Paul Francis is an American business executive and politician who served as the Director of State Operations for the State of New York. In that position he oversaw the state's eight major departments, along with the other offices and divisions of the Government of New York. He is originally from Westchester County, New York.

Francis was nominated by Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer to replace Olivia Golden in 2008. He had previously served as State Budget Director.

He continued to serve as director of state operations under Gov. David Paterson, who succeeded Spitzer on March 17, 2008. Francis left this position in July 2008.

During Spitzer's 2006 gubernatorial campaign, Francis worked as policy director. Francis and Spitzer met volunteering for the congressional campaign of Edward Meyer, a former Westchester assemblyman who switched his registration from Republican to Democrat in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

Francis graduated from Yale College and New York University School of Law in 1980 and worked for Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom alongside Silda Wall Spitzer, Eliot Spitzer's wife. He worked in the private sector, with years as the chief financial officer for retailer Ann Taylor, and then for Priceline.com. He founded venture capital firm Cedar Street Group.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]