Barry Dugan – District 1
Vice-Chairman

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Years of private sector accounting management give Barry J. Dugan the wherewithal to tackle all that comes before the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, which as a rule, are a myriad of departmental and division budgetary items. This second-term freeholder spent 22 years at Western Electric (now, Lucent Technologies) and 14 years at AT&T corporate headquarters (retired since 1989), where he administered an annual budget in excess of $1 billion and handled the financial portion of the anti-trust cases, AT&T vs. DOJ, AT&T vs. MCI, and AT&T vs. ITT.

Currently, Dugan is retired and was previously employed by the City of Bayonne as Director of Public Works, Parks & Recreation, and previously, as an Enrolled Agent at H&R Block, Tax Preparation, with licensure to represent clients before the IRS. Freeholder Dugan was educated at Saint Peter’s College, earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration, Accounting. Prior to attending college he served in the United States Marine Corps, from 1955-58. Dugan was an honor graduate of Parris Island, South Carolina and was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal.

After serving as Chairman Pro Tempore in 2001 and 2002, Barry was elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2003. He also currently serves as Chairman of the Personnel Committee, Chairman of the Senior Citizens and Veterans Committee, and as a Member on the following committees: County Government Oversight and Policy Review; Ethics; Finance, Budget and Administration; Public Resources; Public Safety and Department of Corrections; Purchasing; and Transportation.

Barry Dugan displays a keen sense of community spirit and activism, as evidenced by the numerous memberships in which he has belonged, including: Marine Corps League, Bayonne Detachment (Commandant, 1996-98, Senior Vice Commandant, 1995-96, Junior Vice Commandant, 1994-95, Life member); Ireland’s 32 Club (President, 1998-99; Vice President, 1990-92, 1997); Korean War Veterans Association of Hudson County (Treasurer & Trustee, 1994-2003); County Donegal Association (Vice President, 1990-2001); Irish American League (President, 1982, 1983, 1988); Bayonne City Democratic Committee (Treasurer, 1998-99); Bayonne Memorial Day Parade Committee (Vice Chairman, 1996-97); St. Henry’s Church (Parish Council, 2 terms, member since 1963); Bayonne St. Patrick’s Day Committee (Charter member; Grand Marshal, 1989; Vice Chairman for 2 terms; Aide to Grand Marshal, 1983, 1992; Cultural Chairman, 1982-2002); Bayonne Council – Boy Scouts of America (Executive Board, 2 terms; leader, St. Henry’s Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, 1972-82); and AT&T Telephone Pioneers of America – New Jersey Life Member. For his involvement in veterans’ affairs, Barry received the distinguished Legion of Honor Award of The Chapel of Four Chaplains in 2002. Freeholder Dugan’s biography was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges & Universities in 1964. His hobbies include Irish dancing, sailing, politics, community activism, history, travel, stamp and coin collecting, and collecting Royal Doulton character jugs and Belleek china.

Barry has been married to the former Fran Higgins for the past 40 years. Their union produced four children, Sean Patrick, Barry John, Tara Lyn, and Erin Patricia McCarry, and six grandchildren, Kelsey Alana, Sean Patrick, Heather Logan, Liam Patrick, Alana Dugan and Quinn Patricia McCarry. Barry’s parents were born in County Mayo and County Donegal, and settled in Bayonne with four children of their own.