Prior to joining Continental, Hayes served as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), where he advised on a portfolio spanning financial services, trade, and tax. He supported the Senator’s work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, advancing parochial projects in Mississippi, and on her Chairmanship of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade, where he helped shape legislative priorities in the digital asset space.

In tax policy, Hayes worked through the reconciliation process to advance the Safeguarding American Workers’ Benefits Act, a measure he drafted to address abuses in the tax code. The legislation was ultimately included into the comprehensive One Big Beautiful Bill Act and signed into law.

A Mississippi native, Hayes holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Mississippi. He also earned the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification from FINRA and the Series 3 certification from the National Futures Association. Hayes is an active member of the Mississippi Society and resides on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.