healthy, safe, and
able to play. That’s what drove his philanthropy.
He gave generously to Brown. By
giving to a research university, he knew exactly what he was getting into.
He was supporting academics who
loved research and writing papers.
And while he valued the generation
of new knowledge.
I think we can all agree on one
thing: Alan was not always a very patient man.
He wanted to see action.
You always knew you were in trouble
when he started a sentence with:
“Asheesh — do me a favor, would you?”
I knew what was coming next:
“Just make sure this is going to make a real difference in kids’ lives — would
you?”
And with that, he grounded
us.
He lived life with purpose — and
expected the same from all of us.
There was something else I came to
deeply admire and love in Alan: his instinct to focus on the urgent.
The rest of us can get caught up in
our routines and miss what’s changing around us.
But not Alan. He always stayed
focused on what mattered at that moment.
When many of his friends and family
got Long Covid, Alan called — and soon, we were working to understand Long
Covid and how to help people get better.
More recently, when it became clear
social media was harming children’s well-being, Alan pushed us to build
bipartisan coalitions, understand the problem, and act.
He didn’t want academic studies
that sat on shelves. He wanted us to understand social media through the eyes
of children — and then do something.
One final story, if I may.
I got a lot of late-night calls
from Alan.
They always started the same way —
with Alan asking if my family was still speaking to me.
Not exactly a guarantee,
considering I have two teenage daughters. Honestly, on some days, even I wasn’t
sure.
Once I reassured him that at least
one child had acknowledged my existence in the past week — he’d dive
right into whatever injustice needed fixing.
One call I remember especially
clearly came when I was at the White House, working for President Biden.
It was late, I was still in my West Wing office, and my phone rang.
It was Alan — and he was fired up.
New data had come out showing yet another decline in kids’ mental health.
And, without missing a beat, he
asked: “So… what exactly are you doing about it?”
I told him I was the Covid guy,
focused on getting people vaccinated and keeping schools open, but broader
mental health issues weren’t really in my lane.
“Not good enough,” Alan said.
“You’re in the President’s inner circle — you need to do more.”
Two weeks later, I brought it up in
the Oval Office. The President agreed we weren’t doing enough and tasked his
team with creating a real plan to address it.
That was Alan — having impact near
and far, visible and invisible.
Alan was a great businessman and a
generous philanthropist.
But Alan’s great strength was in
making all of us better by forcing us to pay attention to what mattered most.
But there is one more thing that
made Alan truly extraordinary.
He loved the people around him. He loved us.
To know Alan was to feel that love.
That twinkle in his eye.
That slight smile before he spoke.
The “Asheesh – do me a favor, would
you?”
We weren’t doing him a favor. He
was doing us a favor. By pointing out what needed to be done.
Today, as we celebrate his life, I
know I will miss him enormously. We all will.
But I will carry with me the
memories of Alan always pushing me to do better — disguised as favors to him,
delivered with love.
And those memories? They truly are
a blessing.
Alan, I know you’re listening, so
I’ll say this:
You made the world richer in every
way — in the joy you brought, in the impact you had, in the love you shared.
You made us laugh, you made us care
more, and you never let us forget what matters.
So rest easy, my friend. You’ve
done more than your fair share.
Your voice is still clear in my
head. And in all our hearts.
We’ll take it from here Alan. We’ll
take it from here.
-------
Al Verrecchia:
 |
| Alan and Al visiting Hasbro Children's |
I FIRST MET ALAN IN 1970 WHEN HE JOINED THE COMPANY HAVING JUST GRADUATED FROM PENN. THAT WAS MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO. THAT’S HOW LONG I’VE KNOWN HIM, AND THE VERY LAST THING I EXPECTED WAS A CALL FROM HIS ASSISTANT LORI TELLING ME HE WAS GONE.
IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
ALAN WAS A FIXTURE IN NOT ONLY MY LIFE BUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE VERRECCHIA FAMILY LIFE.
OUR PHILANTHROPY, THE RESPONSIBILITY
AND DUTY MY WIFE GERRIE AND I FEEL WE HAVE TO PAY OUR GOOD FORTUNE FORWARD WAS
FIRST INSPIRED BY THE IMMENSE GENEROSITY THAT ALAN’S PARENTS, MERRILL AND
SYLVIA HASSENFELD, ILLUSTRATED AND EXEMPLIFIED THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. AND THAT
ALAN CARRIED ON PROUDLY IN HIS OWN FERVENTLY UNIQUE WAY.
