Mark Haines, CNBC Co-anchor of “Squawk on the Street” passed away early this week at the age of 65. He was a friend who I never personally met but whose program was an indispensable part of my day. His incisive reporting helped me make sense of the complex world of Wall Street and finance. He and his co-host Erin Burnett were trusted advisers who broke down and analyzed the news for me so I can view the world in a balanced and informed manner. The subject of economics was never really my strong suit. In fact, I don’t think that I’ve ever been able to make money in the stock market. But his show was a daily must because he was able to demystify the subject for me by explaining, in a way that I could clearly understand, personal investing in a highly dynamic global economy.
Moreover, he was an Ivy-League-Trained Attorney from the University of Pennsylvania with a microphone and a litigator's inquisitiveness to match. Some of the most riveting segments that I’ve ever witnessed on business television featured him interviewing guests as if they were witnesses being cross-examined on a stand - politicians, CEO’s, corporate executives, financial experts and every type of personality in between. He was ferocious at times and would keep hammering and clawing at his guests until he got the information he needed to the benefit of his viewers - the personal investor.
A few days before his passing, his on-air partnership with Erin Burnett ended after she announced she was joining CNN. As tough as any prosecutor, he also had a soft side to him. Exhibiting a depth of emotions, he bid farewell to her, clutching her hand, holding back tears and with voice cracking, he said, “Coming to work the last five and a half years has been an absolute joy. You are the best.” In a twit, another CNBC colleague, Jane Wells, called him a “teddy bear” after watching the program. That was the last time I saw him on television until I heard of his death yesterday.
I am saddened by the news and offer his family and colleagues at CNBC my deepest sympathies. His incisive and unvarnished reporting style will be sorely missed. He was a part of that faculty of learned and wise individuals who taught me about the world and the complex times in which we live.
CLICK TO VIEW A CNBC TRIBUTE PAGE FOR MARK HAINES
Moreover, he was an Ivy-League-Trained Attorney from the University of Pennsylvania with a microphone and a litigator's inquisitiveness to match. Some of the most riveting segments that I’ve ever witnessed on business television featured him interviewing guests as if they were witnesses being cross-examined on a stand - politicians, CEO’s, corporate executives, financial experts and every type of personality in between. He was ferocious at times and would keep hammering and clawing at his guests until he got the information he needed to the benefit of his viewers - the personal investor.
A few days before his passing, his on-air partnership with Erin Burnett ended after she announced she was joining CNN. As tough as any prosecutor, he also had a soft side to him. Exhibiting a depth of emotions, he bid farewell to her, clutching her hand, holding back tears and with voice cracking, he said, “Coming to work the last five and a half years has been an absolute joy. You are the best.” In a twit, another CNBC colleague, Jane Wells, called him a “teddy bear” after watching the program. That was the last time I saw him on television until I heard of his death yesterday.
I am saddened by the news and offer his family and colleagues at CNBC my deepest sympathies. His incisive and unvarnished reporting style will be sorely missed. He was a part of that faculty of learned and wise individuals who taught me about the world and the complex times in which we live.
CLICK TO VIEW A CNBC TRIBUTE PAGE FOR MARK HAINES
