Bill Eaker

Business Development Manager

Bill is the part-time Business Development Manager at Equinox. He is eager to meet you and assist you in meeting your organization’s goals and if possible finding grants to fund your projects.  He has assisted organizations in WNC acquire over $13 million to meet their environmental goals. Bill has over 34 years experience in environmental, land use and growth management planning at various levels.  He has provided technical assistance to local governments on environmental issues in the areas of water resources management, air quality planning and clean vehicle technologies. He has managed over fifty environmental improvement projects in his career and has extensive experience facilitating diverse stakeholder groups to address regional issues and working with the public and the media. He has authored watershed protection or restoration plans for the Mills River, Mud Creek, Ross Creek and others in WNC. He developed the first state approved Wellhead Protection Plan in NC. Bill co-staffed the Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Advisory Committee that developed a framework for sustainable mountain ridge development in Western NC.

Bill has been active in the community serving as the Chairman of the Haywood County Planning Board, as President of the Haywood Waterways Association, Board Member of WNC Tomorrow and Member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Mountain Resources Commission. He has received numerous awards including the River Improvement Award, Lifetime Friend of the French Broad River, Buncombe Green Award and Pigeon River Award.

Why I love this work

The Southern Appalachian Mountain Region is one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world and it is an honor to devote my career and community service to protecting this valuable region’s natural resources. I'm a "water person". I love to drink our cold spring fed mountain water with a little lime in it. I love to fish in our pristine trout streams especially in the spring when the colorful wildflowers line the banks. 

Education

Master of Public Administration - Environmental/Growth Management; Fl. Atlantic University Bachelor of Science – Zoology; Florida Atlantic University

Favorite Species

I love catching rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and watching them do flips. .