Born and raised in Philadelphia, Haakim Peay began his career in advocacy and community engagement, where he helped lead a nonprofit focused on education reform, increasing teacher diversity, and addressing the school-to-prison pipeline. That early experience shaped his commitment to creating opportunities and driving meaningful change in underserved communities.
In 2021, while attending Morehouse College studying pre-law and political science, he joined Empire as an intern. He quickly advanced through the organization, and by April 2022, he launched the company’s Delaware expansion. Since then, he has played a key role in expanding operations into the Midwest and now serves as a partner with Empire.
Outside of business, Haakim is a dedicated father to his daughter, Zara, and an active leader in his community. He currently serves the city of Philadelphia as a commissioner on a police accountability board for the Philadelphia Police Department and remains actively involved in local nonprofits and grassroots initiatives.
His long-term goal is to retire his parents by the age of 30 while continuing to build a legacy rooted in leadership, impact, and opportunity.