The Stimson community is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our co-founder and lifelong friend, Dr. Barry Blechman.
With over 50 years of distinguished service in government and in the private sector, Blechman dedicated his life to making the world a more peaceful and prosperous place for others. In addition to founding the Stimson Center and his private government consulting firm, DFI International, he worked in the Departments of State and Defense, at the Office of Management and Budget and was appointed by President Carter to help lead the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
There, he honed a lifelong commitment to reducing nuclear dangers — a commitment that would become his professional calling and is best summarized in his own words:
“[S]ixty plus years after a young boy hid under his desk waiting for the flash that would signal the coming end of the world, I’m still trying to eliminate the risk of nuclear war. We’ve made some progress, and I like to think that I and Stimson played important roles in what was accomplished. But, even though far fewer in number, the damned things still exist and that flash could occur at any second… destroying all that we love.”
“All I can say is that it is essential for all of us to keep trying,” said Blechman.
“Barry’s fierce, lifelong commitment to making the world a safer place was irrepressible. His depth of spirit and his professional drive were contagious, and his legacy of impact in the reduction of nuclear dangers lives on today,” said Brian Finlay, Stimson Center President and CEO. “The foreign policy and national security communities mourn the loss of one of our greatest minds today, but his legacy lives on in the work of the Stimson Center. We are indelibly shaped and inspired by Barry Blechman, and will champion his work toward a safer tomorrow.”
Blechman served as chairman of Stimson’s Board from 1989 to 2007 and returned to the Board in 2014. Dr. Blechman also founded DFI International Inc., a research consultancy, in 1984, and served as its CEO until the company’s sale in 2007.
Blechman held more than fifty years of distinguished service in national security in both the public and private sectors. At various times during his career, he was associated with the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Center for Naval Analyses, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In addition to the Stimson Center, he served on the board of Formtek, Inc., a software company based in Concord, California.
Blechman held a PhD in international relations from Georgetown University, taught at several universities, and wrote or edited more than 20 books and nearly 200 articles, op-eds, and blog posts on national security issues. His last book, “Military Coercion and US Foreign Policy,” co-authored with Melanie Sisson and James Siebens, was published by Routledge in May 2020.
Barry, as he is remembered by his friends and colleagues, will be forever missed.
To learn more about Barry Blechman’s background, read his “My Story” and “Reflections on a National Security Life”
Add your support: Contribute to the Barry Blechman Legacy Fund