He was the son of Robert L. Finch, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, and his wife, Gladys Hutchinson.

[1] After serving in the Marines briefly during World War II, Finch entered Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he graduated in 1947 with a bachelor's degree.

After the graduation from Occidental College in 1947,[2] went to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an administrative aide Congressman Norris Poulson, representative from California.

[4][5] He ran for the Congress unsuccessfully in 1952 and in 1954 against Democrat Cecil R. King,[6] who practiced law in Pasadena, and was the chairman of the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee, from 1956 to 1958.

In 1968, Finch was the senior adviser in Nixon's presidential campaign and was appointed Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

He left the White House on December 15, 1972,[3] to practice law in Pasadena, and he stayed involved in the Republican politics.

Following Nixon's election, Finch was given his choice in the new Cabinet, and he selected Secretary of HEW because of his long interest in health and education issues.