Bernie Cassidy has been involved in the automotive industry for more than 40 years. An avid racing enthusiast and photographer, Cassidy has been capturing on film the likes of Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti, Al Unser Sr. & Jr. and Dale Earnhart to name a few. Some acknowledgements of his work have been published in the Cruise America, Inc. Annual Report and America West In Flight Magazine. Currently his time is focused on NASCAR events, however, he also enjoys any NHRA or IRL venue, and any other form of motor racing, time permitting. What he enjoys most is the family themed environment that NASCAR is all about. Introducing new non-race fans to the sport is one of his most enjoyable times. It’s not all about the cars going around and around, and first-timers soon realize the synergy of the entire event.
Cassidy has successfully operated several used auto businesses from 1986 to present, beginning with Fairway Motors in Tempe which moved to Phoenix in 1990. A two year opportunity at ownership of Courtesy Honda in Bullhead City, Arizona, put dual ownership to a test. Cassidy opted out of running both agencies and founded Budget Value Center in 1991 in Bullhead City. After five years of commuting from Scottsdale; the facility was sold.
Moving back to Scottsdale full time, Cassidy focused more on his Christian faith and ability to raise funds through car donations for charities. Cassidy operates Arizona Charity Auto Auction in Phoenix, Arizona. Cassidy realized early in his career the importance of real estate, both commercial and residential. He has been a licensed Realtor since 1979, an active member of the Phoenix Association of Realtors and an agent with Home Smart Real Estate in Phoenix.
The auction industry has enabled Cassidy the opportunity to time manage some rewarding medical missions. A very special one was a mission to Trinidad, Bolivia in South America. Within a short period of time through a network of Medial Professionals, a team was formed for the mission. Director of Medical Operations was Dr. James Magary and Director of Non-Medical Operations was Cassidy. Share Outreach Service formed Share the Dream-Bolivia and accepted over $2 million dollars in medical equipment to ship to Bolivia. Dr. James Magary’s friendship with Dale Jarret spawned a gift of the shipping costs by UPS, Dale Jarett’s sponsor at the time, of these donated medical items. Approximate weight was 86,000 pounds! Gerald Yamashita, Share Outreach, CPA, was able to coordinate the local ground shipping and storage free of charge through his relationship with Jerry Moyes, CEO, Swift Transportation. Upon arrival in Bolivia, the government provided troops with trucking and an Air Force transport plane to deliver our medical supplies to Trinidad, the final destination. The team consisted of 20 medical members and 22 non-medical members. The mission lasted 14 days. This mission destination has been repeated twice to the joy of many people in need of healthcare and the many children in need of quality attention at several orphanages located throughout Trinidad, Bolivia.
Share the Dream-Mexico; a Mexican Non-Profit founded by Cassidy, is currently involved with the import of approximately $1.3 million dollars of medical surgical supplies to the Secretary of Health, of Baja Norte California, Mexico, to be distributed to those medical facilities with the required equipment needs. Share the Dream-Mexico was the first non-profit agency to import donated items from the United States through the new legislation passed by the Government of President Felipe Calderon. This new legislation will allow donated items to pass through customs more efficiently and in a timely manner. The first shipment was of wheelchairs which passed a few months ago; accepted in Tijuana by the spouse and Governor of Baja California, Jose Guadalupe Osuan Millan. Cassidy will continue sponsoring support programs for Share the Dream-Mexico which will provide medical equipment aid to hospitals south of the border and the basic needs of orphans and children with acute illnesses.
And as Chairman of Share Outreach Services, Cassidy will manage the administrative and fundraising efforts for the construction of the LADY VETS transitional care facility to be located in Peoria, Arizona for returning female Armed Forces soldiers.
Bernard Cassidy is married, enjoys his two daughters and attends Scottsdale Bible Church.
M.O. Med. LICAC ABCADAC
Last Man Standing
Between the lines of a resume hides a life history: I was born in Chicago, Ill., where I lived until the age of six, when I was taken away from my family and placed in an orphanage in Des Plaines, Ill. Maryville was a Catholic orphanage and lived up to the stereotype that orphanages had in the early 1950’s. Yet, when my grandparents came for me at age nine, I left Maryville with the benefits of a good elementary education and understanding and regard for discipline, and a love of sports.
After high school, I embarked in a military career that would ultimately span 20 years. I had always known I wanted to be a soldier: I had cut my teeth of patriotism on the comic book, “Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos”, and a military career embodied my credo of service, duty, honor, and country.
