He is Founder and Chairman of the Harris Foundation for Lifelong Learning, and has received honours for his services to surveying and to further education.
Educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Harris joined Pepper Angliss & Yarwood Chartered Surveyors in 1959 and became senior partner in 1974.
Later, the Institute of Continuing Professional Development was founded to recognize members who demonstrated commitment to learning.
In 1998, he was a member of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Real Estate Market Advisory Group.
[6] Harris was appointed as an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1993 Birthday Honours for his services to further education.