Thomas Sayles

Senior Vice President, University Relations
University of Southern California

Thomas Sayles has been vice president for USC’s university relations since July 2011. Previously, he practiced law in the private and public sectors. He left law to serve as California’s commissioner of corporations and later as secretary of business, transportation, and housing. He returned to the private sector to work for Sempra Energy as vice president of government and community affairs, and as senior vice president of consumer marketing. He served on the governing board of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power and on the Los Angeles 2020 Commission. Sayles has served the UC Board of Regents and the California Community Colleges Board of Trustees. He is immediate past chairman of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.