AS MY DAUGHTER MELISA SO PERFECTLY DESCRIBED ALAN: HE WAS THE SQUARE PEG, THE REBEL, THE DREAMER… THE WRITER, THE ROMANTIC, THE EXTRAVAGANT HASSENFELD SON. AS A KID, SHE WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE HIM! HE WAS ALWAYS WITH A SCARF AND A SMILE, BUT NEVER SOCKS, REGARDLESS OF HOW COLD IT WAS.
HE WAS ALSO ONE OF MY OLDEST FRIENDS AND CLOSEST CONFIDANTES, AND FOR MANY YEARS HE WAS MY BOSS. WE WERE THE ODDEST OF THE ODD COUPLES. BUT WE WERE ALSO THE VERY BEST TEAMMATES. AND AS THE YEARS WENT ON, WE BECAME DEAR FRIENDS. DESPITE THE DIFFERENT CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS OF OUR JEWISH AND ITALIAN UPBRINGINGS, WE BONDED OVER THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF BEING RAISED BY STRONG, OPINIONATED MOTHERS WHO HAD THE HIGHEST, AT TIMES INSURMOUNTABLE, EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR SONS AND WHO WEREN’T SHY ABOUT REMINDING US THAT WHILE A MAN COULD HAVE MANY WIVES IN HIS LIFETIME, HE ONLY EVER HAS ONE MOTHER.
NOWADAYS, WE HEAR STORIES OF WEALTHY EXECUTIVES FLYING TO SPACE AND RENTING ISLANDS TO GET MARRIED… BUT THAT WAS NEVER THE ALAN I KNEW. ALAN AND I WORKED LONG HOURS INTO THE NIGHT DEVISING WAYS TO IMPROVE THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET, TO BUILD BETTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, TO PLAN BBQS AND FAMILY EVENTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO BOOST MORALE AND EVEN TO DREAM OF THE IDEA OF ONE DAY BUILDING A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR RHODE ISLAND. AND WHEN THAT DREAM BECAME A REALITY, IN LARGE PART DUE TO ALAN’S TENACIOUSNESS AND GENEROSITY, HE TOOK IT A STEP FURTHER AS HE ALWAYS DID AND ESTABLISHED A TRADITION THAT EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON, WE WOULD VISIT HASBRO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND BRING TOYS AND HASBRO’S HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES TO ALL THE KIDS IN THE HOSPITAL. YOU SEE IT WAS NEVER ENOUGH FOR ALAN TO SIMPLY WRITE A LARGE DONATION CHECK; HE WANTED TO MEET THE PEOPLE HE WAS HELPING. HE CARED ABOUT THEIR STORIES. HE CARED ABOUT THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS. IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR US TO REALIZE THE IMPACT THOSE VISITS WERE HAVING ON US. RUNNING ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOY COMPANIES IN THE WORLD WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE CHALLENGES MANY OF THESE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE FACING. IT REALLY PUT LIFE AND OUR BUSINESS INTO PERSPECTIVE, A PERSPECTIVE THAT WAS AN INNATE PART OF ALAN’S CHARACTER.
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, THE TOM HANKS MOVIE “BIG” IS ABOUT AN ADULT WHO BECOMES A KID AND HELPS TO RUN A TOY COMPANY. WELL ALAN WAS OUR KID AND HE RAN OUR TOY COMPANY. HE HAD ME TO PLAY THE SERIOUS ADULT. ALAN WAS AT HIS BEST WHEN HE WAS HELPING PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. WE USED TO GIVE HIM A HARD TIME ABOUT TRYING TO “SAVE THE WORLD” BUT DEEP DOWN WE ADMIRED HIS BOUNDLESS COMPASSION FOR HUMAN BEINGS, AND HIS LIMITLESS ENERGY TO DO WHATEVER HE COULD TO MAKE RHODE ISLAND AND THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
ALAN, YOU DID IT. RHODE ISLAND AND THE WORLD OVER ARE TRULY BETTER PLACES FOR HAVING HAD YOU TO CARE ABOUT THEM, TO CARE ABOUT US. AND WE ARE ALL BETTER FOR HAVING KNOWN YOU.
