Fred DuVal
Fred DuVal | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 24, 1954 Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, civic leader, education advocate, writer |
| Known for | Chairing Arizona Board of Regents; Democratic candidate for Arizona Governor (2014); White House Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under President Clinton |
| Notable work | Calling Arizona Home; Irons in the Fire |
Fred Price DuVal (born May 24, 1954) is a prominent American entrepreneur, civic leader, education advocate, and writer. He currently leads DuVal and Associates as president, acts as a senior advisor to Dentons Law, chairs Gunnison Copper, and holds a directorship at DriveTime Auto Group. DuVal has twice chaired the Arizona Board of Regents and recently contributed to the Board of the Association of Governing Boards (AGB). In 2014, he was the Democratic candidate for Arizona Governor but was defeated by then-state treasurer Doug Ducey. His governmental experience includes serving as deputy chief of protocol and senior White House official under President Clinton, where he coordinated federal-state policy relations. DuVal is the author of two books: Calling Arizona Home and Irons in the Fire.
Early life and education
DuVal was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He completed his secondary education at Tucson High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College as a Luce Scholar. Subsequently, he obtained a Juris Doctor from Arizona State University.
Babbitt administration and 1988 campaign
From 1980 to 1985, DuVal worked as a senior aide to Governor Bruce Babbitt, overseeing Babbitt’s 1978 gubernatorial campaign and later managing his 1988 presidential bid.
National politics and White House
In 1983, DuVal co-founded the Democratic Governors Association and followed this by co-founding the centrist Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) in 1985. He served on the Democratic National Committee during two periods: 1989–1993 and 2009–2011. Between 1993 and 1996, he held the position of Deputy Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State. During Bill Clinton’s 1996 presidential campaign, DuVal was Deputy National Campaign Manager responsible for coordinating efforts on behalf of Vice President Al Gore.
Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 as White House Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, DuVal played a key role in implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. He was instrumental in negotiating a nationwide tobacco settlement and influenced White House policy on American Indian gaming rights, tribal funding allocations, and Section 638 matters. In 1999, he spearheaded negotiations related to Executive Order 13132 among federal officials, governors, and municipal leaders.
In 2000, Clinton selected him for the Inter-American Foundation Board of Directors. Between 2006 and 2008, DuVal founded and chaired “Western Progress,” a progressive think tank affiliated with the Center for National Progress. Later, from 2008 to 2010, he served as Treasurer of the Democratic Governors Association.
Arizona politics
DuVal sought election to the U.S. House representing Arizona's 1st congressional district in 2002 but was not successful.
In February 2013, he declared his candidacy for Governor of Arizona in the 2014 race, receiving endorsement from former Governor Babbitt. Ultimately, DuVal was defeated by Republican Doug Ducey in the general election.
Public Service and the Board of Regents
Between 2002 and 2006, DuVal contributed to the Arizona Commerce and Economic Development Commission and was appointed by Mayor Greg Stanton to serve on the Phoenix Industrial Development Commission.
In August 2006, Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano appointed DuVal to the Arizona Board of Regents; he served as Chairman in 2011. As a Regent, he co-led the "Getting AHEAD" initiative alongside Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Rufus Glasper. In September 2010, he joined an advisory panel supporting the National Governors Association’s "Complete to Compete" educational program. Following the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords in 2011, DuVal founded the non-partisan National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) at the University of Arizona.
The Arizona Capitol Times recognized him as Arizona’s “Public Policy Leader of the Year in Education” in 2011.
Reappointed to the Board of Regents in 2019 by Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who had previously been his electoral opponent, DuVal’s second term included leadership on initiatives such as establishing the Arizona Teachers Academy. He also participated as a Hunt-Kane Fellow and launched Regents Grants along with Regents Community Grants programs. Additionally, he guided the Arizona Better Health initiative that facilitated creation of several new medical colleges statewide. DuVal co-chaired presidential search committees for both Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona, emphasizing accountability, affordability, and accessibility within higher education.
In recognition of his contributions to public service, DuVal received the AzBio Public Service Award from the Arizona Bioindustry Association in 2025.
He has been invited to deliver commencement speeches at multiple institutions including Arizona State University; The College of Medicine at University of Arizona; Northern Arizona University; and University of Arizona.
Corporate and Business Leadership
In June 2018, DuVal was appointed Chairman of the Board for Gunnison Copper (previously known as Excelsior), a publicly listed mining firm engaged in resource development in Cochise County, Arizona.
Additional Endeavors
While at Clean Energy, DuVal led the alternative energy initiative recognized as the Pickens Plan. He established the non-partisan National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) at the University of Arizona in response to the 2011 shooting of Representative Gabby Giffords. His board memberships have included University Medical Center (University of Arizona, Tucson), Children's Action Alliance, the Udall Center for Public Policy, Prescott College, Desert Botanical Garden, Valley of the Sun YMCA, and Valley Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
In 2014, DuVal produced “8” in Tucson, a theatrical work depicting the court proceedings that culminated in the Supreme Court's ruling to legalize same-sex marriage.
Occidental College, his alma mater, honored him as “Alumni of the Year” in 2016 for his impactful national contributions.
In 2022, he became a member of the National Board for the Barack Obama Scholars Program.
Personal Background and Journalism
DuVal is married to Dr. Jennifer Hecker DuVal, Ph.D., who serves as an IBH Director at the Mayo Clinic. Together they have two sons, William and Montgomery.
He co-wrote Calling Arizona Home (2005) and authored Irons in the Fire (2010), a compilation of opinion essays addressing Arizona-related issues. DuVal contributes monthly columns to the Arizona Republic, offering insights on economic, social, and political matters.