I first met Rob via email, and was instantly struck by his level of engagement and creative thinking. In preparing for our interview, I was also impressed to see he is a UConn “Triple Husky” – receiving three degrees from UConn, including a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Management (’98), a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources – Water Resources (’01), and a Master of Public Administration degree (’12). What follows is a transcript of our conversation that is lightly edited to ensure flow and accuracy.
BACKGROUND
You currently live in Farmington, CT, with your wife Kimberly and two children, Bretton and Kayleigh. What is your hometown?
I was born in Charleston, SC, but moved to Enfield, CT, when I was two. I consider Enfield my hometown.
Describe a favorite memory growing up?
Ski club. When I was in the 7th and 8th grades, I had a great time with friends and learning to ski. I played a lot of sports growing up, including football.
How did your childhood influence the way you want to raise your kids?
I was an only child with a single mom who worked a lot. So, I spent a lot of time on my own taking care of self. Mom was not available to do things like watch my sporting events. So, when I had kids, I decided I wanted to be there to watch them. This got me into running a flag football program that exploded from 50 kids to over 300 kids after a few years.
There aren’t too many people I know who are “Triple Huskies” (i.e., have three degrees from UConn). Does this give you any special privileges when you go back to visit campus?
(Laughter) I wish – I really don’t get back to Storrs very often. When I lived closer to campus I’d go back. That said, when I got my last degree (a Master of Public Administration), I went to the West Hartford campus. I developed a lot of great connections through that experience, a lot of high-quality people from my program, so I would go back to West Hartford to reconnect.
UConn obviously has influenced your life. Looking back, can you describe what it means to be a Triple Husky?
It is nice – UConn is a premier institution, and I’m proud of those experiences. You could say I bleed blue. It’s hard to explain, but it is a part of the fabric of everything I do. I never left the area, and not a day goes by when I’m not reminded about UConn.
SIGEP EXPERIENCE
How did you first get involved with SigEp?
I transferred into UConn my junior year after attending Plymouth State College in New Hampshire. I wanted to be a meteorologist, and Plymouth State offered that degree. But it was too expensive, so I tried UMass Lowell and changed majors, but it wasn’t a good fit. I finally landed at UConn my junior year and met Brother Nate Klebacha – who was a SigEp on my floor in McMahon South. Brother Steve Delisle’s sister was also on my floor. They both spoke very highly of SigEp, and convinced me to go to a few rush events. I never thought I would join a fraternity, but met some good guys, and it felt right for me.
Describe your experience as a SigEp while you were an undergrad in the 90s?
In the late 90’s when I was there, both UConn and SigEp were in transition. The University had launched the UConn 2000 program, with the goal of becoming a premier public university. There were lots of physical changes to the campus, and they also started admitting higher performing students. SigEp was also experiencing a big growth period after hitting a lull in the early to mid-90’s. The chapter experienced a big uptick in brothers, we started winning events like Greek Week, Homecoming, intramural football, etc., and got our swagger back. It was a great time to be a brother!
How has your view of Sig Ep changed over the years?
My personal view of SigEp has not changed – I still think fondly of my experience. What has changed with SigEp is the introduction of the Balanced Man Program, losing the Gilbert Road house, the loss of the charter, and the current resurgence.
What advice would you give a SigEp graduating from UConn in 2023?
Stay connected. It’s a different world after you graduate, so do everything you can to enjoy these bonds. I met some of my best friends in SigEp. Some of my brothers were in my wedding and some of them are my closest friends today.
CAREER
This might seem funny, but I was really excited to learn that you are certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners and are currently the Executive Director of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG). Ironically, I’m currently helping my Town of Canton, MA, hire a Town Planner. Let’s start with a little background for our audience.
I am amazed at all the different roles and responsibilities a town planner can have. Please describe what it means to you to be a certified planner?
To be certified is an acknowledgement of experience. It gives me the credentials that I need to be respected in my field. The great thing about being a planner is it requires a broad array skills on many different issues. It is an interesting field where you can create and influence policy, while also administering and enforcing it. It is amazing to see people who don’t understand how government works. Everyone should take a civics class on how government works, and how to use your voice to make a difference.
On paper, your career path has a clear and distinct arc, from planning coordinator to town planner, to director of planning and community development to your current role as Executive Director of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments. Was there a lightbulb moment when you realized “Yup, I am going to be a professional planner?”
For me it was a personal journey, and more of something I fell into. With my BS and MS in Environmental Resources, most of the jobs were either working as a consultant, in academia, or for a nonprofit. I needed to make some money, so I tried an environmental consulting job. But they had me running all around New England working crazy hours, and I did not fully agree with how the practice was run. So, one day my mother-in-law found a job posting in the newspaper working as a planning coordinator for the Town of Windsor Locks on zoning and wetlands issues. I got the job and things took off from there.
