NAPERVILLE, Ill. — John Huntington "Hunt" Harris II, long-time philanthropist and champion of the Quad Cities, passed away at 74 on Wednesday in Naperville.
A Moline native and graduate of Moline Public Schools, Harris earned a master's degree from Stanford University before joining the family business Star Forms, Inc., becoming president in 1979.
In 1995, Hunt and two former Star Forms executives purchased Isabel Bloom, LLC, where Hunt was president until 2011.
Harris and his wife Diane started the Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation in 1986 with the proceeds from the sale of Star Forms. Together with their children, they founded the John H. Harris III Memorial Foundation in 2000 in the name of their son and brother who passed away that year.
These foundations, which are now called the Harris Family Foundation Fund and the Quad City Community Foundation, have donated more than $8 million to non-profit organizations based mainly in the Quad Cities.
Harris served on the board of the United Way of the Quad Cities for more than 25 years starting in the mid-1980s. He chaired the 1989 United Way campaign and was chair of the board from 2007-2009 to lead a reorganization.
Hunt served on numerous other boards throughout his life. Hunt served on the Junior Achievement Board for 10 years and chaired the organization from 1988-89. He also served on the boards of the United Health System, Trinity Regional Health System, First Congregational Church of Moline, Moline Public Schools Foundation, the Figge Art Museum, the Putnam Museum, Quad City Civic Center Authorities, Quad City Bank and Trust and more.
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