[3] He graduated with the second graduating class in 1956 from Indian Springs School in Shelby County, Alabama;[4] attended Princeton University and earned a Civil engineering degree with honors in 1960; received an MBA with distinction from Harvard in 1962; and continued his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Building Engineering and Construction.
Describing this tagline as "significant", Preston Haskell said: This was the first time the company was identified as an integrated, in-house design-build firm practicing all three disciplines.
He took an active leadership role in the construction industry as the founding chairman of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).
Haskell remained Chairman, but he turned over operation of the firm to Halverson, who increased revenue by 74% during his first eight years.
[10] While in school, Haskell met Joan Elizabeth Smith, whom he later married and with whom he shares three children: Preston IV, Sally and Rushton.
It began with real estate investment and property management, but by 1997 also operated restaurants and a furniture manufacturing company.
[11] He founded Haskell Vineyards in 2002 in South Africa after purchasing the 23-hectare (56.8 acre) Dombeya wine farm in Stellenbosch.
[13][14] During divorce proceedings, Haskell claimed he was £50 million in debt and his current liquidity and cash flow problems that require two to three years to resolve.
A six-day hearing occurred in August 2020 during which Haskell admitted to "mean and spiteful" behavior and that he had not disposed of any assets during his period of 'liquidity and cash flow problems'.
[13][15] In July 2021 he lost an appeal of the original court order and was given a six-week jail sentence if he returns to England.