Alex Ty Kovach
Executive Director
Ty Kovach, of Akeley, Minnesota, joined the Lake County Forest Preserves as Executive Director in June 2013.
As head of one of the nation’s top conservation agencies and the second largest Forest Preserve District in Illinois, Kovach is responsible for managing more than 31,100 acres of natural land, more than 200 miles of trails, and a variety of special facilities including Independence Grove, Ryerson Conservation Area, the Dunn Museum, Greenbelt Cultural Center and three golf courses.
Kovach received a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from Bemidji State University in Minnesota, and has a diverse background of leadership experience in both the public and private sectors.
Prior to joining the Lake County Forest Preserves, Kovach worked internationally as Chief Executive Officer for Cabo Delgado Investments Limited, which owns and manages a group of private islands and coastal forest land in the Republic of Mozambique in southeast Africa. Kovach also served on the Board of Directors for the Mukoque Construcoes Limitada, an organization that provides design, engineering and commercial construction services across Mozambique.
In addition, Kovach worked five years as Chief Operations Officer for the Mustique Company Limited on the 1,400-acre private island of Mustique, part of the island country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the West Indies. While there he led operation of the company and its subsidiaries, as well as a variety of conservation initiatives such as reforestation of the Grenadine Islands, reef protection and shoreline and beach restoration.
In the public realm, Kovach served 16 years, seven as Operations Manager, for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources managing strategic planning, policy and budget development, and regional programs.
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