The first African-American president of  Rose Parade: Gerald Freeny

Every New Year’s Day since 1895, Pasadena hosts the iconic Tournament of Roses parade. This year, we’re excited to congratulate Gerald Freeny, the new president of the event and the first African-American to hold this role. He is a longtime San Gabriel Valley resident and is an outstanding public servant. He has served on the Tournament of Roses Association since 1988 and has also dedicated his time to the Board of the Pasadena Police Foundation, the Pasadena NAACP, and the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. Gerald has chosen “The Melody of Life” as this year’s theme, celebrating music as our universal language. I can’t think of a better person to lead this organization into its next chapter and I am so excited for this parade!