The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation announced today the addition of Dr. John M. "Mick" Seidl as Director for the Foundation's environmental programs.
Seidl will oversee, direct and manage the grant administration of the Foundation's environmental programs, which will focus on biodiversity and the protection of the intact natural ecosystem. He will report directly to Lew Coleman, the Foundation's President.
"Mick will help guide our grant-making activities with an efficient, outcome-based approach," said Coleman. "His skills and experience will be valuable assets in directing our resources to support effective environmental research and conservation efforts."
In accepting the position, Seidl said, "With the Foundation's unique approach to grant-making, we stand to make a significant impact through the smart protection, preservation and stewardship of the earth's biodiversity. I'm thrilled to be contributing to the Moore Foundation's creative and collaborative work towards improving the quality of life for generations to come."
Seidl's background -- in government, academia and corporate life -- has given him vast experience in management, operations, development, education and policy. Seidl was chairman and co-founder of myHomeKey.com, and previously served as president and chief executive officer of CellNet Data Systems, Inc. He has also held the titles of president of MAXXAM, chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation and chairman of the Pacific Lumber Company. Prior to that, Seidl was president, chief operating officer and director of Enron Corporation in Houston, Texas. He originally moved to Houston as the head of all North American activities for Natomas Company. He has served as a member of the faculty at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and taught a course at the Jones Business School of Rice University. Seidl began his civilian career in 1971 at the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Born March 24, 1939, Seidl graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1961 with a B.S. degree. He earned master's (1966) and doctorate (1969) degrees in political economy and government from Harvard University. Seidl spent ten years in the United States Air Force (1961-71), the last three as assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy. He is a former member of the national board of governors of the Nature Conservancy, and former chairman of the board and president of the Houston Grand Opera. He is also a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon and a member today of its Endowment Board.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established in September 2000 to create positive outcomes for future generations. The Foundation funds outcome-based grants and initiatives to achieve significant and measurable results. Grantmaking supports the Foundation's principal areas of interest: global environmental conservation, science, and the San Francisco Bay Area.