Gov. Ron DeSantis Appoints Vaccine Executive to FIU Board of Trustees

Maya Washburn / Asst. News Director

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently appointed Carlos Duart – an FIU accounting alum and executive of a leading U.S. COVID-19 vaccine contractor company – to the FIU Board of Trustees (BOT) according to a state press release.

The new addition made on Friday, Oct. 22, is now pending Florida Senate approval.

As co-owner and president of CDR Maguire, Inc., Duart directs emergency management, disaster services and medical support across the nation. He is also a recipient of FIU’s Outstanding Alumnus Medallion and the Torch Award by the School of Engineering.

Screenshot of map shows CDR Maguire’s ten office locations, via the company’s LinkedIn.

The company has received $24 million in state funding to supply 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Florida, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times.

These funds were used to “vaccinate assisted living facilities that are not scheduled for their initial vaccine clinic with CVS or Walgreens, on or before January 23,” according to a contract between the state and CDR Health.

Tina Duart, co-owner of CFD Maguire alongside her husband, explained the company’s goal in distributing vaccines.

“This has not been a perfect process, but my goal is to always use every concern or complaint to make it better for everybody,’’ Duart told Tampa Bay Times. “Our goal is to vaccinate as many people as we can.”