In his new role, Tim Eder will help the Great Lakes Protection Fund continue its mission to support innovative solutions for safeguarding the Great Lakes’ future, tackling challenges like climate resilience, invasive species and water quality.

The Great Lakes Protection Fund (GLPF) announced on Nov. 19, the appointment of Eder as Chair of its Board of Directors. According to its webpage, the GLPF’s mission is to identify, demonstrate and promote regional action to enhance the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

“Tim brings decades of experience and a deep passion for protecting the Great Lakes to his new leadership role,” the GLPF announcement said.

The GLPF said as the Great Lakes face mounting environmental pressures, strong leadership is essential to drive meaningful action. With decades of dedicated experience in conservation leadership, including a distinguished tenure as Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission, the GLPF said it believes “Tim brings the necessary guidance to one of the region’s most critical environmental initiatives.”

Under Eder’s leadership, the fund will continue its mission to support innovative solutions for safeguarding the Great Lakes’ future, tackling challenges like climate resilience, invasive species, and water quality.

A resident of Lyndon Township, Eder is also a township board trustee. He will serve a one-year term as the Chair of GLPF’s Board of Directors.

In giving some background in the announcement, the GLPF said Eder recently retired from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, where he managed a grant-making portfolio that addressed freshwater challenges with a focus on the Great Lakes. Prior to his tenure at Mott, the GLPF said Eder served as Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission for 11 years.

“In that role, he advised the region’s governors and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec on critical water quality, invasive species, and sustainability issues,” the announcement said. “His nearly two-decade career at the National Wildlife Federation also centered on safeguarding the Great Lakes and other freshwater resources.”

Eder has been a member of the Board of the Great Lakes Protection Fund since October 2020.

“Tim Eder has dedicated his career to improving the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem,” the GLPF said in welcoming Eder to the new role.

Photo: Tim Eder. Photo courtesy of the Great Lakes Protection Fund