Patrick De Haan is one of the most recognizable face in fuel price analysis. You’ll often seem him as GasBuddy on FOX 17 weekly, providing gas price updates — and his passion for watching prices started right here in Grand Rapids.
“I think all of this really started with Junior Achievement back in eighth grade at Oakdale, a school that’s closed now. Went to Grand Rapids Christian High. Always loved economics,” De Haan said.
That love for economics continued through his time at Grand Valley State University, even as he was pursuing a career in law enforcement. It was the drive between Grand Rapids and Allendale that first made him take notice of how quickly prices could move.
“When I was at Grand Valley State, driving between Grand Rapids and Allendale, I’d go to class, it’d be like $1.28 and I’d come back out and be like $1.59 It’s like, what the heck happened in five hours?” De Haan said.
He has since built an entire career around those numbers. What started as interviews in Grand Rapids has grown into a global media presence…