Overview

Harold Kauffman was a wealthy investor and businessman with an interest in robotics and cognitive science, best known for his leading position at Afton Robotics following the disappearance of William Afton in 1995 (though he had been effectively in charge of the majority of the company's operations as early as 1987). He was known to have a strong passion for the company's projects, even before taking over.

He worked with Afton directly for several years, apparently becoming deeply invested in the study of robotics engineering. Family members have suggested that Afton's spirituality had a profound effect on him, though he wasn't known to be religious.

He ran Afton Robotics from June of 1995 until September of 2004, during which he was killed in a workplace accident.

"Father would always tell me that I wasn't motivated enough, that I needed to learn the value of hard work. 'You idiot,' I'd say. 'All you do is work. You can't even find time for you own daughter.' And look where it got him! He insisted that his work was important, more important than anything else, even me. So no, I do not feel sorry for him. He had it coming."

- Lena Kauffman, 2004

---