Michigan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) is pleased to announce that Mr. Ralph Bednarz has graciously accepted an invitation to serve as a member of our Board of Directors. A lifelong lake protection and preservation advocate, Mr. Bednarz brings a wealth of knowledge and experience acquired during a highly productive thirty-five-year career as a water resources and environmental protection manager within the Inland Lakes Management Unit of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) (now referred to as the Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Instrumental in planning, developing, implementing, and managing high profile MDEQ statewide lake water quality monitoring programs, including the Lake Water Quality Assessment, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, it is also important to note that Mr. Bednarz played a critical role in helping to ensure the success of the Michigan component of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sanctioned National Lake Assessments while serving as an EPA Senior Environmental Program specialist following his retirement from the MDEQ in 2011. In addition to his newly acquired role as a Michigan Waterfront Alliance Board member, Mr. Bednarz currently serves on the Michigan Chapter, North American Lake Management Society (McNALMS) Board of Directors, and is a pro-active representative to the Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership, and the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership. In recognition of his “significant contributions to the advancement of inland lake education, pro-active leadership in addressing key inland lake issues, and in promoting lake ecology, and management”, Mr. Bednarz also recently received the McNALMS Lifetime Achievement Award. Welcome aboard Ralph!