I AM NOT QUITE SURE RI HAS ANY IDEA OF ALL THAT ITS JUST LOST WITH HIS PASSING. HOWEVER, THE VERRECCHIA FAMILY FEELS IT, DEEPLY. NO ONE MORE THAN ME.
ALAN & AL. AGH & AJV FOREVER.
ALAN, MY FRIEND, MAY YOU BE ETERNALLY REUNITED WITH YOUR PARENTS AND BELOVED BROTHER, STEPHEN. MAY YOUR MEMORY BE A BLESSING, AND MAY YOUR LIFE ALWAYS BE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO GIVE BACK, TO SHOW COMPASSION FOR OTHER HUMAN BEINGS AND TO ALWAYS LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH THE WONDER OF A CHILD’S EYE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE VERY BEST TEAMMATE A PERSON COULD EVER HOPE TO HAVE.
TIKKUN OLAM.
I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH A QUOTE BY JOHN WESLEY THAT I THINK BEST CAPTURES THE WAY IN WHICH WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO CARRY ON ALAN’S LEGACY OF GIVING BACK.
“DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN,
BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN,
IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN,
IN ALL THE PLACES YOU CAN,
AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN,
TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU CAN,
FOR AS LONG AS YOU EVER CAN.”
MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO VIVIEN,
ELLIE AND THE WHOLE HASSENFELD FAMILY, TO OUR HASBRO FAMILY AND TO ALL THOSE
WHO LOVED AND ADORED ALAN.
-------
Susan Block Casdin:
The Arc of Uncle-Alan-ness:
Chapters of Impact, Told together.
Prologue:
Alan was the youngest… In case
you didn’t already know that.
We shared that status - babies of
our generations in a family with BIG personalities – and it solidified our
unbreakable bond.
But Alan did not like
being called the Baby - he preferred “LAST BORN.”
“It’s not my fault, my flight was
late” he would say to his siblings when he was a child - as if that would close
the 7-year gap between he, my mom and Stephen.
Or as if saying “LAST BORN”
provided the handicap needed to level the playing field created by his “late
arrival.”
Maybe this is what fueled his
lifelong quest to level the world, to make it more accessible, better, more
kind.
With us, he didn’t need that
excuse, we all loved, admired and adored him.
But, still, it was so much more
fun for him to use it to conjure sympathy, like when he would leave messages on
my voicemail to un-answered calls that said: “you don’t love me, call me back,
bye.”
I believe being the youngest
shaped his personality, his quest for adventure, including his harrowing
journey home this week arriving yesterday - just in time for his own funeral –
An expedition that involved
ambassadors, British Lords, a U.S. Senator, even the Chief Rabbi of the U.K.
Alan loved to pull out all the stops, and this case, his case, was no
exception.
Chapter One:
UNCLE Alan:
For Mike, Laurie and me, “Uncle
A” was the fun uncle – always sneaking us sips of wine when my parents were out
of sight, showing up with pizza in hand wherever we were in the world – and
letting us stay up all night to have burgers and beer.
We when we were 6, 8 and 10.
He was a hero.
In Rhode Island, the world of
Nonnie & Pappy at 4 Woodland Terrace with required vegetable eating meals
was offset by the sockless world of co-bachelor’s at 85 Shore Road in Bristol -
where Uncle A and Uncle S ruled.
Visits to Toy Fair in New York
included showroom tours that required feedback to Alan, who would then tweak
prototypes before they went into production; and for the Jewish holidays in
Chicago he’d arrive with toys in hand.
When he led Passovers seders in
Palm Beach, he’d hide the Afikomen under a napkin in his lap so we couldn’t get
it – avoiding the requisite payment of the $100 reward.
Or there was the time he hid it
in Vivien’s lap, which didn’t end very well – for Alan especially.
When I was in boarding school
Uncle A would show up twice a year on route to Deerfield board meetings (which
was still co-ed in those days or else I would have been required to attend)
– to take me for dinner with friends, where he’d regale us with stories
from Hong Kong, including his infamous practical jokes that included leaving
goldfish in his friends’ hotel room toilet bowls before flying back to
America.
My friends used to liken him to
the Tom Hanks’ character in the movie BIG - when they weren’t remarking
on his uncanny resemblance to Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka.
He was larger than life.
