Thomas Hays

Thomas Chandler Hays
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On the morning of Wednesday, August 24, Thomas Chandler Hays, died at the UCLA Health Center near his home in Santa Monica, CA. He had been briefly ill while being treated for lymphoma and undergoing chemotherapy.
Tom left a loving family: his wife, Mary Ann (nee Jergens); three sons, Thomas Reid, Michael Bradshaw (wife, Carol S. Boram) of Columbus, OH, Paul Chandler, of San Francisco, CA, a daughter, Jennifer (husband, Keith Morris) of Charlottesville, VA, and a grandson, Ian Reid Hays (wife, Alana Casanova-Burgess) of New York City; two sisters, Elisabeth Hays and Marilyn Hopkins and a brother, the Rev. Louis B. Hays. Other members of his close family, cousins, nieces, and nephews reside in California, Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, New York, Boston, and Las Vegas.
Mr. Hays was born on April 21, 1935 in Berwyn, IL, the son of Marion C. and Carolyn Reid Hays. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1944 when his father accepted a teaching position at Harvard School in North Hollywood, CA, where Mr. Hays graduated with highest honors. He completed ROTC training while at California Institute of Technology where he earned a BS (1957) and MS (1958). He performed his military service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 1958-61, as a Project Engineer, being honorably discharged with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. During those years he was involved in developing the flight control system for the X-15 and had the honor of becoming acquainted with some of the great test pilots of the space era, Chuck Yeager and Neil Armstrong.
After completing his service, Mr. Hays was accepted at Harvard University’s School of Business Administration where he was designated a Baker Scholar, graduating with High Distinction in 1963. After receiving his MBA, he worked at Lockheed California as an operations engineer in their Space Systems Division. In 1964 Mr. Hays was recruited by the Andrew Jergens Company (AJCO), in Cincinnati, OH for the position of Product Manager. Within the year he was elected to the Board of Directors. During his 16 years with Jergens he was responsible for developing such innovative products as the unique, transparent Jergens Clear Complexion Bar and Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo, one of the first products directed at the teenage market. By 1970 he was promoted to Vice-President of Product Management. The AJCO was sold to American Brands in the same year.
The family remained in Cincinnati for 16 years. Tom continued to pursue his interest in tennis throughout. He belonged to the Cincinnati Tennis Club and served as its President; the Indoor Tennis Club; and the Cincinnati Country Club. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Country Day School, where his children attended school.
In April 1980 after having been President and CEO of AJCO since January 1979, he was invited to join the American Tobacco Company (ATCO) in New York City as Vice President, Marketing. ATCO was the principal business of American Brands, the parent company. He was appointed Executive Vice President within the year and while there he reinvigorated the famous Lucky Strikes brand by adding a filter version, and introduced the price brands, Malibu, Montclair, and Carlton, the first ultra low tar products on the market. He soon became a Director of American Brands, whose subsidiaries included such key brands as Titleist, Jim Beam Distillery, Master Lock, Franklin Life, and Swingline. In 1988 he became President and Chief Operating Officer. In 1994, he was instrumental in the sale of ATCO and changed the name of American Brands to Fortune Brands. Mr. Hays became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fortune Brands in 1995, remaining in this position until his retirement in December 1999 while continuing with its board of directors. Two years previously Pace University in New York bestowed on Mr. Hays the honorary degree of Doctor of Commercial Science. Other business affiliations include serving on the boards of ACNielsen and Gallaher Group PLC. Other groups he was affiliated with include The Ambassadors Roundtable, the Business Roundtable, the Conference Board, and the Economic Club.
A lifelong interest was Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, the largest non-profit provider of treatment services in the US for children, adolescents, and adults confronting emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges. During his 45 years association with Devereux Mr. Hays served as trustee and Chairman of its Board of Trustees. He served in the same capacity with the Fairfield County Foundation while living in Darien CT. In 1964, a year after the founding of the Andrew Jergens Foundation of Cincinnati, OH, he became a member of its Board of Trustees and remained an active participant during the ensuing 47 years until his death. His friends and colleagues knew him for his integrity, compassion and understanding, intelligence, generosity, thoughtful and informed guidance, loyalty and humor.
Mary Ann and Tom have homes in Santa Monica and Cincinnati, Ohio. During their 58 years of marriage, they lived in Dayton, OH; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; Cincinnati, OH; and Darien, CT, finally returning in late 1999 to Los Angeles, the place they met, to retire.
Now sixteen years have passed since Mr. and Mrs. Hays returned to Los Angeles. During that period, as in the rest of his life, he continued to read avidly, play tennis, travel extensively and give his time, energy, and love to the people and organizations that meant the most to him.
Contributions in his memory can be made to Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Development Office, 444 Devereux Drive, Villanova, PA 19085 (www.devereux.org/giving) or your favorite charity. A family celebration of his life will be held at a later date.