news release

Indian River State College (IRSC) Foundation has appointed two new members to the organization’s Board of Directors—Ret. Lieutenant General Frank Libutti USMC and CEO of Renaissance Global Services (RGS), LLC, and Mr. Curtis Johnson, Jr., Fort Pierce City Commissioner and CEO of the Cuvey Group, LLC.

“These appointments affirm the commitment of the College administration to a diverse and inclusive board,” states Michael Hageloh, IRSC Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “That commitment benefits our students as we pull together for the common good in support the vision of ‘Fulfilling one hundred percent of qualified need for every IRSC student.’”

Frank Libutti is a retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General and the President and Chief Executive Officer of RGS—a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. After retiring from 35 years of highly decorated service in 2001, Libutti served as head of the New York City Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau where he was responsible for counterterrorism training, prevention, and investigations serving as a liaison to state and federal agencies.

In 2003, President George W. Bush nominated Libutti to serve as Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He was the first person nominated for the new position in the then two-month-old DHS. In September 2005, he served as CEO/Chairman of the Board of Digital Fusion, a publicly-traded company, valued at $61M with approximately 300 employees. Digital Fusion centered on IT initiatives and support for the US Missile Defense Agency.

Currently, Libutti is developing Renaissance Global Services’ relationships with its pharmaceutical and energy partners—with a focus on hiring veterans. He understands firsthand the challenges facing servicemen and women reacclimating to civilian life, allowing him to provide insights to develop training and placement opportunities for veterans. Libutti is a native of Huntington, New York, and a graduate of The Citadel.

Curtis Johnson, Jr. was elected Fort Pierce City Commissioner, District 1, in November 2020 and is the founder and CEO of The Cuvey Group. He brings more than two decades of experience to the Cuvey Group to help organizations and individuals overcome challenges and uncover opportunities. Curtis brings his professional experience and emerging technologies expertise to assist his clients in accelerating their performance.

Before founding the Cuvey Group, Johnson forged a path through corporate America, excelling in business-to-business sales at multiple organizations like COUNTRY Financial and Regus. Johnson also dedicated a significant portion of his professional career to pharmaceutical sales. At Gilead Science, he was Associate Director of Sales in the Phoenix, AZ market, covering eight states and leading a 12-person sales team. He also held territory field sales positions at Pfizer and Eli Lilly in the Central Florida marketplace.

Curtis earned his business degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and his MBA from its School of Business. Curtis is an SHRM Certified Professional, DISC certified workshop facilitator, and John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Coach, and Trainer. He actively supports his local community, serving on three community committees and volunteering with civic organizations to create positive outcomes for the underserved. Johnson is a National Board Officer in the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association, a Life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, and the President of the Phrozen Pharaoh Foundation—a 501c3 organization that believes in the power of mentorship to help young people in St. Lucie County and the surrounding area learn and grow educationally, socially, emotionally, and physically.

About IRSC Foundation

Since 1965, the Indian River State College Foundation has enhanced access and quality of education for IRSC students. Its focus is to attract and manage private contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses, and private foundations to support IRSC’s mission. Managed by a voluntary Board of Directors of business and civic leaders from all four counties served by IRSC, the Foundation is a private non-profit entity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and by the State of Florida as a direct-support organization for the benefit of IRSC. As a partner in building a better community, IRSC Foundation promotes higher education with student scholarships, support of instructional programs, technology grants, and new and improved facilities.