Barry serves as vice president of the Rural Center. He joined the staff in 2007 and has led initiatives in rural entrepreneurship, small-business lending, workforce development, community engagement, leadership development, and disaster recovery. He also serves as a member of the Rural Center’s Loan Participation Program review committee and the Microenterprise Loan Program credit committee.
Barry studied business and economics at Winthrop University and is a graduate of the Center’s Rural Economic Development Institute. Before joining the Center, he spent a year on the road camping, hiking, and visiting natural treasures across the country. Outside the office, he enjoys pushing the limits of corny humor with his family, exploring the bounty of North Carolina’s locally grown foods & craft beverages, and running in the woods with his dog.