About

About Fred DuVal

Entrepreneur, civic leader, trusted advisor, board member, and author Fred DuVal is President of DuVal and Associates. Founded in 2001, DuVal and his firm advise clients in Washington, D.C., and state capitals on government affairs strategies and policy initiatives. His bespoke and diverse clientele has included Pfizer, Aetna, Scientific Games, UBS, Gannett-Fleming, Macquarie Infrastructure, Periscope Holdings, Schaller-Anderson, Clean Energy Fuels, Rio Tinto Mining, T. Boone Pickens, and RCCH Healthcare Partners.

DuVal has made important contributions to the local and national political scenes. He is now serving his second term (2018-2026) as Regent of the Arizona Board of Regents. Governor Janet Napolitano named him to the Arizona Board of Regents for his first term (2007-2012), and he served as Chairman in 2011. Governor Doug Ducey appointed him to his second term (2018 – 2026), and he served as Chairman in 2023. DuVal was the first Regent in Arizona history appointed by both a Democratic and Republican governor.

He recently completed a term on the Board of AGB, the Association of Governing Boards, which represents the regents and trustees of over 4,000 American Colleges and Universities.

In addition, DuVal is a senior advisor to Dentons Law, one of the largest law firms in the world; Chairman of Excelsior Mining, a publicly traded company developing the Gunnison Copper Project in southern Arizona; and a Director of DriveTime Auto Group, a privately held company that owns car dealerships across the country.

In 2014, he was the Democratic nominee for governor of Arizona but was defeated by then-State Treasurer Doug Ducey.

DuVal’s Work as Regent, Arizona Board of Regents

During his first term as Regent, Fred DuVal was co-chair of the “Getting AHEAD” initiative with Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Rufus Glasper, which led to the creation of AZtransfer.com, a national best practice in the seamless transferability of credits between Arizona Community Colleges and Universities. After the near-fatal shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords, DuVal started the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. In September 2010, DuVal was appointed to an advisory group for the National Governors Association’s “Complete to Compete” educational initiative.

In his second term on the Arizona Regents, DuVal led the creation of the Arizona Teachers Academy; has served as a Hunt-Kane Fellow, led the creation of Regents Grants and Regents Community Grants program, led the Arizona Healthy Tomorrow initiative to stimulate the creation of two new Colleges of Medicine; co-chaired both the NAU and Arizona Presidential Search Committees, and has focused on higher education accountability, affordability, and access. He has led significant reforms in the Arizona system of higher education.

DuVal’s Work in National Politics and the White House

President Bill Clinton appointed DuVal as the Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House. From 1997 to 1999, in his role, he served as the White House Liaison to the 50 state governors and other elected officials, as Co-Chair of the White House Interagency Task Force on Puerto Rico, as Chair of the Federal Virgin Islands Task Force, and coordinated the intergovernmental activity of 25 federal agencies. While in the White House, DuVal negotiated significant policies with Congress and governors, including welfare reform implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. He was also instrumental in transportation funding, education reform and funding, and the national tobacco settlement.

In the 1996 Clinton/Gore campaign, DuVal served as Deputy National Campaign Manager and Political Director for Vice President Al Gore.

Prior to this, DuVal was the Deputy Chief of Protocol of the United States for four years, managing 58 professionals overseeing foreign leaders’ visits, including President Nelson Mandela, his Holiness the Pope, the Emperor of Japan, and over 120 foreign Presidents and Foreign Ministers. He oversaw the Mideast peace signing ceremony hosted at the White House in September 1993 and the Nixon State Funeral.

He was a partner with the Phoenix government relations firm of Robb, DuVal, and DeMenna from 1991 to 1993 before accepting his position with the White House.

Appointed Member of the IAF Board of Directors

DuVal was named by President Clinton in 2000 as a Member of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) Board of Directors. The IAF provides small grants to civil society organizations that promote equitable economic prosperity, reduce food hunger, combat corruption, prevent violence and crime, protect the environment, create resilience to natural catastrophes, and manage natural resources responsibly.

Special Assistant to the Governor

Fred DuVal was the Special Assistant to the Governor at the Office of the Governor in Phoenix. From 1980-1985, he managed then Governor Bruce Babbitt’s legislative agenda and served as liaison to the Congressional delegation and the federal agencies.

He also managed Governor Bruce Babbitt’s 1978 election campaign and his 1988 Presidential campaign.

Other Activities

DuVal coordinated an alternative energy development program called the Pickens Plan, a nationwide campaign to promote clean energy on a national scale.

He was a member of the Arizona Commerce Board, which led to the creation of Arizona’s 10-year economic plan. He also founded the Democratic Governors Association (1983), co-founded the Democratic Leadership Council (1985), and was selected “Public Policy Leader of the Year” by the Arizona Capital Times (2012).

DuVal, the Author

Fred DuVal authored “Irons in the Fire,” a collection of more than 20 op-ed pieces published in Arizona newspapers. He also wrote “Calling Arizona Home,” examining what draws people to the state, how they select their home communities, and what attributes keep them there. He is a monthly columnist for the Arizona Republic, penning many opinion pieces on a wide variety of issues – from higher education to clean energy and politics.

Civic Leadership

In addition to the many contributions he made on the national scene and in the state of Arizona, DuVal served on the boards of the University Medical Center (University of Arizona, Tucson), Children’s Action Alliance, the Udall Center for Public Policy, Prescott College, Desert Botanical Garden, the Valley of the Sun YMCA, and Phoenix Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He has also supported the Francis Parker School and Occidental College.

Education

DuVal graduated with a B.A. from Occidental College in 1976, where he was named “Outstanding Senior.” He received his J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law.