Anthony James Catanese is the President of the Florida Institute of Technology, a major research institution with 5,000 students.  Florida Tech emphasizes academic and research programs in engineering, the sciences, liberal arts, management, psychology and aeronautics.  It has a major distance learning program utilizing advanced technology.  Such groups as the Carnegie Foundation and U.S. News and world Report rate it amongst America’s top universities.

Dr. 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.  Dr. Catanese also was a Senior Fulbright Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia.

He holds the Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University, Master’s Degree from New York University, and Doctor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  A prolific writer, he has published 13 books, 18 chapters in books, and over 100 articles and monographs.

A member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Dr. Catanese previously maintained a private practice in design, planning and development.  His consulting contracts numbered over fifty clients, including coastal zone planning and development in Hawaii and native land claims in Alaska.  As a developer, He built several projects for the single family and multi-family markets in Atlanta, Ga.

Dr. Catanese has been a public servant as well.  He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the National Urban Policy Task Force.  He served as Chairman of the Milwaukee City Planning Board and Chairman of the Gainesville City Planning Commission.  Dr. Catanese was the 2006 Campaign Chairman for the United Way of Brevard.

Dr. Catanese was President of the Park West Development Corporation, a not-for-profit group that planned and developed a major area in Milwaukee, Wis.  He was the Founding President of the Florida State University Presidents Association.  He also served as President or Chairman of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities; Florida Campus Compact; and Atlantic Sun Athletics Conference.  He has served on numerous Boards of Directors including the National Collegiate Athletics Association, Sunshine State Athletics Conference, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, John Cabot University (Rome), Orange Bowl Committee, AvMed (South Florida), Wachovia Bank (Florida), Securit-E.Com, and Modus Operandi, Inc.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, the most recent of which include 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 and Outstanding College President’s Award from the All-American Football Foundation.