Department of Finance Directors

Rolland Vandegrift was appointed Director of Finance by Governor James Rolph Jr. on January 6, 1931. He was born in Pennsylvania, received his primary school education in Chico, California, and held bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees from the University of California. He specialized in taxation, history, and government. Following graduation, he was a traveling fellow for the Native Sons of the Golden West in Spain, England, and France, where his research revealed many unknown facts regarding early California history. In 1926, Mr. Vandegrift became Director of Research for the California Taxpayers’ Association and in 1929 became Secretary. He left the position in 1930 to become the Director of Finance. After Finance, he was the first Legislative Auditor (later renamed to Legislative Analyst) at the Legislative Analyst’s Office, serving from 1941 to 1949.