It is with profound sadness that I share the news that Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a pillar of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a beloved colleague and friend to so many of us, passed away yesterday, November 4, peacefully and surrounded by his family.
Gary was an extraordinary scholar and person. As one of the Institute's cornerstone senior fellows, he helped C. Fred Bergsten make PIIE what it became from its earliest days and contributed immeasurably to its intellectual legacy, its policy impact, and its international reputation. His pioneering work on international trade, tariffs, free trade agreements (notably work on NAFTA with Jeffrey J. Schott), economic sanctions, corporate taxation and so much more influenced generations of scholars and policymakers. Equally important, he embodied so much of the spirit of the Institute—intellectual engagement, passion to understand and improve the policy world, independence, collegiality, and a deep commitment to bringing economic research to bear on the world's most pressing policy challenges. His coaching tree of research assistants and analysts who have gone on to great careers under his mentorship is deservedly legendary.
Gary remained passionately engaged with economics and public policy until the very end. He continued to research, write, and publish prolifically. His most recent PIIE analysis, coauthored with Kate Hetrick on Trump's tariff reversals, was published on October 27, just eight days before his passing. That was Gary: endlessly creative, engaged with the world, and committed to making a difference through his work.
For those of us fortunate enough to have worked alongside him, Gary was much more than a distinguished economist. He was a generous colleague, a wonderful friend, and an inspiration, with an adventurous spirit that extended well beyond economics. He even continued skydiving into his late 60s. His warmth, wisdom, zest for life, and inimitable personality enriched the Institute for decades. His passing is an enormous loss to our community and to the field of international economics.
Gary leaves behind a monumental legacy, not only in his scholarship and influence on economic policy, but also in our institution which he helped build and the many lives he touched.
May his memory be a blessing for his family. He certainly was a blessing to all of us at PIIE.
Interview with Hufbauer from 2018
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This publication does not include a replication package.
