The state agency that manages Olympia's Capitol Campus is operating without its top leader, and neither the agency nor Gov. Bob Ferguson's office will say why.

Matt Jones, director of the Department of Enterprise Services, has been out of the office since at least Thursday, July 9. That day, DES Chief Operations Officer Jo Aiken notified employees in a memo, writing that Jones was "out of the office for the near future" and that she would serve as interim director.

DES is headquartered in Olympia and oversees the cluster of state government buildings in downtown Olympia where thousands of workers report daily. The agency handles construction projects, parking, facilities maintenance, printing, and central purchasing for other state agencies.

It employs more than 900 people, runs a $280 million operating budget, and manages a $1.2 billion capital program.

No one in a position to explain has done so.

DES Communications Director Emilie Brown confirmed Jones had "taken leave" and said the agency does not know a return date. She added that there have been "no allegations or evidence of criminal wrongdoing." Governor's Communications Director Brionna Aho declined to comment in an email sent after 5 p.m. on July 13, saying only that the governor's office "is aware" and that DES would be the best source for details.

Neither Brown nor Aho answered questions about what role, if any, Ferguson played in the decision.

Jones is a member of Ferguson's executive cabinet. He began his state career at the Department of General Administration in 2006 and has been with DES since the agency was formed in 2011.

He led the Capitol Campus and Visitor Services Division for seven years before being named interim chief operations officer in October 2024. Ferguson named him acting director on Jan. 12, 2025, and formally appointed him to the post in July 2025.

His absence adds to a pattern of turnover in Ferguson's administration. Since the governor took office in January 2025, Legislative Director Joyce Bruce and her deputy Shawn Lewis resigned in March 2025. Chief Strategy Officer Mike Webb left shortly after amid allegations of fostering a hostile work environment.

Policy Director Sahar Fathi took extended leave in July 2025. More recently, Commerce Director Joe Nguyen left in January 2026, external relations director Jaime Martin quit in April 2026, and Tim Reynon resigned as executive director of the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs in June 2026.

Jo Aiken is running the agency. As of July 14, neither DES nor the governor's office has said for how long.