Department of Finance Directors

Thomas Hayes was appointed Director of Finance by Governor Pete Wilson on January 7, 1991. He was born in Ossining, New York, on December 21, 1945. He initially went to Oregon State University but then transferred to San Jose State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and went on to receive his Master of Business Administration in 1972. He was drafted for the Vietnam War and served 11 months. Prior to Finance, he worked in the General Accounting Office, Legislative Analyst’s Office, Auditor General’s office, and the State Treasurer’s office. He was appointed state treasurer by Governor George Deukmejian in 1989 to replace the late Jesse M. Unruh, who died in office. He ran to stay in the treasurer’s post in 1990 but lost to Kathleen Brown. After his time at Finance, he became the managing director of Metropolitan West Securities Inc., a Los Angeles-based brokerage firm. He concurrently held a few posts with Orange County: first with a 90-day post beginning in December 1994 to direct the restructuring of the county’s collapsed investment pool, and then in 1995 as the litigation trustee representing the county and the special districts.