Tommy Hayes (Career and Legacy)
Thomas “Tommy” Hayes Jr. was a Pasadena technology entrepreneur who founded Hayes Technologies in 1995 after working for HP and Dell. The company’s success allowed him to support his son, Evan Hayes, when Evan became a teenage parent.
Career Overview
Tommy’s career included work at HP and Dell followed by the founding of Hayes Technologies in 1995. His autistic preference for methodical work, routine, and predictable systems supported his technical and business work. He lived with chronic migraine during his career and received a hemiplegic migraine diagnosis in March 1997.
Education and Early Career
Tommy worked for HP and later Dell before leaving Dell to establish his own company.
Founding and Business Development
Tommy founded Hayes Technologies in 1995 as a consulting firm specializing in network infrastructure and IT systems. He began with two contractors. By March 1997, the firm had five employees and clients across Southern California. The company’s success gave Tommy the financial resources to provide practical support during Evan and Pattie Matsuda’s transition into parenthood.