"My background in business and government has prepared me to be an effective representative in Congress. I believe voters deserve a less partisan and more fiscally conservative and accountable representative in Congress than they would get from Doris Matsui," Flynn said in a release.
"My three priorities will be fighting terrorism, Social Security reform and protecting our borders," said Flynn. "I support President Bush's war on terrorism and the President's efforts to reform Social Security. And, we simply must see the federal government finally gets serious about securing our borders to stop uncontrolled illegal immigration. Additionally, I will support Governor Schwarzenegger's commitment to fair and nonpartisan redistricting efforts in California; and I will use my familiarity with state and federal funding procedures and information technology systems with a goal to make Sacramento the healthiest and safest capital city in America," Flynn said.
"I intend to use my experience in government and business to represent the needs of every community in our great city. Elected officials should be determined to work together to solve problems, not just seek public office to fight one another. Governor Schwarzenegger has shown that working together constructively is best. I look forward to a spirited and positive campaign on the issues," concluded Flynn.
Flynn served three years as the State of California's first chief information officer having been appointed by Governor Pete Wilson in 1995 to oversee the state's $2 billion annual investment in information technology and telecommunications. Flynn directed the Department of Information Technology (IT), a cabinet-level agency reporting directly to the Governor. He also became California's Year 2000 czar, responsible for coordinating the state's remediation of its 3,000 computer systems.
In October 1997, Flynn was elected President of the National Association of State information Resource Executives that represents CIOs from the 50 states, six U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. State members are senior officials from any of the three branches of state government who have statewide, executive-level responsibility for information resource management. The mission of the association is to be the leading forum for addressing the opportunities, implications, and challenges of improving the business of government through the application of IT.
Prior to coming to California, Flynn was selected by Governor Weld to be the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' first CIO in July 1994. He was responsible for the state's primary data center and network operations, systems development, and most critically, its information technology and telecommunications strategic planning for the Commonwealth's IT investment.
Former California Governor Ronald Reagan appointed Mr. Flynn to be executive director of the Federal Regional Council, a White House intergovernmental coordinating organization, in 1982; and during President Reagan's second term he was appointed New England Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). He continued this role in the Bush Administration through 1989, responsible for overseeing all programs and policies of the DOL including job training, workplace safety, and labor statistics.
Flynn is the Vice-President of Advisory Services at the Center for Digital Government. He was a member of the Board of Advisors of the Fisher Center for Management and Information Technology, Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He was appointed in 1999 and continues to serve on the Board of Advisors of California State University, Sacramento's College of Engineering and Computer Science. He has also served on the board of directors of several start-up technology firms in northern California.
He was also on the board of directors of the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, and has been a volunteer reader for the Sacramento Society for the Blind. He is married and has two children.
He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Boston College; studied economics and international relations at the University of Vienna, Austria; and has an MBA from The American University in Washington, D.C.
