After a career that has spanned several different venues, including a watchdog agency, education, finance, the Legislature and the executive, Fred Klass was appointed Department of General Services (DGS) director by Governor Jerry Brown on May 5, 2011. He retired in December 2014.

In all, he has spent more than 35 years in government. He has developed and administered budgets and policies for state programs in differing areas that included natural resources, environmental protection, energy, capital outlay, courts, higher education, local government, and information technology. Klass worked closely with four gubernatorial administrations, and oversaw the growing use of information technology until the creation of a state Chief Information Officer, and was the vice chair of the state’s Technology Services Board through its first four years, starting in 2005.

Klass earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Sacramento.

Klass worked for the Little Hoover Commission from 1977-1981, evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of state government programs. He joined the state Department of Finance in 1981 as a budget analyst and stayed until 1983 when he took a job as a consultant to the state Senate Budget Committee. Klass left the Legislature in 1984 when he was appointed California Community Colleges vice chancellor for governmental relations.         

He returned to the Department of Finance as program budget manager in 1988 and in 2007 was promoted to chief operating officer, responsible for coordinating the work of different units to ensure the department operated efficiently. He held that position until his appointment as head of DGS.

The Fair Oaks, California, resident’s political affiliation is “decline-to-state.”

DGS Biography (DGS website)

Governor Brown Announces Appointments (Governor’s press office)