He received a bachelor's degree in history with a minor in accounting from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He also earned a masters degree in Management from Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Presently, Winfred Dukes serves as chief executive officer of Dukes, Edwards and Dukes, Inc., a family owned construction/real estate firm based in Albany, Georgia. He has received numerous awards and honors for outstanding contributions in business and community service including the Georgia Summit of African-American Business Organizations' Wolf Award and Certificate of Appreciation from the Albany State University Entrepreneurship Project. He received the Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the year Award in 1993, 1997, and 1999. He also received the Georgia State Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen Award for 2000 and the Georgia Rural Health Association Legislator of the Year Award in 2000. Representative Dukes was recognized by the Georgia Municipal Association as a Champion for Georgia's Cities in 2004.

As State Representative of House District 154, which includes Baker and Dougherty Counties, his committee assignments are Economic Development and Tourism, Industrial Relations, and State Planning and Community Affairs. During his first term (1996-1997) he served as whip for the Georgia legislative Black Caucus. Winfred Dukes was elected to serve as second vice chairman of Georgia Democratic Party during the 1998 state Democratic Convention.

Dukes is a member of Omega psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the South Georgia Minority Contractors' Association, Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, Home Builders Association of Albany, and Southwest Georgia, Albany-Dougherty Chapter of the NAACP, and a Silver Life Member of the NAACP.

He is an active member of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Mitchell County, where he serves as financial secretary and a member of the Trustee Board.