Robert Flider

Robert Frank Flider (born October 22, 1957) is an American politician and lobbyist from Illinois. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture under Governor Pat Quinn from 2012 until 2015. He served as Mayor of Mount Zion, Illinois from 1995 until 2003 and represented the 101st district in the Illinois House of Representatives, then-covering a section of Central Illinois including Decatur and all or parts of Macon, Moultrie and Shelby counties, from 2003 to 2008. While attending Matton High School, Flider met his future wife Jean.

Following his high school graduation, Flider attended the nearby Eastern Illinois University, where he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. From 1980 to 1983, Flider worked as a newspaper reporter for the Times Courier-Journal Gazette in the Charleston–Mattoon region.

During his two terms as mayor, Flider lowered water rates for most residents, obtained millions in state funding for infrastructure and recreation improvements, developed a community-wide planning initiative called "Mt. Zion 2000," and instituted a comprehensive plan which led to the construction of Goodwin Park, new "quality subdivisions," and new sidewalks, roads, and bike paths. He was succeeded as mayor by Donald R. Robinson.

Illinois House of Representatives On January 16, 2003, Democratic state representative Julie Curry resigned her seat to take a position in the administration of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Two days later, the Democratic Representative Committee for the 101st Representative District of Illinois appointed Flider to the vacancy created by the resignation. Flider was sworn into office the same day. The 101st district to which Flider was appointed was at that time was anchored by the City of Decatur and included all or parts of Macon, Moultrie, and Shelby counties in Central Illinois.

In 2004, Flider won election to the House in his own right, defeating radio personality and Republican nominee Scot England of Sullivan, Illinois by a margin of 53% to 46%. He was reelected by a slightly wider margin against Dick Cain in 2006 and ran unopposed in 2008.

During his tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives, Flider's committee assignments included Agriculture & Conservation, Elections & Campaign Reform, Elementary & Secondary Education, Environment & Energy, Ethanol Production Oversight, Veterans Affairs, Local Government, and Renewable Energy. He served as the Vice Chairman for the latter two committees. He also served as the chairman for two committees; Least Cost Power Procurement and Electric Generation & Commerce.

Flider was the primary sponsor behind numerous bills that became law. These included a law that extended penalties for driving under the influence to persons driving under the influence of methamphetamine, a law that insured members of the public were able to comment at meetings of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and a law that prevented gas and utility services from cutting off an individual’s service if the forecast was to be below freezing in an upcoming period.

In 2010, Flider lost re-election by 599 votes to Decatur City Council member Adam Brown. Two months after the end of his final term, Flider was employed by Partnership for a Connected Illinois as the Director for Broadband Impact.

Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture Flider at a Chicago round table with United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel on June 8, 2012On February 15th, 2012, Governor Pat Quinn named Flider as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture to succeed Thomas F. Jennings. Flider served as acting director until he was confirmed by the Illinois Senate in a 33–16 vote. Upon appointment, Flider set three goals for the department: achieve Governor Quinn's goal of doubling Illinois exports by 2014, maximize every opportunity to strengthen rural development in Illinois, and partner with the agriculture community in ongoing efforts to ensure Illinoisans' food is safe. During the 2010 election campaign, Flider had campaigned against an increase in the Illinois income tax that was supported by Governor Quinn. However during the January 2011 lame duck session, after losing reelection, Flider voted in favor of increasing the Illinois income tax rate from 3% to 5%. Flider denied any connection between his change in opinion on the income tax and his appointment over a year later, saying "the governor and I have never had a conversation relative to my vote for a tax increase, he never asked me to vote for a tax increase. I never told him I was going to vote for a tax increase, and he certainly never even brought it up during the discussion that we had about [the directorship of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.”

Flider left office in January 2015, following the election of Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and was succeeded by Phil Nelson. Shortly after his departure, Flider returned to working as a lobbyist.

Later career

Beginning on April 23, 2018, Flider served as the inaugural Director of Community and Government Relations for the Office of the Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

As of 2024, Flider served on the United Way of Illinois Board of Directors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Flider was said to be "instrumental" in helping Eastern Illinois University obtain SHEILD testing, a saliva-based COVID-19 test pioneered by the University of Illinois System. Thanks in part to this effort, Flider received an honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Eastern Illinois University in 2025.

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