Michael Haft

Michael Haft
Born (1986-11-03) November 3, 1986
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Marine Corps
Service years2009-2013
RankCaptain
Commands1st Battalion 9th Marines, Weapons Platoon, Charlie Company
Conflicts
Alma materWashington University in St. Louis
SpouseSofia Rose Haft
Relations
Other workCompass Coffee (founder)

Michael Haft (born November 3, 1986) is an American businessman, veteran and venture capitalist, known as the CEO and founder of Compass Coffee.[1][2] He was deployed as United States Marine Corps Infantry Officer in Afghanistan.[3]

Early life and education

Haft was born on November 3, 1986, in Washington DC to businessman Robert Haft and Mary Haft.[4] He attended the Maret School in Washington DC.[5] Later, he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with a focus on Business and Entrepreneurship from Washington University in St. Louis.[6][7]

Career

Military service

In 2009, after his junior year at Washington University in St. Louis, Haft attended the Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps) and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduating college the following year.[8]

Haft was trained as an infantry officer and was eventually assigned as a weapons platoon commander to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.[9] Haft led his platoon in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom to support the War on Terror embedded with the Afghan National Police in the Helmand Province during 2011.[10][11]

Compass Coffee

After his military service, Haft returned to Washington DC where he founded Compass Coffee in 2013.[12][13] During the COVID-19 pandemic, he oversaw the construction of a 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art roastery in the Ivy City neighborhood of Washington, D.C., with a capacity to produce 10 million pounds of coffee annually.[1][2] The company received approximately $3.1 million in two Paycheck Protection Program loans to maintain operations during the pandemic.[2]

Made in DC

Haft designed the Made in DC logo and has testified before the Council of the District of Columbia on manufacturing and business issues.[14][15]

Publications

Michael Haft is the co-author of a book, Perfect Coffee At Home.[16][17][18]

Personal life

Michael has been married to Sofia Haft, who is the director of communications at Anduril Industries and a public affairs officer in the US Navy Reserve.[19][20][21] Michael received DC Chamber of Commerce's Community Impact Award in 2017.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Deutch, Gabby (2021-03-17). "The Jewish Marine behind a proud D.C. coffee institution". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  2. ^ a b c Angell, Melissa. "When the Pandemic Put His Coffee Shop on Ice, This Founder Turned the Downtime Into a Teachable Moment". Inc. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  3. ^ Carman, Tim (2026-02-11). "Compass Coffee had Starbucks-size ambitions. Here's how it unraveled". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  4. ^ Judkis, Maura (2021-12-02). "From the Ground Up: Legacy and legwork". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  5. ^ "Michael Haft '05 : Courage, Coffee, and Connectedness". www.maret.org. 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  6. ^ Tabb, Michael (2012-10-22). "U.S. Marines return to thank alma mater - Student Life". Student Life - The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  7. ^ Parker, Deb (2012-10-23). "Marine alumni return to campus". The Source. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  8. ^ Judkis, Maura (2023-01-23). "With Compass Coffee, two former Marines find their way home". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  9. ^ "If War Is Hell, Then Coffee Has Offered U.S. Soldiers Some Salvation". NPR. July 25, 2016. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  10. ^ Werman, Marco; Boyd, Clark (2013-09-17). "Two Marines Trade in Combat Coffee for the Perfect Cup at Home". The World from PRX. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  11. ^ Druzin, Heath (2015-08-19). "Vets bring DIY attitude to business startups". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  12. ^ "Compass Coffee Owners Form 'Americans For Real Good Coffee' Super PAC". Washington City Paper. 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  13. ^ J. Sernovitz, Daniel (2025-03-25). "Compass Coffee responds to lawsuit, denies co-founder's racketeering claims". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  14. ^ Wright, Sarafina (2017-01-18). "Compass Coffee Opens in Convention Center". The Washington Informer. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  15. ^ "Report on Bill 21-514, the "Made in DC Program Establishment Act of 2016"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-29.
  16. ^ "Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez - At War Blog". The New York Times. 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  17. ^ Blake, Ben (2013-07-11). "First Look: Perfect Coffee At Home, A Brand New Book by Two Former Marines". sprudge.com. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  18. ^ Michaels, Jim. "Taking the military's coffee obsession to the next level". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  19. ^ Okun, Eli (2023-05-30). "Playbook PM: Conservatives roar on debt ceiling and McCarthy". POLITICO. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  20. ^ Wall, Alix (2023-06-09). "Sharing the 'Call for Service' and a Life Together". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  21. ^ White, Jeremy B.; Bloom, Isabella; Massara, Graph (2021-11-22). "Big changes coming soon to the Capitol". POLITICO. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  22. ^ Donner, Kathleen (2017-11-10). "DC Chamber Recognizes Compass Coffee". MidCity DC News. Retrieved 2026-02-12.

Official website

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