It is with great sadness that I share the news that Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a pillar of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a dear friend and companion to many of us, passed away yesterday, November 4, peacefully and surrounded by his family.
Gary is an outstanding scholar and person. As one of the senior fellows of the Institute’s cornerstone, he helped C. Fred Bergsten make PIIE work from the beginning and contributed immeasurably to its intellectual heritage, policy impact, and international reputation. His pioneering work on international trade, tariffs, free trade agreements (especially working on NAFTA with Jeffrey J. Schott), economic sanctions, corporate taxation and many others influenced generations of scholars and policy makers. Equally important, he embodies much of the spirit of the Institute – intellectual engagement, passion for understanding and improving the world of policy, independence, collegiality, and a deep commitment to bringing economic research to bear on the world’s most pressing policy challenges. The tree of coaching research assistants and analysts who have had great careers under his guidance is legendary.
Gary remained passionate about economics and public policy until the end. He continues to research, write, and publish prolifically. The latest PIIE analysis, co-authored with Kate Hetrick on Trump’s tariff reversal, was published on October 27, eight days before his death. That’s Gary: endlessly creative, engaged with the world, and committed to making a difference through his work.
For those of us lucky enough to work with him, Gary was much more than a famous economist. He is a generous colleague, a wonderful friend, and an inspiration, with an adventurous spirit that transcends economics. He even continued skydiving in his late 60s. His warmth, wisdom, zest for life, and inimitable personality have shaped the Institute for decades. His passing is a great loss to our community and to the international economy.
Gary leaves a monumental legacy, not only in scholarship and his influence on economic policy, but also in our institutions that he helped build and the many lives he touched.
May his memory be a blessing to his family. He has always been a blessing to all of us at PIIE.
Interview with Hufbauer from 2018