Each fall, when he’d send a car
to school to bring me to Providence for the Jewish holidays – drivers would
share stories along the ride about how Alan helped his family, or put his kids
through school, or helped their wife get a job.
It was uncle A who pulled us away
from the darkness when Pappy died, shielded us from the press when Uncle
Stephen died, sat bedside my mom when my father died and again when my
grandmother, Sylvia, died.
He took me for dinners when I was
a student at Penn - and walked me down the aisle with my brother at my
wedding.
Uncle A kept a watchful eye over
Michael while he was working and living all over the world, guided him as a
mentor, co-invested in his businesses, and was a trusted confidant in all
matters – even the salacious ones.
It was Uncle Alan who brought him
into his extended family of friends in the Far East, where they spent so
much time together, both for business and for fun.
When they traveled to Japan, Alan
would stop by Mike’s hotel room in the morning to make sure he and the other
junior executives didn’t miss their flights after long nights out in Tokyo.
It was Uncle Alan who helped
guide Lauire when she sought her Master of Fine Arts and her graduate degree in
Elementary Education; and it was Alan who pushed her to enjoy and live her
life, who offered every resource he could access when she was not well.
And after he married Viv, helped
create more memories by organizing meet ups in Hong Kong and London with Karim
and Leila, our new extended family.
He took on the role of stepfather
with the same fortitude and passion that he had shown in our family; with
patience, love and understanding. Karim and Mike stood by Alan at their
wedding, while Laurie and I were bridesmaids alongside Leila, Tanya and Nicole.
Chapter 2:
UNCLE ALAN THE BROTHER:
For my mom, Ellie, Alan was more
than a brother, he was a life-long friend – admittedly a sometimes
annoying one.
He was the brother who used to
steal her diaries and hold them for ransom; the hard-to-shed blackmail
artist who would hide himself in the back of her date’s cars - popping up
to demand movie ticket money in exchange for leaving them alone.
But soon enough, he grew into a 16-year-old
handsome groomsman for my father, who loved him like a little brother.
He called him the troublemaker.
Within the family, Alan was the
self-proclaimed best Scrabble player, even though we all know the title belongs
to my mom.
And Alan was not above attempting
to cheat to win, putting down controversial words that might not pass the
“Oxford English Dictionary test” - a key metric in our family of scrabble
purists – AND later in life, Alan more liberally invoked the less rigid “Scrabble
dictionary” just so he could win.
On a family trip to Portugal, he
was neck and neck with my mom in a game that mike and I had long since
lost. In the final round, he put down the word: “Wharfage” – which won him the
game.
It was before the days of smart
phones, so there was no online dictionary to check. Alan, as always, dreamed up
the most convincing argument that left us speechless.
I looked up the word when we
got home, it’s legit.
For my mom, Alan was a best
friend, a confidant, and co-conspirator in both family heartache, and in making
the world a better place.
He called her at least three
times a week to check in, to seek her advice, to clear ideas by her and
sometimes to seek absolution or reinforcement thorough her unconditional love
for him.
Chapter 3:
UNCLE ALAN IN-LAW:
For Alex, Alan was an advisor, a
sounding board, a fellow Brown crusader; and an ally who stood with him against
the strong women in the family when needed.
Whereas for Alan, Alex was a
patsy to bring on fishing excursions, where no matter what happened ALAN
brought home the superior catch; for Alex, Alan was the sage Old Man and The
Sea, with fishing rod in hand, pipe in mouth, happy on his dinghy, and always
happy to give advice - solicited or not…
During the incredible wedding
brunch that he and Viv hosted for us, complete with Thai wedding flowers and
food cooked in authentic tandoori ovens; it was Uncle A and Alex who
collaborated with my bridesmaids to get my brother’s “wedding date” out the back
door of the house, while his then girlfriend was walking in the front. This
while he was hosting 150 guests that morning.
Chapter 4:
GREAT-UNCLE ALAN:
As a great-uncle, the distance of
a grandparent allowed Alan to be AN even more uninhibited and
patriarchal version of himself. Master fishing teacher, and naughty
behavior influencer.
He shared third generation “last
born” status with Blaze - offering him special therapy sessions when needed on
the topic, and would boost him on his shoulders in the pool during our
summer visits to Bristol to make him look and feel bigger next to his older
brother.
