McCoy, Peter: Files, 1981

First Lady, Office of the

Staff Director

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Scope and Content Note

The Peter McCoy files consist of McCoy's correspondence and memoranda created during his tenure as Deputy Assistant to the President and Staff Director for the First Lady in 1981. The materials reflect McCoy’s duties involving general matters involving the East Wing and requests for Mrs. Reagan.

Topics are varied and include White House Christmas events, White House social events, White House tours, the White House Preservation Fund and the White House restoration project. McCoy also handled inquiries for Mrs. Reagan, such as invitations for personal appearances and questions about her spending and First Lady Office staffing requests.

Biography

Peter J. McCoy was born and bred in Beverly Hills, California. He is the son of novelist and screenwriter Horace McCoy,

McCoy skipped college to join the William Morris talent and advertising agency. He started out in the mailroom and, within seven years was an agent in the theatrical and television department. McCoy left William Morris to become an independent management consultant. In 1972, McCoy was hired to head up the then small Sotheby’s fine art and collectibles auction house in Beverly Hills. During his time there, McCoy built up the office from a few employees to 75, handling a multi-million dollar operation, while also acting as the Sotheby’s auctioneer.

McCoy was and is a part of the high-end Beverly Hills life. He knew the Reagans, not through politics, but through the social group surrounding the Reagans, many members of the “kitchen cabinet.” McCoy is married to Kacey Doheny McCoy. Kacey McCoy is the granddaughter of Edward Doheny. This early “oil man” was one of the “founding” members of wealthy businessmen who helped Los Angeles grow in the early part of the 20th century.

After a meeting with his old friend Michael Deaver in 1975, McCoy began working with the Reagans in the 1976 Reagan presidential campaign. He was in charge of assigned seating arrangements and logistics at the 1976 Republican Convention. He did the same job at the 1980 Republican Convention. After the convention, he joined the campaign as Nancy Reagan’s chief aide and traveling companion.

After building a trusted relationship with Mrs. Reagan, she asked him to lead her staff at the White House and McCoy agreed. He and his wife moved to Washington, DC where he was named Deputy Assistant to the President and Staff Director to the First Lady. McCoy was then tapped to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism (a new position) in late 1981. He left this position in 1984 and was succeeded by another peripheral member of the “Kitchen Cabinet,” Donna Tuttle.

In the late 1980s, McCoy founded Peter McCoy Construction (also known as McCoy Construction), specializing in high end, architecturally complex designs in and around Southern California.

Mr. McCoy is the recipient of the American Institute of Architects Merit Award and serves on the boards of Marlborough School and The Good Samaritan Hospital. He has lectured on art at auctions around the country, including participating as a faculty member in the Practicing Law Institute series ``Workshops on the Arts.''

McCoy and his wife, Kacey, have two grown children.

Record Type

Textual

Last Modified Date

2026-09-09

WHORM Alpha File

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McCoy, Peter: Files, 1981

First Lady, Office of the

Staff Director

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