LEADERSHIP
The header of your resume reads: A proven community leader possessing strong ethical standards, professionalism, and integrity. How do you define leadership?
It depends on the context. For example, If I am in my work setting, I want to empower others and make them accountable. In a community setting , I want to lead conversations and facilitate thinking that leads to positive actions. This requires remaining neutral and being a good listener able to hear all viewpoints. If I do this well, then I get respect from the people, and when you get respect from people you can be a more effective leader.
Can you give me an example that demonstrates your success as a leader?
There was an age restricted housing development effort in the early 2000s to allow for exclusive active adult only living which was an allowable exception to federal housing anti-discrimination laws. Then, when the housing market crashed between 2007-2010, people stopped buying these types of units. So, there were a lot of people who were stuck living in these unfinished developments. I worked on a solution to lead the transition to remove the age restriction but keep these developments as age-targeted instead. This required getting developers, homeowners, and land use officials and commissions on board. This worked out so well that the I was interviewed by the New York Times as part of a feature story on the topic, which reported this as a model of success. We got everyone on same page to find a common solution – felt like a big win.
Was there anything from your undergrad SigEp experience that helped you become the successful leader you are today?
Yes – I learned the ability to listen and facilitate working with different types of people of differing backgrounds. Like in sports, I got to meet a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds with a lot of different points of view. Being in the Fraternity allowed me to get a good idea of where people are coming from. This expanded my ability to understand different perspectives, identify common issues, and reach common goals. Doing this type of teambuilding was fun, and it provided me with a worldly experience at a much deeper level than other students normally get in college.
LIFE
OK – shifting gears, you clearly have a life outside of work. Tell me more about the Farmington Valley Mudhogs Youth Flag Football Program?
I grew up playing football – I was always a big fan of the game. As I mentioned, my mom couldn’t watch me play sports, and I wanted to do that for my kids. So, when I saw a lawn sign looking for volunteers to coach flag football teams, I called the number and got involved. The program started with 50 kids and within 5 years we had 320 kids plus 50 coaches. It was very time consuming, but very rewarding. It was a big investment in my community, but totally paid off with how many connections I made. Kids I coached see me today and still say “Hi!”
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Porsches – the 911 and the 928, in particular. Who didn’t cringe watching the scene in the movie Risky Business with Tom Cruise where his dad’s beautiful gold 928 just rolls into Lake Michigan with the keys locked inside? On your LinkedIn account you subscribe to the Porsche Cars North America? What’s the story here?
(Laugh). I drove two Jeep Wranglers for 20 years. When I got new job, and my second Jeep was ready for retirement I started looking at the Porsche Macan (SUV). I started watching the pricing, finally found the perfect one – a 2017 model GTS. It is the best vehicle I have every driven – phenomenal!
You are a self-proclaimed weather geek. Tell us about the SKYWARN Weather Spotter program?
Anybody can do this – you just post severe weather reports. You need to be trained, but I always liked the weather, so it wasn’t anything new to me.
I also understand you are an ESPN fan. Hard not to be growing up in CT during the Husky Hoops mania craze. Tell me about that?
Well, the truth is my wife has worked for ESPN for the past 20 years, that is why I follow them on LinkedIn.
Finally, in 2023, the SPEAConn kicked off a new series called SigEp for Life. The program has four components: (1) profile alumni who continue serving SigEp well after graduation, (2) illustrates the many ways brothers can stay involved with the Fraternity, (3) share stories of how SigEp continues to enrich the lives of brothers after college, and (4) inspire our undergraduate brothers to find their purpose.
Since graduation, how has SigEp continued to influence your life?
I always thought it would be nice to be part of the [Alumni and Volunteer Corporation], but I need to be careful not to over-commit. I am interested in reading about the Fraternity and staying in the know. And yes, I would be willing to be contacted for future engagement. I have enjoyed being a mentor for graduates of UConn’s MPA program.
“PICK ONE” SPEED ROUND
To wrap up our interview and have some fun, I took Rob through a rapid-fire speed round of questions and possible responses. Highlighted below in yellow are Rob’s responses.
Favorite Season – winter, spring, summer, or fall
Best Choice to Break a Tie – rocks, paper, or scissors
Most listened to music genre – jazz, rock & roll, country, hip hop
Power animal – bear, eagle, dolphin, or tiger
Most frequently used phone app – music, camera, GPS, or text
Most productive time of day – morning, afternoon, evening, or night
Best exercise – running, swimming, biking, lifting
Best entertainment – movie, comedy show, concert, or athletic event