Longtime Stanislaus County employee Jody Hayes was recently selected as the County’s newest Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Supervisors, bringing with him a community-centered focus and a desire to continue the County’s longstanding tradition of strong leadership.

Hayes will replace outgoing CEO Stan Risen, who is retiring after over 30 years in public service.

No stranger to public service himself, Hayes began his career with Stanislaus County in 1999 in the Probation Department before accepting a promotion to the Chief Executive Office as a Management Consultant in 2004. Hayes successfully rose through the ranks to Assistant Executive Officer in February 2014, where he became responsible for the preparation and monitoring of the County Budget as well as leading the CEO Finance and Operations team. years in public service. In his new position as CEO, Hayes will have responsibility for more than 4,400 employees and a $1.18 billion annual budget.

“I’ve been a very proud member of the Chief Executive Office for many years, and to now have the opportunity to lead the organization is something that is just a true honor,” said Hayes.

Prior to becoming CEO, Hayes took pride in the fact that he was able to successfully lead the County through the Great Recession, working closely with the office’s senior leadership to navigate some of the area’s toughest economic times.

“That was one of my biggest accomplishments - helping the County build itself back up, and then watching it grow afterward,” said Hayes. “It required us to work with employment groups and County departments in a way that we had never partnered before.”

Hayes looks forward to continuing to work with community groups during his time as CEO, with a new focus developed by Risen which will focus on making long-term improvements throughout the community. By bringing multiple sectors of the community together to work on specific goals, Hayes hopes to see the new initiative flourish.

“It’s like I’m the new pilot for the best test plane ever, and I get to sit with the community as my co-pilot,” he said. “To be able to do something more profound is what excites me.”

Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Vito Chiesa described Hayes as well-respected within the county for not only his dedication to financial management, but his leadership as well.

“He is both a strategic thinker and an effective leader who is focused on continuous improvement of our organization and the community,” said Chiesa.

Hayes will serve a four-and-a-half-year term, which will become effective Aug. 12, at a base salary of $240,000. He expressed his gratitude toward the Board of Supervisors, who he described as his “five bosses.”

“They have been very consistent in their vision for the community, and we are so fortunate to have a board that works together so well,” he said. “Everybody wants to work in a good environment, and I’m very fortunate.”