About Don Huffines
Comptroller Don Huffines serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the world’s eighth-largest economy. A fifth-generation Texan, husband, father, grandfather, and successful businessman, Huffines brings a private-sector mindset to government. Guided by his deep Texas roots, he has spent his life fighting to protect taxpayers and advance conservative values.
As Comptroller, Huffines collects, manages, and invests hundreds of billions of dollars in state funds every year. He writes the checks and keeps the books for the entire State of Texas and produces the revenue estimates that set the ceiling for the state budget. He also directs statewide programs including the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, the Texas Bullion Depository, and unclaimed property.
He has made rooting out waste, fraud, and inefficiency the defining priority of his tenure in public service, and his record of fighting for taxpayers has earned him the support of every major conservative and business organization in Texas.
As Comptroller, Huffines refused his state salary and all taxpayer-funded benefits on day one. He did the same as a State Senator, never taking a penny of government money, no pay, no pension, no healthcare, no per diem, nothing.
Huffines’ tenure in the Texas Senate is best remembered for his fearless fight against government corruption. He uncovered one of the largest government corruption scandals in modern Texas history involving a $100 million agency that was stealing millions in taxpayer funds. Despite $1.3 million in lobbyist pressure to stop his investigation, he persisted. His work led to six officials being sent to prison and the agency being shut down overnight, saving Texans tens of millions of dollars.
After leaving the Senate, Huffines founded the Huffines Liberty Foundation, a research institute advancing liberty, prosperity, and virtue in Texas. The Foundation produced policy research, held lawmakers accountable, and promoted conservative solutions for lowering property taxes, reducing regulations, and strengthening protections against government overreach.
As a businessman, Huffines has always followed a simple principle: see beyond the obvious and solve the real problem, not just the symptom. As he often says, his life is guided by three priorities: Jesus, family, and business.
Born and raised in Dallas, Huffines learned the value of hard work early, greasing cars for $2 an hour at his family’s business, Huffines Motor Company. After earning a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas, he co-founded Huffines Communities in 1985, which grew into one of the largest real estate development firms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For decades, he has built communities, created jobs, and helped thousands of Texans achieve the dream of homeownership. He built his business by running a lean operation, recruiting top talent, treating every customer with respect, and focusing on efficiency and results. He runs the Comptroller’s office the same way.
Huffines and his wife of 38 years, Mary Catherine, have five children, Colin, Devin, Terence, Deirdre, and Russell, and are proud grandparents twelve times over. Comptroller Huffines is deeply committed to preserving Texas heritage and passing on Christian values to the next generation.
“Together, we can make Texas
a lighthouse for Liberty”