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The School of Business has been given a portrait of bicycle and radio industrialist Einar A. Haapala (1885-1940) painted by the renowned artist Emil Danielsson (1881-1967) in 1921. The portrait has been put on display in the Aalto University Undergraduate Centre among the other traditional portraits.

Born in Oulu, Einar A. Haapala was an industrialist who founded an agency company in Hamburg in 1922, as well as E. A. Haapala Oy, which manufactured bicycles and radios in Finland in 1927. He also served on the boards of the Finnish Bicycle Merchant's Association, and the Finnish League of Radio Merchants.

Business and international activities were close to the heart of Einar Haapala and that of his wife Hanna Haapala, who died in 1961. Consequently, the childless couple bequeathed half of their property to the Helsinki School of Economics (now the Aalto University School of Business) and half to the Oulu School of Business (now the Oulu Business School).

The substantial bequest became the Hanna and Eino Haapala Endowment with an investment portfolio whose value rose considerably at the start of the new century thanks to the successful investment policy of the School of Business. The fund is used for grants to support student exchange studies abroad for students at the School of Business.

Portrait serves as reminder of significance of donations

The portrait was given to the School of Business by Master of Laws Juha Knaappi, from the estate of his cousin Irma Knaapi, who had owned it most recently. Irma Knaappi's father Lauri Knaapi had long served as CEO of E.A. Haapala Oy and Irma Knaapi herself had been its paymaster.

‘The portrait was once on the wall in the home of Einar and Hanna Haapala on Museokatu in Helsinki, and most recently it graced the home of my cousin Irma on Rauhankatu in Turku. Alongside her work as paymaster, Irma had done much to help the ageing Hanna Haapala, and she gave her husband's portrait to Irma out of appreciation for the good care’, Juha Knaapi says.

‘It seemed appropriate to donate the portrait to the School of Business, as Irma, who is now deceased, also had no children, and despite my efforts, I was unable to find any living relatives of Einar and Hanna Haapala.’

Einar Haapala's portrait now hangs on the wall of the Undergraduate Centre reminding both students and staff about a donor who has been important to the School of Business, and of the significant role of donations in supporting studies and research.

Many thanks for the donation!