A great man of the logistics business, both in Atlanta and worldwide, Harold Hagans, died September 10. He was 82 years old.
     Harold and Gail Hagans created Atlanta Customs Brokers (ACB) in the early 1980’s and grew it from a small customs brokerage operations to a legendary international freight forwarder and customs brokerage firm that is today, as their slogan says “locally grown, internationally known”.
     Harold was instrumental in getting Fish and Wildlife federally funded and making Atlanta a Designated Port.
     He also helped get UDSA in Atlanta set up as a PPQ.
     Harold was a great community builder, serving as President for both the Atlanta International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers (formerly IFFCHB) and the Atlanta Air Cargo Association.
     His friend and colleague Donna Mullins of Mullins International Solutions remembers:
     “Harold was a man of honor who served his country courageously.
     “On the day of his death, just hours before he took his last breath, Harold was awarded an Achievement Medal, the 2nd highest honor given to our Vietnam Veterans.
     “He wore his pin as he left his home and journeyed to heaven,” Donna said softly.
     “Hubert Harold Hagans retired Sergeant Major from the Army receiving a Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star, and finally his Achievement Medal.
     “He was a sweet man.”
     We recall meeting Harold several times over the years and being at once impressed by his decency and kindness and the sense that whatever happened, Harold would be there and lend a hand.
     The offices at ACB were always warm and friendly with business going on for sure, but via a large female population of workers that when created, was quite uncommon in our business.
     Everyone we noted moved quite nicely, around and through the work spaces, which featured warm touches, including oriental carpets and places to sit, take a break, and think about things.
     That kind of pride of place meant to us that ACB would be a good company to ship with.
     Harold, surveying the landscape one day, decided that what Atlanta air cargo needed at Thanksgiving was an open house invitation to every single member of the local industry to come over for a genuine southern fried turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
     So began a tradition that continues to this day, of a great meal open to everyone every year in late November.
     “The turkey is fried in peanut oil at high temperature, and is a delicious way of bringing people together,” Harold told me.
     I thought of Harold and his sense of sharing and giving earlier this year when Donna and her team, garbed in mask and gloves, stood out on the trucking lines at ATL, giving away chicken dinners to big rig drivers, who during the early scary days of the pandemic with everything closed had nowhere else to go.
     One good thing leads to another, I thought.
     Thanks for leading the way, Harold.
     “Today we lost a great man,” Harold’s wife Sylvia said.
     Harold and Sylvia were married after Gail died.
     “He never quit and he was not a quitter,” Sylvia added.
     “He was fighting a beast without a cure.
     “Men like Harold do not come along very often,” she said.
     Deborah Torma, (right) Harold’s oldest daughter, who today is President and CEO of Atlanta Customs Brokers, said simply,
     “Dad was a true American, an honored veteran who served his country, a father, husband, friend, leader and a true Southern Gentleman.”
Geoffrey