Bruce Deel, a 1990 graduate of Lee, was named the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year during the university’s Homecoming earlier this month. Deel was recognized for this honor during halftime of the Men’s Basketball game. The highest honor given by the university to alumni, this award honors the excellence of a graduate who embraces the values of Lee.  

“Bruce Deel is a superb example of an individual whose life exemplifies Lee’s highest values,” said Lee President Dr. Paul Conn. “He is doing such effective work in Atlanta, and I hope every Lee student can learn and follow his example.”

Deel is the Founder and CEO of City of Refuge, an Atlanta-based non-profit that serves individuals on the margins of society—providing life-changing services such as housing, education, medical and mental health care, and vocational training. The organization supports people leaving homelessness, overcoming addiction, returning from incarceration, and escaping domestic violence and sex trafficking. 

Deel also founded Men Opposing Sex Trafficking (MOST), an organization dedicated to anti-trafficking efforts, focusing on prevention, interdiction, and recovery. 

He is the author of “Trust First” and serves as a speaker and consultant to both corporate and non-profit organizations nationwide. He is also a featured TEDx speaker and holds a Guinness World Record for participating in the Longest Consecutive Softball Game, a 121-hour marathon that raised funds for sex trafficking awareness. 

Deel and his wife of 37 years, Rhonda, have five daughters and 12 grandchildren.