A companion responsibility was the ESD Field Program including the personnel administration of over 350 young engineering graduates including recruiting and professional development. The program expanded almost two fold during his tenure. DAPE is Delaware's agency for the licensing and regulation of professional engineers. He developed a policy and process for establishing appropriate fees for examinations and registrations. He also upgraded administrative procedures to improve effectiveness.
Gene is very involved in community activities.
An active member of the Civic League for New Castle County and Board Member since 1980, he served an unprecedented three consecutive years as President from 1988 to 1991. Gene also assists his wife, Louisa, in her volunteer efforts as Community Project Chairwoman of the New Castle Century Club, the Blood Bank and Homeward Bound, Inc., which operates Newark's only home for homeless families. The program recognizes those engineering achievements that demonstrate the highest degree of skill and ingenuity and provide a significant benefit to public welfare and the practice of consulting engineering. In 1998, the United Water Delaware Tidal Capture Structure, engineered by Duffield Associates, Inc. received the Grand Conceptor Award. The firm's President James Duffield was the 1998 Engineer of the Year.