I left the U.S. Army, with a medical diagnosis and 70% disability and the Congress-approved rank of Senior Sgt. Field 1st. I then decided to go back to school. PTSD became an ongoing battle that manifested in drug and alcohol addiction and relationship problems. The VA helped as much as they could. I had to find ways to live with the post traumatic stress on a daily basis. That took time and many different people with skills I didn’t even know existed. I got clean and sober and began to live and not just survive with PTSD. I began to dream and acquire new skills that would lead to a second career based in hope and life. Not allowing the darkness of war to block the sunlight of today became my code of conduct.
I supported myself through full-time employment at a local hospital. There, I soon found I had an ability to connect with and influence teenagers and young adults, which would ultimately result in my decision to enter into another battle: the war against drugs and alcohol abuse. I returned to school and became a certified drug and alcohol counselor. After a short time I went to work at the VA hospital in Tucson, Arizona.I had made a full circle returning to a world full of soldiers and regulations. My love for soldiers and my dedication to them made me feel right at home. I saw the revolving door of the system. Combat soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress were placed on medication, discharged, and within a matter of a few weeks, they returned to the Veterans Administration at the same place that they were before. This revolving door sometimes went on for months and even years. I knew there had to be something different than the standard treatment.
I wanted to find a treatment that was inclusive of Western medicine but also offered the opportunity to explore different alternatives, again something inclusive rather than exclusive. So I committed myself to the study of Chinese medicine and completed my Masters program in New Mexico. I felt that it would help me address some of the lingering shadows of my own post traumatic stress disorder and it did – ninety-five percent of my professors were Asian. After graduation I moved to Hawaii. There, I soon found myself as the only male therapist on a 30-bed women’s unit, treating women and their newborn addicted children for crystal methamphetamine use.
While living in Hawaii, an invitation was made for me to study Chinese medicine in Beijing, but fate would intervene. As I vacationed on the way to China, the U.S. Military accidentally bombed the Chinese Embassy in Kosovo, and I was convinced that with my military background, a sabbatical in China would not be too good for my health.
Fate dictated that the next step in my life would actually take me to the beaches of Thailand, where I would spend a year counseling the many Europeans who journey to the country with one desire: to do drugs, and lots of them. It was during this time that I surrendered to what I had known for a long time: my calling as an addictions counselor.
Since that time, as a state-licensed and internationally certified drug and alcohol counselor, I have worked with individuals and their families from all areas of society, and quickly realized there was dire need to support our troops returning from combat. Because of a lifetime dedicated to this special population and my own diagnosis of PTSD, working with female soldiers that have been in combat was an easy choice.
Throughout my life, I have always considered myself as “the last man standing”. Regardless of the time, place, or circumstances, I have never given up. I have always followed through, and if I have given my word on something, I have never reneged on that commitment.
My personal mission is simple: do not harm; help others, nurture the future generation, and operate a successful, thriving business. In this endeavor, I am asking for your financial support and personal trust. I hope this narrative has given you some insight into the man I am.
J.D.,M.Div.
Education:Education:
Graduate of Weber State University 1975, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Management. Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Arizona April, 1980.
Owned and operated Gerald Yamashita, CPA, PLLC since May 1982.
Professional Experience:
(1973-Present) During college I was selected by Elmer Fox & Co. a National CPA firm to intern with the company as a tax and small business accountant. I was one of three individuals selected for the state of Utah to participate in this program. Upon graduation I was offered a position in the company but chose instead to pursue my career in Phoenix, Az. where I was offered a position with Laventhol & Horwath CPA, an International CPA firm, to work in their tax and small business department. I worked there until their ultimate merger with Main, Hurdman & Cranston and then worked as a manager of two local firms until the opening of my own practice in 1982.
During my many years of working for the various CPA firms I gained much needed knowledge in running and operating various businesses. I learned budgeting, forecasting, tax planning, economic planning along with human resource issues and business law. I was fortunate in my business career to have a Father-in-Law that was a successful CPA who was a partner in a large national CPA firm and to have as one his main clients of the largest trucking firms in the United States. He taught me many things about business management, planning and operations of a business.My clientele consists of many facets of the business world. I have doctors, lawyers, contractors, retail and service oriented clients. I have a client who owns and operates a medical clinic, one who is a optometrist with five doctors and two clients who are anesthesiologists. The medical field is not new to me.I also am involved in real estate development and charitable organizations.
Personal:
Married 37 years until my wife’s passing in December 2006. I have two daughters who have earned their masters degrees in their chosen fields. One is working on her Ph. D. in Education. Both daughters are married and have one daughter each.