MEMPHIS, Tennessee - May 2, 2018 - Longtime Ducks Unlimited volunteer leader Kenneth "Ken" H. Hofmann, of Concord, Calif., died recently of natural causes.

Hofmann dedicated much of his time to DU during a span of more than two decades starting in 1993 when he was elected to the DU board as an at-large board member. Hofmann then went on to serve as a member of the Wetland America Trust (WAT) board from 1994-2006. WAT is Ducks Unlimited's land trust and is one of the largest accredited land trusts in the country.

"Ken was a true gentleman who had a great passion for conservation and Ducks Unlimited," said Dan Thiel, Chief Operating Officer of WAT. "He gave many dedicated years of service to DU, and without leaders like Ken and their vision for the future of wetlands and waterfowl conservation, we wouldn't be where we are today."

In 1948, Hofmann started a career in contracting and development as a plastering contractor. He moved to home building in 1951. In 1959 he formed Hofmann Construction Co., and since that time has built more than 40,000 homes and apartments as well as more than $400 million in commercial and industrial properties.

In 1988, Hofmann became a minority partner in an NFL football team, the Seattle Seahawks, which he sold in 1996 after acquiring a fifty percent ownership in the Oakland A's baseball team. Before he sold the team in 2005, the A's went on to win the AL West in 2000, '02 and '03.

Hofmann was a dedicated philanthropist, and served as a trustee on many boards, such as St. Mary's College, the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Wetlands America Trust, of which he was an Emeritus Trustee since 2007. Through his Foundation, the Hofmann Family Foundation, millions of dollars were donated to local charities, including St. Mary's College,De La Salle High School, Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl Association, the Wheelchair Foundation and the Concord Campus of the John Muir Hospital. He was awarded the prestigious National Great Blue Heron Award from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1994 and was inducted into the California Waterfowler's Hall of Fame in 2008.

Hofmann was the owner of the 9,000-plus acre, world-class Rancho Esquon located in California's Central Valley. DU and WAT hosted several activities at the ranch over the years that showcased the incredible habitat conservation work on the property and the numerous waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway. Hofmann's most recent vision and efforts have been devoted to the design and creation of the Pacific Flyway Center located on the Suisun Marsh.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Media Contact:
Matt Coffey
(901) 758-3764
mcoffey@ducks.org