susan hayes, director

Susan Hayes became an Associate Member of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society in 2020, continuing the connection with the DFCS begun by her late husband Capt. Jonathan A. Hayes who was awarded five DFCs as an F4-Phantom pilot during the Vietnam War. She has been a major supporter of the OTGA Debriefs, sharing the Society’s desire to capture the stories of our nation’s aviation heroes. She was recognized as an Honorary Member in 2023.

After graduation from college, Susan realized her desire to “see the world” by serving in the Peace Corps. Returning to the United States, she pursued a graduate degree in international business which led to a 27-year career in international and corporate banking. She was responsible for business development and lending with large corporate and middle market clients.

She left the banking world for a brief career in the fundraising world as a prospect researcher before retiring with Jonathan to live in her hometown.