On behalf of the Manhattan Institute, I am saddened to note the passing of William “Bill” Hammett, who served as the Institute’s president from 1980 to 1995. Hammett’s visionary leadership shaped the Institute into an influential platform for free-market ideas, embodying his belief that “What we are trying to create is a place where the best thinking of free-market scholars can be attractively packaged, intelligently presented, and vigorously defended.” Over his 15-year tenure, he achieved precisely that.
Hammett, a former investment banker, brought a wealth of understanding and expertise to the Institute. Under his stewardship, the Manhattan Institute embarked on groundbreaking projects, including its innovative book program. This initiative, alongside the Institute’s quarterly magazine, City Journal, played a pivotal role in sparking New York’s remarkable turnaround.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Hammett championed figures who would become instrumental in shaping public policy. The Institute introduced seminal works by George Gilder, whose book Wealth and Poverty was widely regarded as the “Bible of the Reagan administration”; Charles Murray, whose Losing Ground was a cornerstone of federal welfare reform and one of the most discussed public-policy books of its era; and Peter Huber, whose book Liability brought tort reform to the forefront of national debate.
A committed libertarian, Hammett was an unusually gifted intellectual bridge-builder, who sought to engage writers and thinkers from across the ideological spectrum. In doing so, he had a profound and lasting influence on how Americans think about public safety, the welfare state, and the promise and potential of our nation's cities.
Larry Mone, president emeritus of the Manhattan Institute, who worked alongside Hammett for over a decade, describes him as "the most gifted intellectual entrepreneur I ever worked with—bar none.”
Roger Hertog, chairman emeritus of the Manhattan Institute and a close collaborator of Hammett's, shared these words in his memory:
Bill Hammett was the preeminent intellectual speculator in the think tank world during the 1980s. His influence in public policy debates continues even after he stepped down from MI’s presidency almost 30 years ago.
All of us at the Manhattan Institute will remember Bill Hammett with profound respect and gratitude.