Francine I. Neff | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 34th Treasurer of the United States | |
| In office June 23, 1974 – January 20, 1977 | |
| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Romana Acosta Bañuelos |
| Succeeded by | Azie Taylor Morton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1925-12-06)December 6, 1925 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | February 9, 2010(2010-02-09) (aged 84) Pena Blanca, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Signature |  |
Francine Irving Neff (December 6, 1925 – February 9, 2010)[1][2][3] was the 35thTreasurer of the United States, serving from June 21, 1974, to January 19, 1977. She was appointed byRichard Nixon but continued serving as Treasurer throughGerald Ford's term in office after Nixon resigned in August 1974.
Originally aDemocrat who had become increasingly disenchanted with her party's politics, Neff switched her allegiance to theRepublican Party and volunteered withBarry Goldwater's presidential campaign in 1964. She rose through the ranks ofNew Mexico Republican politics, being named to its State Central Committee in 1967,chairperson of the New Mexico Women for Nixon in 1968 and member of the State Executive Committee in 1969. She was promoted to represent her state with theRepublican National Committee in 1970 and served as a member on its executive committee from 1972 until she became Treasurer.[4]
Neff was nominated to become Treasurer of the United States by President Nixon on May 29, 1974.[5] She was officially sworn into office on June 21,[4] succeedingRomana Acosta Bañuelos who had resigned four months prior on February 14.[5] The first batch ofdollar bills bearing hersignature came off theprinting presses on July 3, 1974.[6]
Neff took office at a time when the role of Treasurer was being reorganized. The Treasurer was named National Director of the Savings Bonds Division for the first time during her term. She was the first Treasurer to manage a bureau and the first to report to the Undersecretary for Monetary Affairs.[7] She also oversaw the Treasury-widebicentennial program. She was unsuccessful in her attempt to be a New Mexico delegate at the1976 Republican National Convention.[8]
In the transition from theGerald Ford to theJimmy Carter Administration, Neff was succeeded as Treasurer byAzie Taylor Morton who was sworn in on September 12, 1977.[9][10]
Despite her parents moving toMexico where her father worked theoil fields, Neff was born inAlbuquerque, New Mexico, because her mother made a special trip back to ensure her birth in the United States. She grew up on a small vegetable farm outside ofMountainair, New Mexico.[4]
She studied atCottey College, inNevada, Missouri, where she was a member ofAlpha Delta Pi and graduated in 1946.[11] She then matriculated at theUniversity of New Mexico, double majoring in English and Music and earning herBachelor of Arts in 1948. It was at the university where she met Edward J. Neff, with the two marrying each other on their graduation day. Her husband was a founding partner of Neff & Co., an Albuquerque-basedaccounting firm.[2]
While Neff was Vice President of the Rio Grande Valley Bank in Albuquerque, she was named to the advisory board of Campaign America, apolitical action committee (PAC) established byBob Dole on February 26, 1978, to assist the campaigns of Republican candidates for federal, state and local offices.[12] She was featured in a 1978American Expresstelevision advertisement which was part of its "Do you know me?" campaign.[13][14]
Neff was a member of theHoratio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.[1] She was awarded an honorary doctorate fromNew Mexico State University in 2008.[11]
Neff died fromheart failure on February 9, 2010, inPena Blanca, New Mexico.[2][3]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Treasurer of the United States 1974–1977 | Succeeded by |
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