Robert F. Flynn, Executive Director
Robert Flynn is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services Cluster, a cooperative corporate venture designed to advance the industry throughout the State of Connecticut. His corporate sponsors in this endeavor include Bank of America, Cigna, Citizens Bank, ConnectiCare, Day, Berry & Howard, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Company/AIG, ING Group, IBM Global Business Services, Insurity / ChoicePoint, KPMG, Lincoln Financial, MetLife, MetroHartford Alliance, NewAlliance Bank, Northeast Utilities, People’s Bank, The Phoenix Companies, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Prudential Retirement, St. Paul Travelers, Sovereign Bank, State Farm, TD Banknorth, UBS Wealth Management, Uniprise / UnitedHealth Group, Wealth Management Advisors, Webster Bank, and XL Capital. Through this unique collaborative initiative, businesses partner with academic, workforce, and political leaders to address strategic challenges including workforce development and public policy.
Previously, Mr. Flynn served in strategic management positions with Aetna Financial Services and a financial services technology subsidiary of Mellon Financial. Mr. Flynn had also been a Manager with Deloitte Consulting, where he led teams in the financial services (Visa), insurance (American Nuclear Insurers), pharmaceutical (Eli Lilly), and technology (Halliburton) industries.
Mr. Flynn spent over 12 years as an intelligence officer at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was recognized for his management and leadership abilities. Mr. Flynn served as liaison between the CIA and U.S. Departments of State, Justice, FBI, Commerce, Secret Service, and the White House regarding national security issues. He conducted worldwide risk assessments of U.S. facilities and operations, providing advice and counsel regarding increased safety, security, and efficiency. Demonstrating proficiency with diplomatic affairs, Mr. Flynn was assigned as liaison to worldwide entities such as the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Upon the conclusion of the First Gulf War, he was assigned as Chief of Base, leading an international office that served as the collaborative focal point for United Nations inspections in Iraq. He also led various international operations and earned several commendations for his leadership on issues related to the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Flynn earned his Master of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, graduating with the Highest Honors distinction, Beta Gamma Sigma. The School of Business has recognized his leadership by inducting him into its prestigious Hall of Fame and naming him as Finance Alumni of the Year in 2004. Mr. Flynn earned a Master of Arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, completing a multidisciplinary curriculum of international business, economics, and law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
He is a contributing author to the Handbook of Business Strategy (2006, publication pending), Journal of Alternative Investments (2005), Measuring Business Excellence (2005), Proteus: Insights from 2020 (2000), and Handbook of Business Strategy (1998). Mr. Flynn serves on Advisory Boards with the business schools at both the University of Connecticut and Central Connecticut State University, and also serves on the advisory board of the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association. The Hartford Business Journal cited Mr. Flynn with its Forty Under Forty Award for the year 2000, based on his leadership in Hartford business and his contributions to the community