When Howard “Hoddy” Hanna III of Fox Chapel was in basic training with the U.S. Army, his father Howard Jr. was already well on his way to building a successful business that would one day become the fourth-largest real estate firm in the U.S.
But he still found time to send his son a letter every day.
“That really meant a lot,” Hanna said.
In 1957, Mr. Hanna and his wife Anne Freyvogel Hanna started Howard Hanna Real Estate Services with a single office in Pittsburgh.
Nearly seven decades later, the company’s green-and-yellow sign is a fixture along the side of the road throughout not just Western Pennsylvania but the U.S., and that single office has expanded to become the nation’s fourth-largest real estate company.
Howard Hanna Jr. died Saturday, Sept. 25. He was 101.
Mr. Hanna’s business empire began in a small office at the corner of Bayard and Craig streets in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, just a couple blocks from the family home. By 1973, the first branch office opened on Loop Street in Aspinwall.
By the mid-1980s, the “Howard Hanna Showcase of Homes,” a television show featuring the company’s properties, debuted. By 1992, the firm was ranked first in Pennsylvania by industry publication REAL Trends Magazine.
Today, the company has a presence in Michigan, Indiana, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Hanna’s home of Pennsylvania.
“Pittsburgh has lost a business pioneer and a civic leader,” said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “Howard Hanna began in humble beginnings, and through hard work, he changed the real estate industry.”
Jean Hayes of West Mifflin started working at Howard Hanna in 1986 as assistant to the south regional vice president. Over the years, as she worked through the company’s ranks, she got to know its founder better and better, from buying Mr. Hanna his first word processor to redoing his office furniture.
“He was away in Florida when we bought all-new furniture,” said Hayes, who today is the company’s purchasing and operations director. “He didn’t like you to change anything, and when he was coming home, his wife called and told me I had to be there when Howard got home, ‘because he won’t fuss with you.’ ”
Hayes said Mr. Hanna always enjoyed when it was time to take out “The Thing,” a military Jeep from the World War II era.
“It’s painted Howard-Hanna-green with the logo on it,” she said. “We still have it at a garage in Shadyside, and they take it out for parades.”
Nancy Byrnes of Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood moved next door to Mr. Hanna and his wife more than three decades ago. She said he was the embodiment of a good neighbor.
“He was quick with a joyful greeting, enjoyed tending his flowers and property and conveyed a quiet strength that made us all feel more secure,” Byrnes said. “And our daughters especially remember his epic Easter egg hunts. It’s no wonder that helping families make happy homes and good neighborhoods was the tenet of his business career.”
Hanna said his father was a people person, “who could relate to almost anyone in life, people of all backgrounds.”
Today, Hanna is chairman of Hanna Holdings, Inc., and said he’s learned not just business acumen from his father, but also how much time he spent with his employees.
“I’ve gotten so many notes from people in the company I didn’t even realize knew him,” he said. “If he met you, you’d become his friend very quickly.”
Howard Hanna Chief Financial Officer Tracy Rossetti Delvaux of Pittsburgh, who has known Hanna for nearly three decades, agreed.
“The best thing about him was he started this great, great company, but on every level he knew about you personally,” she said. “He knew where I grew up, he knew what my passions were. When he came into the office, he’d always ask how everybody was doing, and then he’d jump into his business.”
Hanna is survived by his children: Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna III (and wife MaryAnne), Helen Hanna Casey (Stephen) and Annie Hanna Cestra (Dennis); his grandchildren Annie Hanna Engel (Gus), Howard W. “Hoby” Hanna, IV (Stacey), Kelly Hanna Riley (Patrick), F. Duffy Hanna (Dana), Mollie Hanna Lang (Tom), Sarah Hanna White (Andrew), Dennis A. Cestra, Jr., Helen Freyvogel Cestra, Annie McTighe Cestra and the late Vincent de Paul Carson; and by 19 great-grandchildren.
Friends will be received from 3-7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Homes, 4900 Centre Ave. in Oakland.
A 10 a.m. funeral service will be held Thursday at St. Paul Cathedral, 108 North Dithridge St. in North Oakland. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Howard W. Hanna Jr. Scholarship Fund at the University of Pittsburgh, or to the Urban League of Pittsburgh-Cleveland Hanna Home Ownership Fund.
It is with our deepest sadness that we share the news of our founder, Mr. Hanna’s passing earlier today, September 25, 2021. At 101 years old, we are fortunate that we had a century with the pillar of our family, a business leader, and a community supporter. pic.twitter.com/v38Hct0sQI
— Howard Hanna Real Estate Services (@HowardHanna) September 25, 2021
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .
