William H. Quasha

William Howard Quasha (19 May 1912 – 12 May 1996) was an American engineer and lawyer who lived life as a lawyer, civic leader, and Mason in the Philippines.^[1]

Born in Manhattan, New York, William H. Quasha earned BS mechanical engineering and master's degrees (1933 and 1935) at New York University before receiving his LLB at St. John's University in 1936.

Joining the US Army in 1942, Quasha arrived in the Philippines as an officer on the staff of Gen. MacArthur, eventually attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel at age 33, and receiving the Bronze Star and the Philippine Legion of Honor.

In 1946, he founded William H. Quasha and Associates (later Quasha, Asperilla, Blanco, Zafra & Tayag; later Quasha, Asperilla, Zafra, Tayag & Ancheta; now Quasha, Asperilla, Ancheta, Peña & Nolasco).

Quasha was a member of the American Legion, Army and Navy Club, Elks, Jaycees, Knights of Rizal, Lions, Republicans Abroad, Toastmasters, Fulbright Committee, and various Masonic groups. He was a licensed lay leader of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. He endeavored to establish rapprochement between Masonry and the Catholic Church, and paid a visit to the Vatican in 1959 for this purpose. As Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, he toured the country, visiting lodges and encouraging brothers in the work.

Quasha served as Scoutmaster of Troop 1, American School. He joined the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Manila Council in 1949, and later was conferred the Silver Tamaraw. He received the Silver Buffalo of the Boy Scouts of America in 1974.^[2]

Quasha was the volunteer Chairman, President, and CEO of the (Episcopal) St. Luke's Medical Center (in Taguig, Philippines) from 1975 until his demise in 1996.^[3] The hospital has named its medical school after him: the St. Luke's College of Medicine William H. Quasha Memorial.

In Republic of the Philippines and/or Solicitor General v. William H. Quasha, August 17, 1972, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that Americans could not own land in the Philippines beyond July 3, 1974, in effect ruling that Quasha had to give up ownership of his residential lot at Forbes Park, Makati municipality (now Forbes Park, Makati City).^[4] The "Quasha law," which proved onerous for the American community in the Philippines, however, was later overturned by President Ferdinand Marcos.

The Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test (RMPFBT) of Rensis Likert and William Howard Quasha (1941, 1970, 1995) assesses spatial-visual intelligence.

In 2000, the National Gallery of Australia acquired from the Quasha family the New Guinea portfolio of 27 prints by Australian photographer Max Dupain (1911–1992), acquired by William Quasha while Quasha was a captain in the US Army in Australia.

William Quasha's son Alan Grant Quasha is a New York lawyer and financier who received his JD and MBA from Harvard in 1976.

Notes