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Robert I. Cusick
Director of the Office of Government Ethics

Robert I. (Ric) Cusick was nominated by President Bush in February, 2006, to become the Director of the United States Office of Government Ethics and was confirmed by the Senate in that position on May 26, 2006. He will serve a five-year statutory term as Director of the office which has responsibility for ethics laws and policy in the executive branch of the Federal Government. The office has the authority to issue formal opinions in ethics matters, to review the ethics programs in all departments of the Federal Government, to assist federal agencies in achieving ethical compliance and to work with other nations in treaty matters affecting government corruption.

Mr. Cusick received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville in 1965 and his Juris Doctor degree from that University's Brandeis School of Law in 1968. He was the editor-in-chief of the law journal there. He began his legal career as a Navy JAG officer, working first in the headquarters office of the Judge Advocate General and later at sea as the Legal Officer of the attack aircraft carrier, USS AMERICA (CVA-66). He returned to Louisville, Kentucky, his home, in 1972, but remained affiliated with the Naval Reserve and retired as a Captain in 1998, after serving in Washington, Annapolis, and Iceland.

Mr. Cusick's legal career as a civilian was with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, a large multi-state firm, for over thirty-three years. He retired as a partner in the firm upon confirmation by the Senate. His practice was concentrated in ethics, mining litigation, and corporate criminal law and he became recognized for his work in both ethics law and underground mine explosions. He was Partner-in-Charge of Ethics Counseling for the law firm for many years and was prominent in both legal and public officer ethics in Kentucky. He was the chairman of the Jefferson County (Louisville) Ethics Commission and of bar association groups which drafted ethics regulations. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Kentucky Bar Association and the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Brandeis School of Law. He was a member of the Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors and the Kentucky Board of Bar Examiners.

Mr. Cusick is a member of the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.