President Catanese Earns EDCs Gamble Award
MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Institute of Technology President Anthony J. Catanese was recently named the 2009 recipient of the Thomas E. Gamble Excellence in Education for Economic Development Award. The Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida’s Space Coast presented the award to Catanese for his longstanding involvement and support of the EDC’s mission, and for his consistent and highly valued contributions to further education in the community.
The Thomas E. Gamble Excellence in Education for Economic Development Award was established in 2007 by the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast. It is named after one of the community’s leading education professionals, the late Thomas E. Gamble, who in 1999 was appointed president of Brevard Community College. The award is presented bi-annually to an individual EDC investor who has worked with the community to improve the field of education and the quality of service that students receive.
“I am honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” Catanese said. “In turn, I salute the EDC for all that they do to improve life on the Space Coast. Building innovative partnerships between education and industry remains one of the goals of Florida Tech. Working together, there is no challenge, economic or otherwise, that we cannot overcome.”
Catanese has served as president of Florida Tech since 2002. During his tenure, the university has experienced expansive growth, and just concluded a successful golden anniversary celebration and capital campaign that raised $59.4 million.
Catanese was previously president of Florida Atlantic University, which grew to 25,000 students on seven campuses during his leadership tenure. He was the provost of Pratt Institute in New York City, dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Florida, dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, associate dean of the School of Engineering and Environmental Design and James A. Ryder Professor at the University of Miami, and professor and director of the Center for Planning and Development at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Catanese also was a Senior Fulbright Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a master’s degree from New York University and a doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A prolific writer, he has published 13 books, 18 chapters in books and more than 100 articles and monographs.
Catanese is past chairman of the board of the United Way of Brevard and a current member of the community campaign cabinet. He has also served as president of the Sunshine State Athletics Conference.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, including: the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Trailblazer Award from Rotary International, Diversity Champion Award from the Urban League, Outstanding College President’s Award from the All-American Football Foundation and the Golden Eagle Award from the Boy Scouts of America.