When we visited them, Viv pulled
out all the stops to create maximum fun, especially for Alan - who would don
the Thanos Gauntlet on his forearm to lay down the law… but not really.
That was not his strong suit.
Whether we visited before or
after the boys came home from Camp Androscoggin – a legacy they shared
with great Uncle-Alan and Uncle Michael; our visits always included dinner
at the Lobster Pot and a hunk of Nestle Toll House Pie.
Covid ironically created a unique
set of new memories. Lockdowns meant Alan and Viv were stuck in America, and we
started new traditions for our time together –
Those including “dress up nights”
with silly Hawaiian shirts and plastic leis; Mexican lunches where Alan would
place a ridiculously small sombrero on top of his head; and, our favorite:
moments when Vivien would hurl Alan’s not-so-smokeless pipe into the
Narragansett Bay and say: “That one’s for Charlie the Tuna.”
Each dinner began with Alan
asking a “question of the night”, a ritual he shared with our cousins - Karim
and Allie, and Leila and the grandkids on their summer trips.
One such question was: “If you
could go back and do anything you wanted with your life, or have accomplished
anything, what would it be?”
For Alan, of course, it was to
have won Wimbledon.
The memories created by Alan and
Viv during those times together in the last five years are an irreplaceable
gift to us.
In the past year, Alan became a
trusted advisor and always available consigliere to Kinsey at Brown, including
fielding late night phone calls – the only calls he would pick up after
10pm, besides Viv’s.
In Providence, they enjoyed
weekly lunches that included Alan’s mid-day Aperol Spritz next to a burger with
no bun at Bellini; OR shared chicken dumplings at Parkside Grille, their not-so-secret
hide out.
Alan loved having Kinsey here,
loved being with his friends. It gave him yet another opportunity to be with
young people, to tell stories, give advice and offer guidance. His favorite
pastime.
And then there are Lori and
Alison, his assistants and dear friends, who said: “he was more than a
boss, he was just the best guy.”
Chapter 5: The Final Chapter
I will miss Alan’s sometimes
daily phone calls just wanting to say hi - and ask me what was up - even though
he was usually unprepared for the full answer.
When I’d finally stop talking, he
would say: “What else?” – followed quickly by “Good – LUUUK – try us in Boston
(or Bristol) over the weekend.”
Or when he couldn’t reach me, the
escalating daily messages:
First call: “Susu, try me in the
office”;
Second call: “SuSu - trying you
again;
Third call: “It’s me, call me
back”
Final call: “You’re
hopeless.” - Then he’d call Alex to track me down.
I will miss being in meetings
with him where he would introduce himself by saying: “I’m Alan, I work for my
sister Ellie and my niece, Susie”; and later have the last word, which came
with an impassioned speech that began with “Do me a favor,” … and closed with
the sheepish question: “I mean, am I wrong?”.
I will miss watching him play
scrabble on his iPad, while smoking his pipe, drinking an iced-coffee and
watching tennis or CNN - all at the same time.
Alan’s world - and life -
spanned continents and included friends, family, mentors, and relationships
across generations and around the world, from Hong Kong to Beruit - to Delhi,
to Jerusalem.
Like his favorite character Mr.
Potato Head - whom Alan often likened himself to - he was so much to so
many people - a man of many pieces and parts with a layered life he kept neatly
in a trunk - with outfits that he would pull out for just the
right occasion.
I will always marvel at how he
managed to do it all, to balance his family, staying in constant touch with his
friends, while also excelling in his professional life and philanthropic
endeavors.
I will always remember Alan in
the way his friend and fellow Lifespan Board member Melisa Verrecchia described
him:
“The rebel, the dreamer… the
writer, the romantic, the extravagant Hassenfeld son. Always with a scarf, and
a smile but never ever with socks, regardless of how cold it was.”
Last Wednesday we lost someone
near and dear to us, Alan shared his life and his light with the world at every
step of the way.
We will all miss him
dearly.
