biographical statement

Robert J. Flick served the people of the 167th District, Chester and Delaware Counties as a Republican in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1983-2006. Mr. Flick was born on October 27, 1944 to Dr. Lawrence F. And Margaret McDevitt Flick in Bryn Mawr, PA. He was educated at Lower Merion High School; Villanova University, where he earned a BS in Economics in 1966; and the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Certificate of Real Estate in 1971. He also served in the United State Army Reserves 358th Civil Affairs Headquarters Company from 1966-1972.

Before serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Mr. Flick worked as an associate broker for Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors from 1971-1983. In November 1982, Mr. Flick was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, after realizing that “when you’re trying to make a living, trying to build a business, trying to grow, and you find that some people up in Harrisburg make decisions that impact on your ability to make a living, and they don’t ... necessarily understand the impact of that decision,” (Oral History Interview, page 8).

While serving at the House, Mr. Flick was a member of the Appropriations Committee from 1985-1994 (Subcommittee Chair on Health and Welfare from 1989-1990); the Business and Commerce Committee from 1991-1992 (Subcommittee Chair on Housing); the Business and Economic Development Committee from 1993-1994 (Subcommittee Chair on Financial Services and Banking); the Commerce and Economic Development Committee from 1995-2002; the Committee on Committees from 1995-2006; the Consumer Affairs Committee from 2004-2006 (Chairman); the Education Committee from 1997-2006; the Ethics Committee from 1997-2006; the Finance Committee from 1983-1984 and 2003-2004 (Chairman from 2003-2004); the Insurance Committee from 1989-1990; the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee from 1995-2000 (Chairman); the Labor Relations Committee from 1983-1988 and 2001-2003 (Chairman from 2001-2002; and the Liquor Control Committee from 2001-2002. He was the Chairman of the Select Committee to Investigate Job Training Programs in Pennsylvania pursuant to House Resolution 156 of 1995-1996; Chairman for the Workforce Development Subcommittee from 1997-1998; a Member of the Keystone Commission on Education for Employment in the 21st Century in 2001; Chairman of the Select Committee to Study the Financial Problems of the Philadelphia Gas Works pursuant to House Resolution 819 of 2003-2004; and Chairman of the Select Committee on Information Security pursuant to House Resolution 351 of 2005-2006. He also participated in New Member Orientation for the Bipartisan Management Committee from 1984-2006.

Mr. Flick was deeply involved with welfare reform, creating job training programs and creating the unified workforce investment act. As a result of his efforts, Act 20 of 1995 (eliminating “transitional needy” status) and Act 114 of 2001 (creating 39 job-training programs) were signed into law. His efforts were not popular with all, and his work with House Bill 2 of 1995 was labeled “Flickfare,” which mirrored the criticism Dick Thornburgh received with “Thornfare” during his terms or service as Governor. Mr. Flick was also interested in public education reforms, including Act 66 of 1996 which abolished terminal and travel sabbatical leaves for teachers in public schools and placed requirements on educational sabbaticals to enhance teaching skills.

Mr. Flick retired from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2006. Researchers interested in Mr. Flick or the issues with which he was involved should request access to his oral history interview which was conducted on April 18, 2007.

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