Duane Morris, CPA, is a uniquely accomplished professional whose career spans the worlds of finance, music, invention, and entrepreneurship. With deep roots in leadership roles at organizations such as Ernst & Young (E&Y), FedEx, the IRS, and RPM International, Duane has brought vision and precision to every position he's held.
As Chief Auditor for the City of Cleveland, he co-authored groundbreaking legislation with the Law Department that tapped into the secondary ticket market of professional sports — generating between $1M and $1.5M in new annual tax revenue for the city.
Duane’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to build and lead a 10-person accounting firm through both buy- and sell-side M&A transactions. His proprietary cash forecasting system, Cash Insights™, has been widely adopted by nonprofit boards and CFOs — including a New Mexico client whose Board Chair praised the clarity it brought to their financial future.
He is no stranger to challenges. He turned around the Village of Highland Hills from a $400K loss to a $400K gain in one year while simultaneously executing a complete ERP system migration. Budget variances were a favorable 3%, proving his ability to deliver disciplined execution and results.
Duane also led an emergency budget for a Transit Authority that impressed stakeholders so much, they requested two additional years of forward financial planning. From SAP to QuickBooks to Workday, he's led major financial system implementations with consistency and clarity.
Beyond finance, Duane is a prolific songwriter and creative force — the artist behind DMORR, with albums like Voyage I, Voyage II, A Country Mile, Philadelphia Freedom, and The Black Experience. To date, he’s written over 700 songs, and his music reflects both depth and range.
This is his second patent — his first, created in the early 2000s, was a pioneering system for overhead garage door positioning and visual security, a concept that foreshadowed smart systems like today’s Ring camera.
Through Red Fox Media Publishing Group, EcoSafe Marinas LLC, and community leadership roles like President of the Greater Cleveland Junior Golf Scholarship Fund and NABA Chapter President, Duane continues to inspire through action, innovation, and artistry.