Charles Richard Gay (September 14, 1875 – March 23, 1946) was an American banker who served as president of the New York Stock Exchange.

[2] His younger brother was Robert Malcolm Gay, a prominent English professor.

After "engaging in the fire insurance, banking and wholesale coal businesses," he purchased his seat and became a member of the New York Stock Exchange in 1911, four years later forming the firm of Gay & Goepel.

[5] In 1935, when he was senior partner at Whitehouse & Co. (with offices on the 20th floor of 1 Wall Street), he was elected president of the Exchange, succeeding Richard Whitney.

[8][9][10] After his tenure as president of the Exchange, he became the head of Winthrop, Whitehouse & Co., a longtime securities firm established in 1828.