Chairman

As Chairman of Cassidy & Associates, Barry Rhoads leverages his decades of Washington experience to assist clients with appropriations and legislative programs while creating common sense solutions. A native of the farms of Western Pennsylvania, Barry arrived in Washington as an officer in the U.S. Army and tax prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1987, during his tenure as a federal prosecutor for the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, he was named the Department of Justice Tax Division Outstanding Attorney of the Year.

At Cassidy, Barry concentrates on guiding clients through the annual Congressional appropriations process. He works with a variety of clients including traditional defense contractors, small & mid-size companies, non-profit health entities, and universities. One specialty includes helping defense health clients build programs within the Department of Defense and pursue research & development appropriations.

Barry began his government relations career working with states and communities facing the daunting threat of military base closure or realignment. After returning from active duty as a war crimes investigator during the first Gulf War, Barry was named Deputy General Counsel to the 1991 Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission. During this time Barry worked on every aspect of the first round of base closures, with an emphasis on military value determinations, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Commission and its operating procedures.

In 2001, Barry founded the Rhoads Group which grew into a very successful firm. The Rhoads Group focused on defense and homeland security issues, working with public and private sector organizations, colleges and universities seeking to support the defense and security of the United States. In late 2010, Barry accepted a merger offer from Cassidy & Associates, ensuring the continuity of his work with Rhoads Group and greatly expanding the resources available to clients.

Barry retired from the United States Army Reserves with 22 years of Active and Reserve service, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and holds a BA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.