| John W. Haigis, Sr. | |
| Office: | Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts |
| Term Start: | 1928 |
| Term End: | 1930 |
| Governor: | Alvan T. Fuller Frank G. Allen |
| Predecessor: | William S. Youngman |
| Successor: | Charles F. Hurley |
| Office4: | Massachusetts House of Representatives 3rd Franklin District |
| Term Start4: | 1909 |
| Term End4: | 1913 |
| Office3: | Massachusetts State Senate |
| Term Start3: | 1913 |
| Term End3: | 1915 |
| Office2: | Massachusetts State Senate |
| Term Start2: | 1923 |
| Term End2: | 1927 |
| Office5: | Town of Montague, Massachusetts Board of Water Commissioners |
| Term Start5: | 1910 |
| Term End5: | 1915 |
| Office6: | Town of Montague, Massachusetts Assessor |
| Term Start6: | 1908 |
| Term End6: | 1908 |
| Office7: | Town of Montague, Massachusetts Auditor |
| Term Start7: | 1907 |
| Term End7: | 1907 |
| Office8: | Town of Montague, Massachusetts Treasurer and Collector |
| Term Start8: | 1903 |
| Term End8: | 1906 |
| Birth Date: | July 31, 1881 |
| Birth Place: | Montague, Massachusetts Turners Falls |
| Death Date: | 1960 |
| Restingplace: | Green River Cemetery, Greenfield, Massachusetts |
| Party: | Republican |
| Profession: | Publisher and Banker |
| Spouse: | Rose Grace Luippold |
| Children: | Elizabeth Lucretia Haigis, John William Haigis Jr. (19 Feb 1917 - 27 Oct 1988), Rose Margaret Haigis (23 May 1920 - 25 Apr 1992) |
John William Haigis, Sr. (July 31, 1881 – 1960) was an American newspaper publisher, businessman and politician. Haigis was the editor and publisher of the Greenfield Recorder. Haigis was the founder of WHAI radio.
On December 3, 1913, Haigis married Rose Grace Luippold, daughter of Johann Martin Luippold and Elizabeth E. Jacobus, in Montague, Massachusetts. They had three children Elizabeth Lucretia Haigis, John William Haigis Jr. and Rose Margaret Haigis.
From 1903 to 1908 Haigis served in various town offices in the Town of Montague, Massachusetts. He successively served in the capacities as the town's Treasurer, Tax Collector, Auditor, Assessor and Water Commissioner.
Haigis served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Massachusetts State Senate, and the Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts from 1929 to 1931.
In 1934 Haigis was the Republican party nominee for Lieutenant Governor, and in 1936 for the Republican nominee for Governor, he lost both elections.
Haigis also served as a trustee of the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1940 to 1956. Haigis Mall on the campus is named for him.
On March 1, 1937, Haigis applied to the FCC for a permit to construct a radio station, the application was to construct a radio station in Greenfield that would operate on 1210 kHz, 250 watts power daytime.
Haigis was granted a license for a radio station call sign WHAI. According to the Springfield (MA) Republican, the station made its debut on March 16, 1938.
In 1938 it was recommended that WHAI be allowed to broadcast on unlimited basis, instead of being restricted to daytime broadcast.
Haigis died in 1960, and was buried in Green River Cemetery, Greenfield, Massachusetts.