Bardyl Tirana

Bardyl Rifat Tirana (December 16, 1937 – April 22, 2023) was an Albanian American lawyer and politician who served as the last Director of the Office of Civil Defense from 1977 to 1979.

Early life and family Bardyl Rifat Tirana was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on December 16, 1937, the son of prominent Albanian economist Rifat Tirana and American artist Rosamond English Walling. His family settled in the United States after the outbreak of World War II, where they moved to Washington, D.C.

Career

Public service During the Presidency of John F. Kennedy, Tirana began his legal career as a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, serving in the role from 1962 to 1964.

In 1977, Tirana was appointed by Defense Secretary Harold Brown to serve as the Director of the Office of Civil Defense. In his role, one of his primary recommendations led to the creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In the 1980s, Tirana founded the China Phillips Academy High School Program with the Harbin Institute of Technology.

Private practice Before and after his public service, Tirana was a partner at various law firms and later ran a law office in Washington, D.C. In the 1970s he was general counsel for Executive Jet Aviation, where he played a critical role in expediting the purchase and sale of jets from the Israeli government to Afghanistan.

In 1976, Tirana was the co-chairman of the Inauguration of Jimmy Carter, responsible for planning a 'public festival.' Tirana was regularly involved in issues related to Albania and Kosovo, and was an active leader and advocate within the National Albanian American Council.

Tirana also served as a director of the Rocky Mountain Institute from 1982 to 1995, where he advocated on energy sustainability, innovation and national security issues.

Death In 2023, Tirana died at age 85 in Nyack, New York.