Founder

Bud Flanagan

Admiral Flanagan’s military service includes duties in all theaters of operations, including the Vietnam conflict. Selected for flag rank in his 20th year of service, Admiral William J. “Bud” Flanagan rose quickly to four star rank and was among the youngest officers to achieve this rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. As a flag officer, his significant Washington assignments included responsibility for U.S. Navy shipbuilding budgets and duties as the Navy’s Chief of Legislative Affairs. Following completion of those assignments, he served as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and NATO’s Striking Fleet, where he trained and deployed Joint and Combined Forces for world-wide operations. His final assignment was as Commander In Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and NATO’s Commander-In-Chief, Western Atlantic, with geographic responsibilities for the Western Hemisphere. In these roles, he was responsible for an $11 billion operating budget, 200,000 people, 200 ships, 1350 aircraft and all attendant infrastructures. During this tour he was recognized for Fleet readiness, innovative restructuring of world wide infrastructure, and a series of initiatives to expand and improve the operating relationships among Western Hemisphere nations, particularly South America.

Upon retirement from the Navy in 1997 through January 2002, Admiral Flanagan served as a Senior Managing Director at Cantor Fitzgerald. The Admiral was involved directly in the development and design of emerging markets, particularly those brought about by government deregulation and privatization. He was engaged in the development of Cantor Fitzgerald opportunities in non-financial markets, including power, natural gas, oil and other traditional commodities. He provided strategic advice to a portfolio of U.S. and international technology firms, as well as to foreign clients, creating innovative business development opportunities and financial strategies and technology solutions.

In 2002, upon completion of the reconstitution of Cantor Fitzgerald in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, Admiral Flanagan formed a financial services company, Skarven Enterprises, Inc., Skarven Enterprises specialized in the development and application of analytical methodologies and the creation of technologies in support of risk assessment and decision making. In addition to directing the activities of Skarven Enterprises, Adm. Flanagan assumed responsibilities as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kestrel Enterprises, Inc. in 2007. Kestrel was purchased by Boeing in 2008, and is now part of Mission Systems, where Admiral Flanagan provides senior consulting services.

Admiral Flanagan is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, American University, and the Harvard Business School. He has served on the boards of public and privately held companies and not for profit organizations.