Awards

Bicentennial Medal - 2019

About Douglas Freeland

Douglas Freeland received a bachelor's degree in telecommunications, with minors in business and political science, from Indiana University. His relationship with the university has extended through his professional years; he serves on the College of Arts and Sciences' Executive Dean's Advisory Board, and remains a huge IU sports fan.

Freeland's public relations career began at several ad agency giants, such as Foote, Cone and Belding and J. Walter Thompson, as a media planner/buyer. Freeland then joined McDonald's USA, which led to over two decades of success as a project director, executive director, and public relations guru. Freeland collaborated with celebrities of all kinds, including LeBron James, Jay Leno, Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson, Stephen A. Smith, Eric Holder, Robert Rodriquez, Jason Derulo, Bo Jackson, Mike Ditka, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, Jamie McMurray, Michelle Wie, Jay Williams and Trevor Jackson. Freeland partnered with top brands including the NFL, ESPN, Coca Cola, Disney, Miramax, Live Nation, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft XBOX, EA Sports and the major music labels, while creating successful, sales-generating branded entertainment promotions. Freeland has left corporate culture behind, and in 2017 became the founder, editor, and publisher of The Weekly Opine.

Freeland formerly served on the Chicago Sports Commission and is currently on the board of the Executive Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University. In 2019, Freeland was awarded IU's Bicentennial Medal, in recognition of his distinguished contributions and support of the university.