Advisory Council
Donn Colee
President, Donn Colee Consulting LLC
Email: donn@charlottepelton.com
Donn Colee is a public relations and marketing professional with 40-years of experience working with many of south Florida and the Treasure Coast’s largest and most successful enterprises.
He was an executive at WPEC CBS 12 for 20-years (1988-2008), the last four as station manager. Donn’s experience at WPEC covered almost all aspects of the station’s operations: marketing, community relations, news, special events, production and management. While at WPEC he served on the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications Telecom Advisory Council.
Prior to joining WPEC, Donn spent 17-years in the advertising and public relations business in Palm Beach County. He represented a wide variety of clients in the political, real estate, financial, industrial, medical, media, sports and civic fields.
Donn has lived in Palm Beach County since 1971. Active in the community, he served on the board that created SunFest (Florida’s largest music, art and waterfront festival) and the boards of March of Dimes (where he was WalkAmerica chairman), Gulfstream Goodwill Industries (treasurer), the West Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Palm Beach County (executive board and 2009-10 campaign chairman). He was a member of the first graduating class of Leadership Palm Beach County (1985).
Under Donn's leadership, United Way's 2009-10 campaign raised $14,100,719, a 10.5% increase over the prior year — despite the continued recession. Donn credits his campaign’s success to outstanding board and volunteer leadership, strong corporate support and the organization’s experienced resource development staff. The campaign’s success is even more significant when compared against national United Way averages, which were down about 4%.
Donn currently serves as a governor-appointed commissioner on the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) and on the board West Palm Beach Fishing Club. He is also a member of the Florida Association of Broadcasters.
He is a seventh-generation Floridian, raised in Orlando. His ancestors emigrated from England to St. Augustine in 1820. Carriages from “Colee Stables” still carry tourists through the historic city.
He and his wife, Martha, live in Palm Beach Gardens with their son, Michael, who is currently attending Palm Beach State College. His eldest daughter, Tara, is a real estate broker in Aspen, Colorado, while his daughter, Justine, is currently living in Germany.
Donn is an avid fisherman, boater and a student of Florida history. He is currently writing a book on the history of the state’s broadcasting industry.
The Campaign for the University of Florida