Toney Anaya

Toney Anaya
Anaya at a 2008 ribbon-cutting
26th Governor of New Mexico
In office January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1987
Lieutenant	Mike Runnels
Preceded by	Bruce King
Succeeded by	Garrey Carruthers
24th Attorney General of New Mexico
In office 1975–1978
Preceded by	David L. Norvell
Succeeded by	Jeff Bingaman
Personal details
Born	(1941-04-29) April 29, 1941 Moriarty, New Mexico
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Elaine Anaya
Alma mater	Georgetown University American University
Profession	Lawyer

Toney Anaya (born April 29, 1941) is a U.S. Democratic politician who served as the 26th Governor of New Mexico from 1983 to 1987.

Early life and career

Anaya was born in 1941 in Moriarty, New Mexico. He attended New Mexico Highlands University and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1963 from Georgetown University. In 1967, he received a law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University.

Political career

From 1975 to 1978, he served as New Mexico Attorney General. In 1978, he ran for United States Senate, but was defeated by incumbent Republican Pete Domenici . He served as the 26th Governor of New Mexico from 1983 to 1987.

As Governor, he focused on energy alternatives, water development and conservation, the environment, education, economic development, and provided leadership in investing of the state’s multi-billion dollar trust funds. Most notably, in 1986, after the election of his successor, Garrey Carruthers, Anaya commuted the death sentences of all five death row inmates in New Mexico ..

He served one term, from 1983 through 1987. At that time, the State Constitution did not allow executive officers to succeed themselves for consecutive terms. That changed when a 1986 Constitutional amendment allowed state executive officers to serve two consecutive four-year terms for terms beginning January 1, 1991.

Post-Governorship

Since leaving office, he has served on numerous boards, commissions, and with non-profit organizations primarily focusing on Hispanic issues, education, and politics. He contributed significantly to the Democratic National Committee and the North American Free Trade Agreement .

In 2009, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson appointed Anaya to head the New Mexico Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. Anaya is responsible for overseeing the spending of the $1.8 billion in federal stimulus money expected to be invested in New Mexico during the next two years. Governor Anaya has been working closely with state agencies to facilitate access to funding, assist with compliance, and promote transparency throughout the process.

From August, 2009 to January, 2011, Anaya served as Chief Executive Officer of Natural Blue Resources, a Woburn, Massachusetts-based penny stock company specializing in investments in environmentally-friendly companies including a New Mexico-based initiative to sell purified water. In July, 2014, Anaya entered into a civil settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to charges that he secretly allowed two business partners who were legally disqualified from serving as officers or directors of a publicly traded company to assume management roles at Natural Blue Resources. Under the terms of the settlement, Anaya agreed to a five-year ban from penny stock offerings and a cease-and-desist order without admitting or denying the charges.

References

Legal offices
Preceded by David L. Norvell	Attorney General of New Mexico 1975–1979	Succeeded by Jeff Bingaman
Political offices
Preceded by Bruce King	Governor of New Mexico 1983–1987	Succeeded by Garrey Carruthers