Robert Hotaling

Rob Hotaling is the senior advisor and Federal Programs director at the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), where he previously served as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Investment Officer. At DECD, he has been instrumental in overseeing federal programs, community development, brownfield remediation, finance and administration, strategic planning, public-private partnerships, and economic modeling. His efforts have significantly contributed to Connecticut’s economic landscape and helped maximize the return on the state’s investments by ensuring that public spending catalyzes private activity.

Prior to joining DECD, Hotaling was Senior Managing Director, Enterprise Engineering, and head of Digital Delivery at Webster Bank. His background includes Founder & CEO at Verbi; Vice President of Cloud & Mobile at Kitchen Brains; Director of Mobile Solutions at Walker Digital; IT Solution and Mobile Application Architect and Managing Consultant at IBM Global Business Services; and Chief Technology Officer at Supply Insight.

Hotaling earned a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and a Master’s degree in community service from the University of Connecticut, and professional certifications in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Leadership & Strategy Implementation, from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and School of Engineering. His career spans significant roles in technology and finance, offering a rich blend of private-sector innovation and public-service acumen.