For more than 11 years, Kent had been directly involved in the daily investment operations of the department’s $5 billion Treasurer’s Pooled Investment Fund. He has overseen the fund while it grew dramatically due to the County’s growth in the last decade. During his tenure, the Pool increased from $1.1 billion in 1997 to a record $6.5 billion in April 2008, producing in excess of $1.1 billion in interest earnings for its depositors during that time. Through difficult and challenging economic cycles resulting in periods of financial market distress, he has developed the investment-management experience that is crucial in managing the Pool. He also understands that preserving capital is the single highest priority in investing taxpayers’ money.

Over the last few years, Kent has led a team effort to better serve taxpayers on multiple fronts, including new and improved automated systems, such as interactive voice response (IVR) and interactive web response (IWR) systems, which improved payment capabilities and options. Additionally, he has worked to increase efficiency in back-office operations resulting in quicker processing times. Currently, he is partnering with the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Auditor-Controller in a multi-year effort to develop a new integrated property tax management system to replace its nearly forty year old system.

Before joining the County, Kent worked in the financial services industry as a licensed investment executive with a major national brokerage firm. He served the investment needs of individuals and businesses, providing for growth and income, retirement, college and stock-option financing plans. Kent’s employment in the private-sector reinforced the importance of serving customers’ needs.

He currently serves as a member of the County of Riverside Investment Oversight Committee, member of the County of Riverside Pension Advisory Review Committee, past member of the County of Riverside Pension Reform Advisory Committee, member of the County of Riverside Debt Advisory Committee, member of the County of Riverside Deferred Compensation Committee and is Vice President of the Riverside County Schools Financing Corporation. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Trustees of CalTrust - Investment Trust of California, is a member of the California Association of County Treasurers & Tax Collectors, a statewide organization established to help its members improve public service as well as the 2012-2013 Chairman of the Riverside County Employee Campaign.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office is composed of approximately 105 employees in four office locations, produces more than one million secured, unsecured and supplemental tax bills while collecting and depositing over $3 billion in property taxes annually.

Kent earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance from California State University, San Bernardino. A lifelong resident of the County, he lives in Riverside and has been married for 18 years. He and his wife have two children.