Dwayne Duke has been named the next executive director of the Regional Water Resource Agency (RWRA), becoming the first non-engineer in the agency’s 31-year history to take the helm.
Duke currently serves as RWRA’s director of finance, a position he’s held for the past eight years. His promotion follows a nationwide search to replace outgoing Executive Director Joe Schepers, who announced his retirement last year after more than a decade in the role.
“I feel blessed. It’s truly an honor,” Duke said. “This role impacts every family and business in our community, and I don’t take that lightly. I’m humbled to step into this position.”
Duke has worked at RWRA for nearly nine years, following a four-year stint in the City of Owensboro’s finance department. While he never envisioned this career path early on, Duke said it gradually became a goal in recent years.
“I’m someone who just tries to do the best job I can in whatever role I’m in,” he said. “As Joe started talking about retiring, it became something I really aspired to. I’m thankful they had faith in a local guy who’s not an engineer.”
Schepers said that faith is well-placed.
“We interviewed candidates from coast to coast — one finalist was even from California — but in the end, we had no unknowns with Dwayne,” Schepers said. “He’s proven, local, and has a clear vision for running this organization more like a business. That really excited the board.”
RWRA was formed in 1995, evolving from the former Owensboro Sewer Commission, which had served the community for more than a century. Duke’s selection marks a significant milestone in the agency’s modern era, as he becomes the first executive director without an engineering background.
Pending final board approval on Jan. 26, Duke will officially assume leadership on March 2. Duke said he’s focused on building on the agency’s momentum and tackling major projects ahead.
“We have big shoes to fill with Joe’s departure,” Duke said. “But we have a dedicated team, and we’re ready. Projects like the Locust Force Main and closing out our long-term control plan are going to be challenges, but we’re committed.”
RWRA’s service area covers much of Daviess County, stretching from Friendly Park past the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport to Cedar Hills off KY 54. The agency is primarily responsible for sewage treatment, though it also contracts stormwater management services for the City of Owensboro. RWRA does not handle direct billing to customers; instead, it partners with local water districts and utilities like OMU, which collect payments on the agency’s behalf.
“It’s a system that saves money for everyone,” Duke said. “They read the meters and send the bills — we reimburse them a small percentage to do that, and it keeps things simple.”
While Duke’s leadership officially begins in March, he said the work is already underway.
“We’re a community agency, and we want to keep being efficient while keeping rates as low as possible,” he said. “That’s always going to be our goal — deliver what we need to while staying mindful of our ratepayers.”
