Alumni Service Award: Edward J. Todd

Edward J. Todd was born and spent his early childhood years in Muskegon, Michigan, moving to St. Joseph in 1947. He was a member of the 1953 St. Joseph High School state champion basketball team coached by Ray Haack, and he graduated in 1954. He attended Benton Harbor Community College (later Lake Michigan College) for two years, where he played basketball for Coach Gene Morgan. He completed his final two years of college at Western Michigan University, graduating with a degree in Business Administration.

Mr. Todd chose to attend LMC because it saved money to stay local for his first two years. He recognizes that today it is even more important to make educational decisions with value in mind, and Mr. Todd decided to give back to LMC for offering a smart choice. The Edward J. Todd Business Education and Resource Center will allow students, College faculty, and aspiring entrepreneurs to study, interact, and work to enhance their learning experience and maximize student exposure to leadership principles and practices.

Mr. Todd has been awarded the St. Joseph Public School Foundation’s first Distinguished Philanthropist Award for his generous support of scholarships and technology for the high school. He also supports the BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival, Mike Yore Memorial Car Show, The Heritage Museum, the Southwest Michigan  Symphony Orchestra, and scholarships for business students from Muskegon and Berrien counties to attend Western Michigan University. His passion for animal rescue leads him to support the Noah Project in  Muskegon, a no-kill animal shelter, and he has taken in many rescue dogs, himself. He is currently living in Muskegon, but frequently visits his aunt, Christine Praskac, in St. Joseph, and will soon move to Stevensville.

The Alumni Service Award was presented to Edward J. Todd in 2016. He received the Bernard Radde Distinguished Service Award in 2020.