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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - March 12, 2020 - Ducks Unlimited (DU) has named Jamie Rader as the next director of operations for DU's 21-state Great Lakes/Atlantic Region (GLAR).

The GLAR office is outside Ann Arbor, Mich. and was established in 1998 to help restore and protect diminishing wetlands from Minnesota to Maine.

"I am pleased to announce that Jamie will be leading Ducks Unlimited's conservation efforts in our Great Lakes/Atlantic Region," said DU Chief Conservation Officer Karen Waldrop. "Jamie's leadership experience and passion for the DU mission make him the right person for this vital position. Historic wetland loss, conversion of lands for development, water quality problems and an expanding human population are the greatest challenges that face this region. Ducks Unlimited is dedicated to reversing the trends of wetland habitat losses, restoring and protecting habitats, educating conservation values and making the GLAR a better place for breeding, migrating and wintering waterfowl."

Rader joined Ducks Unlimited in 2010 as a regional biologist and a manager of conservation programs in 2015 where he helped grow, diversify and implement conservation programs on private and public lands in DU's Southern region.

In 2018, he was promoted to his current position of director of conservation programs where he oversees DU's conservation efforts in the Southeast.

Prior to joining DU, Rader was the state waterfowl coordinator and upper coastal project leader with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, where he managed three state wildlife management areas and provided technical assistance on waterfowl and wetland management issues to other managers and the public.

Rader has conducted research on avian species in Chicago as a USDA biologist, endemic water birds in Hawaii and waterfowl in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota.

"Jamie's commitment to Ducks Unlimited and what we do has been evident since the day he joined the team," said DU CEO Adam Putnam. "I am confident he will lead our Great Lakes/Atlantic Region to even greater heights. In addition to abundant natural resources, the region holds 45 percent of Ducks Unlimited members and accounts for more than 40 percent of major sponsor and 50 percent of the philanthropic dollars raised nationally."

Rader earned a bachelor's degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor's degree in business from Bethel University in Tennessee. He holds a master's degree in Wetland and Waterfowl Ecology from South Dakota State University.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to work in this new capacity with GLAR's extraordinary DU staff, partners and dedicated volunteers," Rader said. "The region holds many important areas for waterfowl and is rich with opportunities to conserve wetlands and improve water quality for ducks and people. There are opportunities to grow our programs and support base and ensure the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting."

Rader enjoys being outdoors in the garden, yard and field. He is married to Jennifer, a University of Michigan graduate, and the couple have two children, Bea and Thatcher.

He will assume his new position on April 1 and will work out of DU's Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office in Dexter, Mich.

Media Contact:
Chris Sebastian
(734) 623-2017
csebastian@ducks.org