Jerome P. Keuper Distinguished Alumni Award

Bio

Duane E. De Freese, Ph.D., serves as the executive director of the IRL Council, an independent Special District of Florida created in 2015 to serve as the new host agency for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP), The Indian River Lagoon is one of 28 estuaries in North America and the territory of Puerto Rico authorized as National Estuary Programs by the US Congress.

De Freese has guided the reorganization of the IRLNEP with a new unified mission: “One Lagoon - One Community - One Voice”.

Reorganization included convening and expanding the IRLNEP Management Conference to over 100 volunteer scientists, resource managers, community leaders, industry representatives, and citizens.

The mission recognized that we must work together as federal, state, and local partners with a shared vision to restore and protect the IRL system, one of the nation’s most treasured and threatened estuaries. Faculty from Florida Tech have been active leaders within the IRLNEP since the program’s initial Congressional designation in 1990.

Before joining the IRL Council, De Freese served in leadership positions in industry, academia, non-profit organizations, and government.

Previous positions include senior vice president of Science & Business Development at AquaFiber Technologies Corporation, appointment by the University of Central Florida dean of the College of Sciences to develop a vision and plan for coastal research and sustainability, first vice president of Florida Research for Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, and first program director for the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program.

Throughout his career, De Freese has been an active community leader and volunteer.

Florida gubernatorial appointments include appointment by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Florida Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force, appointment by former Governor Rick Scott to the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, and appointment by former Governor Jeb Bush to the Nature and Heritage Tourism Committee of the Florida Tourism Commission.

Other volunteer activities include serving as a board member for Florida Ocean Alliance, Association of National Estuary Programs, Southeast and Caribbean Disaster Resilience Partnership, Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association, and Campaign Cabinet Member for the East Coast Zoological Foundation (Brevard Zoo), future Bowen Aquarium and Conservation Center.

De Freese has served Florida Tech as a former adjunct faculty member and president of the Alumni Association.

Over the years, De Freese has earned many honors. Most notable are the Lagoon Champion Award from the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County, Environmental Advocacy “Eagle” Award presented by former U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast Volunteer of the Year Award, Dedication of the future conservation center at the Bowen Aquarium as the “Dr. Duane De Freese Coastal Conservation Hub”, Junior Achievement Space Coast Business Hall of Fame Laureate, Lead Brevard Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award, and a nominee in perpetuity within the culture section for the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.