Mr. John B. Haines IV is the retired Founder and Co-Chairman of H&K Group, Inc. (H&K), one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest privately owned heavy civil contracting and construction materials companies. Today, H&K proudly celebrates nearly 60 years of continuous operation and excellence.

Beyond his business and entrepreneurial achievements, John Haines’ life has been defined by extraordinary focus, determination, and personal resolve. While success has created opportunity, it is his drive, vision, and passion for history that ultimately led to the realization of his dream: the creation of The Museum at Hoppenville, located on his remarkable estate in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.

Early Business History & Success

John Haines began laying the foundation for Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc. in 1957, when he partnered with close friend Terry Koch to form Haines & Koch, a small excavating company operated from John’s home in Worcester Township, Pennsylvania. In 1964, John reconnected with childhood friend John R. “Jack” Kibblehouse, and together with partners Lee Detwiler and Harry Budenz, formally established Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc. in 1968.

Since the company’s inception, John Haines’ leadership, vision, passion, and exceptional ability to communicate purpose have fueled the growth of what has become one of the region’s hallmark family-owned companies.

During his 49-year tenure as President, Founder, and Co-Chairman of H&K, John oversaw business development initiatives and external operations across both the contracting and materials sectors. In recent years, his role evolved from hands-on leadership to strategic oversight, with an increasing emphasis on mentorship as the company transitioned into second-, third-, and now fourth-generation family ownership.

Throughout this evolution, John has maintained a firm commitment to focused, disciplined growth, ensuring that the principles upon which the company was founded remain deeply woven into its culture and future direction. Widely regarded by contemporaries and colleagues as open-minded, fair, and intensely focused, John’s leadership has become synonymous with the H&K brand itself.

The Museum at Hoppenville & the Haines Historical Foundation

Following his official retirement from H&K in 2018, John devoted himself more fully to the stewardship of his historic home, property, and extensive collection of meticulously restored antique vehicles, construction, farming, and mining equipment, along with historical memorabilia amassed over a lifetime. Many of these nationally recognized antiquities are housed within three expansive museum structures on his Pennsburg property.

In 2019, John and his wife, Linda, established the Haines Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to formally preserve, manage, maintain, and further develop the museums, collections, and historic grounds of the Haines Estate.

Continuing his lifelong mission of preservation, John expanded this vision in 2023 by establishing a for-profit event venue on the property, designed to provide long-term funding support for the Haines Historical Foundation. This venue became known as The Museum at Hoppenville.

In May 2025, John and his wife, Linda officially opened The Museum at Hoppenville, featuring a newly constructed Welcome Center that serves as both an event space and the gateway to the broader museums and historic grounds of the Haines Estate and the Haines Historical Foundation.