I will always remember Alan as the compassionate child who never grew up, whose presence and mind thought in way:
“Going to see Alan was like going
to see the Wizard of Oz …I learned so many things from him, not the least
of which was how to throw koosh balls from an airplane… in a war zone…”
Additional tributes
“Alan had a
life-long commitment to making things better for children, whom he called ‘our most important natural resource,’ ” said
Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Professor of the Practice, Brown School of Public
Health/Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, and former executive
director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. “His sense of urgency - that all kids
deserve a high quality education, access to health care, and opportunities to
discover their talents and reach their full potential -- never wavered, When an
opportunity arose to make a difference for kids, he leapt into action, such as
when he joined with others to successfully advocate for the Children's Health
Insurance Program to be reauthorized by Congress so coverage wouldn't lapse. He
said then that ‘children cannot Wait’, which sums up his purpose and his
passion for the children of Rhode Island, the nation, and the world.”
 |
| Alan with Mr. Potato Head - Photo by G. Wayne Miller |
“Alan was a pillar of the local and world community,” said
Neil Steinberg, former head of the Rhode Island Foundation and former chair of
the Rhode Island Life Science Hub. “His empathy, commitment, and generosity
leave an amazing legacy! He also epitomized the slogan “every boy loves a
Hasbro toy.”
May Liang, president of the China Toy and Juvenile Products
Association, was another who paid tribute to Hassenfeld, saying: “Alan was a
great industry leader with global vision, pioneering spirit and unwavering
dedication. I can strongly feel he always had passion with the toy industry.
Alan's pass away is not only a loss of toy industry [but] also a loss of
advisor and friend for myself.”
“Alan's life
and legacy was marked by a deep and profound dedication to bringing smiles and
hope to the world's children,” said Kathrin Belliveau, Chief Policy for The
Toy Association, the industry organization. “As CEO and a business leader, he pioneered the idea of corporate
social responsibility, rooted in a
deep and unwavering belief that businesses must operate responsibly from
producing products of the highest quality and safety for children to ensuring
supply chains were upholding human rights and eradicating child labor and
forced labor.”
“Alan's passion, heart, and visionary
leadership have left a lasting mark on the toy world and beyond,” said Dan
Klingensmith, G.I. Joe historian, archivist and author. “I’ll never forget the
experience of having Alan speak at our VIP event during HASCON. His warmth,
humor, and love for G.I. Joe came through in every story he shared, leaving
everyone in the room inspired. Beyond the toys, Alan’s work with Hasbro
Children’s Hospital shows just how deeply he cared about making a difference.
He was more than a business leader—he was a true example of kindness,
generosity, and heart."
“This is not
about me, it is about Alan,” said Karen McKay Davis, president of Hasbro’s
Children’s Fund during Hassenfeld’s tenure. “So many things keep coming to
mind, we were one of the first companies to launch an employee volunteer
program, giving employees 4 hours a month of paid time off to volunteer with
children. We did this with Alan under Colin Powell and America's Promise. Team
Hasbro went on to be one of the most successful corporate volunteer programs
with over 95% of our employees engaged in the community. It led to Global Day
of Joy where employees worldwide would volunteer together in their communities,
bringing joy to children in need. It created an amazing culture. All because
Alan believed in the power of service and a true culture of giving.”
The Toy Association stated: “As the former CEO and Chairman
of Hasbro, Inc., Alan was a visionary and passionate leader in the toy
industry. He was the past chairperson of The Toy Association, chairperson of
the Toy Industry Hall of Fame committee, and himself a distinguished Toy Association
Hall of Fame inductee. Alan’s
impact was far-reaching and global, extending beyond his role at Hasbro. From
his tireless work championing ethical sourcing to his unwavering advocacy for
children’s rights and philanthropy during times of crisis and profound need,
his legacy will continue to inspire us all for generations to come.”
Said Hassenfeld biographer G. Wayne Miller: “RIP Alan,
philanthropist, benefactor and corporate leader during his many years as
chairman and CEO of Hasbro. He was a uniquely great man and dear friend of more
than 30 years who cared deeply for others and did all he could to improve lives
in Rhode Island and across the country and globe.”
 |
| Motif magazine, August 1 issue |
During a public forum in 2018, Hassenfeld was asked about
the guiding principle behind his philanthropy.
“That’s easy,” he said. “Any time any of us sees a child
who’s not smiling, who’s going through problems—if we're able to turn that
grimace into a smile, that makes your heart just absolutely feel so good. What
makes me happiest is trying to be creative in philanthropy and trying to make
sure that we're making a difference because too often I think we give but we
don't think necessarily what the end goal is going to be. And so for me, the
end goal is how do we bring sunshine where there’s darkness.”
