Bob Dutton joined The CDI Group in 2003 as a Partner after a long and distinguished career in the United States Air Force followed by a number of national and international business ventures. Bob has nearly thirty-five years in management, training and hands-on participation in all facets of military and civilian operations and planning from start-ups to worldwide operational networks.

Bob began his career in the United States Air Force in 1959 as an Officer and strike pilot with two tours in Vietnam/Thailand. During the course of his career, Bob attained the rank of Colonel, serving over eight years (1971 - 1974 and 1978 - 1983) in the Pentagon, Headquarters Air Force, Plans and Policy working Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Security Counsel issues. He was the Headquarters USAF focal point for both counter and anti terrorism. For one of the eight years, Bob was put, “on loan" to a Special Joint Task Force as a senior planner to help design and execute the attempted hostage rescue in Iran. He later was designated the Director of Joint Operations (J-3) of the follow-on task force which prepared for a second rescue attempt, if it had become necessary. In this position he dealt directly with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the four Service Chiefs. During his final year in the Pentagon Bob was directly responsible for the establishment of a new command (23rd Air Force) under Air Material Command which had responsibility for all special operations and rescue for the USAF and in 1983 was made the first Director of Operations of this new command. This entity is now the Air Component of the newly formed Joint Special Operations Command. Bob retired from the Air Force 1986, after 27 years of distinguished service to our country.

Upon retirement Bob joined Stanford Technology Trading Group International. While at Stanford, Bob created and managed international trade/brokerage accounts for aviation (Saudi Arabia and Korea), produce (Chile and Costa Rica) and oil (Saudi Arabia and Vietnam).

Bob left Stanford, in June 1992 to become Acting President of NetWorldOne Corporation where he established and directed a multi-national pharmaceutical trade project with the Newly Independent States (NIS), the former USSR. Bob worked directly with Soviet counterparts, the U.S. State Department and a U.S. partner to establish a network of U.S. suppliers supporting NIS drugstores thereby improving their government’s capability to provide generic, high quality products to the Russian people. In 1996, when the networks were secured, Bob turned the project over for long-term management to his company’s U.S. partner.

In 1996, Bob was recruited by Systems of Excellence to be the General Manager in support of an SEC investigation of alleged stock fraud and financial dismemberment by the company’s former Chairman and CEO. In this role, Bob provided the sole contact and support for over 200 damaged stockholders and assisted in providing documentary and testimonial support to a successful Federal investigation which culminated in 1997.

From late 1997 until late 1998 when the company was sold, Bob was Director of Operations, Washington Office for CyberMedia Corporation where he became heavily involved in sophisticated software, local area networks, telephony, internet services and network service centers. CyberMedia Corporation dealt directly with Federal and commercial clients providing sophisticated software applications for the management and support of their local area networks (LAN's).

In late 1998, Bob helped start Net One Corporation as Vice President, Business Development. Here he led the effort to bring full Internet services out of the metropolitan markets and into rural and suburban areas via small, independent telephone companies allowing them to improve local Internet services to their current customer base. This project ended in late 2000, whereupon Bob became Director of Technical Operations for International Network Integration, Inc. In that capacity, Bob coordinated activities of engineering teams operating in such locals as The Library of Congress and the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) upgrading their IT networks. In 2001, Bob was recruited by Network Resources International to become their Director of Operations, responsible for the general management of their Service Operations Center.

In 2003, Bob became a Partner with Corporate Development International. In this role, Bob is heavily involved in the day-to-day management of client engagements on both the Sell Side and the Buy Side. He is also a key leader in CDI’s International Engagements and Government Contractor Engagements. Bob is a Senior Business Analyst and as such is involved in the firm’s USPAP Compliant Appraisals and Valuations practice area. Bob also manages many of the firm’s website marketing programs for our Selling Clients and website search programs for our Buying Clients. In 2006, having become a licensed real estate sales person, Bob founded and currently heads the highly successful Business Intermediary / Commercial Realtor Strategic Partnership practice area.

Bob Dutton holds a BA in Economics from DePauw University, and a MA Management from Central Michigan University.