Barry has been in the industry for over 18 years. First working for Elders and then moved to Rural Livestock. Barry started off as a sheep and beef agent, then went into dairy as an agent of Rural Livestock.

Barry was born and bred in Southland then moved to Waimate as a 12-year-old. Having left school at 15 years old Barry went shearing for 20 years, along the way leasing farms and buying a small block just outside of Waimate. For 18 months Barry worked in Wanaka leasing Matukituki Station where he eventually bought a farm in Ngapara, Oamaru in 2000. 18 months later Barry put irrigation on it, fattened about 30,000 lambs a year and then decided to convert to dairy. Barry now has two dairy farms, one with 750 cows and one with 450 cows, and a runoff at Five Forks.

Barry and Richard Ewing did a lot of boat sheep in the 1990s, so they were buying merino lambs before starting with Canterbury Meatpackers. The paperwork got a bit much so was approached by Elders to be a commission agent for them.

Richard Ewing was a big inspiration with his work ethic and different ways of how to make money. Barry is motivated to make sure he can set his family up as best as he can. He lives by the motto "if you're on time, you're late" ensuring to make sure he is respectful of everybody and living life for today, because you don't know what tomorrow will bring.

His interests outside of work include rugby union, golf, and bowls.