Mr. Robert J. Finan II was a founding member of the U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund in May 2011 and served as its first Vice Chairman until he stepped down in June 2019. He continues to serve as an advisor to the Board as Director Emeritus.
Originally from Long Island, NY, Mr. Finan attended LaSalle Military Academy followed by Georgetown University. Upon graduation, he was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army and served at Ft. Gordon, GA; Ft. Dix, NJ; and Ft. Benning, GA; before deploying to Vietnam where he commanded a combat unit in the 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate.) He later served as a unit commander, 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne.) His awards include two Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals, and several other personal and unit citations.
Mr. Finan spent forty years as a career Federal law enforcement officer that began with his appointment as a U.S. Secret Service (USSS) special agent in 1973. He was assigned to eight offices/divisions over twenty-one years, retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent. In the USSS, Mr. Finan served on/supervised protection details for hundreds of high-ranking U.S. officials including six Presidents and many foreign dignitaries. He conducted criminal investigations in the New York City and Washington field offices and the Organized Crime Strike Force, Brooklyn, NY. He was a headquarters supervisor and served as a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Senate.
After his USSS retirement, Mr. Finan was appointed Assistant Director, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Washington, DC, during the restructuring ordered by the Secretary of Navy. He received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award for his role in restructuring NCIS.
In 1996, Mr. Finan was promoted to the Senior Executive Service and transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service as an Assistant Director where he directed the Executive Services, Investigations, Witness Security, and Judicial Security divisions. In 2019 he was promoted to Associate Director of Operations, where he directed all HQ operational divisions and domestic and foreign field offices conducting fugitive apprehensions, sex offender investigations, court and judicial security, witness protection, prisoner detention and transportation, technical operations, protective intelligence, and multi-agency task force operations. In 2007, he received the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award.
During assignments in three Federal law enforcement agencies, he held supervisory and executive positions, supervising large work forces, and executing multi-million-dollar budgets. He directed investigations, protective intelligence, and security for national events. He designed, staffed, and managed specialized programs and supervised units ranging from small, highly trained special teams to large elements at the division and directorate levels.
Mr. Finan serves on several corporate and advisory boards. He consults for international and national organizations, and law enforcement agencies. He also devotes volunteer time to several social, civic, and fraternal organizations.