By Staff
INVISIBLE LUNCHEON Mossy Oak owner Toxey Haas speaks about those who have helped him through the years Tuesday during the Meridian Community College Foundation President's Roundtable Luncheon. Mossy Oak makes camouflage gear that hunters wear to be nearly invisible in the woods. Photo by Kyle Carter / The Meridian Star.
special to The Star
Oct. 15, 2003
Since he was old enough to follow his dad in the woods, Toxey Haas has dreamed of being invisible to game.
Today the brand of camouflage that he designed from a fistful of dirt can be seen on items such as clothing, furniture, jewelry and even cell phone faces around the world.
Haas, founder and chief executive officer of Mossy Oak, Bill Suggs, president and chief operating officer, and Ronnie "Cuz" Strickland, senior vice president of television and related media, told the Mossy Oak story to the Meridian Community College President's Round Table luncheon Tuesday.
The MCC Foundation sponsored the event as a way to thank the businesses for supporting the one-of-a-kind Tuition Guarantee Program at MCC.
According to Haas, "Where Mossy Oak truly evolved is from turkey hunting, a sport I dearly love. I had turkeys in mind when I began work on the original Mossy Oak pattern because I knew if I could develop camouflage that I would easily be hidden to deer and other game."
After graduating from Mississippi State University in 1986, he never gave up on his dream to produce camouflage that would make the outdoorsman truly invisible.
But the business doesn't stop with camouflage.
Mossy Oak has grown into a multifaceted outdoors icon that includes the country's most popular and most effective camouflage patterns, a hometown brand-building mall and a pair of top-rated outdoors shows, "Hunting the Country" and "Whistling Wings."
With the addition of BioLogic and Wild Game Products and Mossy Oak Properties, Mossy Oak is the most diverse company in the industry.
The business' success, Haas told the audience, centered on putting others first. "You've got to put people first, and you've got to learn how to always be yourself."
He also credits getting divine help: "I always understand it's not my money or business it's God's."