Fred Monroe Zeder II

Fred Monroe Zeder II, Businessman and Diplomat Ambassador Fred Monroe Zeder II died on March 12th 2004 in Pebble Beach, California after a brief illness. He was born on March 14th, 1921 and had a long and distinguished career in both public and private sectors. During World War II, Ambassador Zeder served as a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater, during which time he participated in the U.S. invasion and repatriation of Attu and Kiska islands in the North Pacific. He retired from the Air Force reserves in 1951 with the rank of major. From the 1950's through the 1970s he served in a leadership capacity in a number of different private sector enterprises, including President of Zeder-Talbott, Chrysler-Zeder, CEO and Chairman of the board of Hydrometals, and the Paradise Cruise Corporation in Hawaii. In the 1970's he left the private sector and went into government service holding prominent positions in many levels of government. In the early 1970s he was elected city councilman in Dallas, Texas. In 1974 he was appointed by President Ford to serve as Director of the Territorial Affairs, US Department of Interior, responsible for US policy and programs relating to U.S. offshore island territories of American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1982, the US Senate confirmed President Reagan's appointment of Fred Zeder to the diplomatic post of President's Personal Representative for Micronesian Status Negotiations Status Negotiations, with the rank of Ambassador. In this position he concluded the historic Compact of Free Association that represents the first and last successful political status resolution process for the U.S. administered territories since Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the union. In 1988, Ambassador Zeder was appointed by Republican nominee George H. W. Bush to act as his Personal Representative for the transition. After the election, Ambassador Zeder served as a Senior Advisor to the President-Elect. In 1989, the U.S. senate confirmed President Bush's appointment of Ambassador Zeder as the President and CEO of the CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, an agency that promotes U.S. private investment in support of U.S. national interests in 130 countries. Under Ambassador Zeder's stewardship OPIC played a lead role in bringing democratic values and private sector led development to Eastern European countries emerging from years of communist dictatorship, as well as to newly democratic Central American nations. He also served on numerous boards and commissions, including the National Bush for President steering committee, the board of directors of the Air Force Academy, the Board of Trustees of the George H. W. Bush Library, and the advisory committee for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. He was also a decorated Knight of Malta. Ambassador Zeder was married to the late Martha Blood for 57 years, with whom he had five children, Fred M. Zeder III of Prescott, Arizona, Suzan L. Zeder of Austin, Texas, Howard B. Zeder of Guam, Melinda A. Zeder of Washington, D.C., and Wendy E. Zeder, deceased. In 2001 he married Dorothy Post Rogers and resided in Pebble Beach, becoming the stepfather of Judith Coulter of Saratoga, California, and Randall Post of Reno, Nevada. He is survived by his wife, four of his children, 12 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two stepchildren, and four step-grandchildren. At his request, private family services will be held in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. The family suggests that any remembrance be made to the community Hospital Foundation (P.O. Box HH, Monterey, CA 93942-1085), Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula (700 Jewel Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950), or the donor's favorite charity.