Spencer Hays

Spencer Hays (July 14, 1936 – March 1, 2017) was an American businessman and art collector. He was the majority owner and chairman of the executive committee of Southwestern family of companies. With his wife, he made the largest foreign donation to the Musée d'Orsay since its opening in 1986.

Early life Spencer Hays was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He grew up in Gainesville, Texas.

Hays played basketball in high school. He attended Texas Christian University on a basketball scholarship.

Career As a student at TCU, Hays started his career with Southwestern Advantage in 1956.

Hays was inducted into the hall of fame of the Direct Selling Association in 1983. By the 1980s, they began collecting French art, especially Les Nabis. Hays served on its board of directors. In 2016, the couple donated 187 paintings worth £155 million to the museum. After their death, their donation will come up to 600 paintings worth £315 million.

Personal life and death Hays met his wife, Marlene, at 14; they married when he was 19.