Robert G. Heft

Robert G. "Bob" Heft (January 19, 1942 – December 12, 2009) was the designer of the current United States 50-star flag. He has also designed a 51-star flag that would be used if a new state joins the United States.[1] He was born in Saginaw, Michigan in January 1942.

Heft claimed to have designed the current United States flag as a school project in Lancaster, Ohio, when he was 17 years old. He received a B- for his project from his teacher, Stanley Pratt. After talking about the project, he reached an agreement with his teacher that, if the flag was selected as the official flag by the United States Congress, he would get a better grade for the project. Heft stated that his design was chosen out of more than 1,500 designs that were given to United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and his teacher changed his grade to an A.[2] This claim is now in dispute and is believed to be a hoax.[3]

After graduating from college, he became a high school teacher and later a college professor. He was also mayor of Napoleon, Ohio for 28 years.[4]

After years of combating diabetes, Heft died on December 12, 2009, from a heart attack while living in Saginaw.[5] He was 67 years old.