Pasco university president set to retire at the end of the week

Saint Leo University in Pasco County recently announced a shift in leadership. University President Ed Dadez will be stepping down from his position on February 14, citing personal reasons. 

“From the moment I stepped foot on campus, Saint Leo University has always held a special place in my heart,” Dadez says in a statement. “Now with the university in a much stronger position, the time has come for me to focus on my other love, my family.”

Dadez assumed the role of 11th president in 2022 following the resignation of President Jeffrey Senese. He joined the university as vice president of student affairs in 2000, after previously serving as vice president of Chowan College in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. He is the only president to also be a Saint Leo alumnus. 

The statement from the university notes that under Dadez’s leadership, the university increased student retention rates, exceeded annual fundraising goals and strengthened student enrollment. Additionally, a hallmark of his presidency included placing greater focus on its Catholic Benedictine identity.

James DeTuccio, vice president of business affairs and CFO, will serve as interim COO and CFO while the board of trustees conducts a search for the next president. 

Saint Leo University was founded as Florida’s first Catholic university in 1889. It currently serves more than 13,000 students across 55 degree programs. It has one campus and six education centers.