T. Kevin Flanery

Senior Vice President, Communication & National Public Affairs

A broad knowledge of public affairs issues and years of experience in government relations gives Kevin Flanery a unique perspective in his role as senior vice president of national public affairs for Churchill Downs Incorporated.  

In his position, Flanery oversees public affairs and legislative activities for the Company and its affiliated racetracks at the national, state and local level, as well as community relations and charitable giving for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its flagship track, Churchill Downs.

Flanery joined Churchill Downs in December 2005 as vice president of national public affairs and was promoted to senior vice president in March 2008.  He works hand-in-hand with the Company's racetrack presidents to manage public affairs initiatives in each market where Churchill Downs operates and was part of the team that managed Calder Race Course's successful campaign to add slot-machine gaming to its product offerings in January 2008.

During his career, Flanery held important state government posts.  He served as secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from January 2001 to December 2002 and as deputy secretary of the Cabinet between June and December of 2000. In that role Flanery served as the Commonwealth’s chief financial and procurement officer and led the Office of Finance Management, which controls the Commonwealth’s debt and investment portfolio. Flanery also had oversight of the Department of Facilities Management, which designs, builds, operates and maintains state facilities. Part of his statutory responsibilities included serving as chairman of the Consensus Forecasting Group, which determines revenues available for appropriation by the governor and legislature of Kentucky.

Flanery’s experience in state government extends to Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet where between October 1996 and May 2000 he served as deputy secretary and legislative liaison. In that post, Flanery managed all administrative functions for the Transportation Cabinet and served as its primary legislative strategist. An attorney, Flanery also served as the Transportation Cabinet’s executive director for the Office of General Counsel between February and September of 1996 where he served as chief administrative and legal officer.

Prior to joining the Churchill Downs team, Flanery served as president and chief operating officer of Hagan Properties.

Flanery holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Bellarmine College and a juris doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law.