Clemson University Trustee David E. Dukes ’81 has been elected chair of the Belle W. Baruch Foundation Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2026.
The Foundation also welcomes four new trustees as it continues its mission of preserving Hobcaw Barony near Georgetown, South Carolina, while advancing scientific research, education and conservation.
Dukes succeeds Claudius E. “Bud” Watts IV, who concludes 10 years of service on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, including his tenure as board chair. Under Watts’ leadership, the Foundation strengthened its stewardship of Hobcaw Barony while expanding its research, education and preservation initiatives.
A nationally recognized attorney, Dukes served as Managing Partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles with organizations including First Citizens Bank, Clemson University, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation, the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts Foundation, the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business Partnership Foundation, Liberty Fellowship, City Year Columbia, and the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence. He is also a past president of Lawyers for Civil Justice and DRI, a national organization representing civil defense attorneys.
Dukes earned a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University before receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
“We are deeply grateful to Bud Watts for his 10 years of thoughtful leadership and unwavering commitment to Belle Baruch’s vision,” said George Chastain, executive director of the Belle W. Baruch Foundation. “As we welcome David as board chair and four accomplished new trustees, we are building on a legacy of stewardship and vision. Their collective expertise and passion for conservation, education and responsible stewardship will help guide the Foundation through an exciting chapter of growth and opportunity.”
Dukes said he looks forward to helping guide the Foundation’s future.
“I am honored to serve as chair of the Belle W. Baruch Foundation and to work alongside such an accomplished Board of Trustees,” Dukes said. “Belle Baruch entrusted this remarkable place to future generations, and that responsibility continues to inspire our work today. We are committed to providing thoughtful governance and strategic leadership that will strengthen the Foundation’s long-term sustainability, support its ambitious vision for the future and ensure that Hobcaw Barony remains a nationally significant center for conservation, research, education and historic preservation.”
New trustees
The Foundation also elected four new trustees:
Robyn Rieser Barkin is a business and nonprofit leader with experience in strategic marketing and governance, including board service with the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Speech School and the Fox Theatre.
Billy Campbell is a television executive and producer whose career includes leadership of Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet, as well as service on the board of the Galápagos Conservancy.
Gary Cooper, executive chairman and co-founder of Palmetto Infusion Services, is an entrepreneur and author with extensive leadership in health care and nonprofit organizations.
Leslie Dunne Ketner is a former media executive and conservation advocate who has served on regional and national nonprofit boards, including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
Founded by Belle W. Baruch, the Belle W. Baruch Foundation preserves and manages the 16,000-acre Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown County as a living laboratory for scientific research and education while protecting one of the nation’s most significant collections of coastal ecosystems and historic resources.
Located on Hobcaw Barony is the Clemson Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, where researchers, educators and students study and help protect the region’s unique coastal and forest ecosystems.
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