John L. Nau, III

A longtime battlefield preservation advocate and philanthropist, John L. Nau III has helped protect historic landscapes, expand national battlefield parks and advance preservation efforts across the country. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and lifelong student of American military history, Nau has been a leading supporter of historic preservation for more than 25 years. He joined the Trust's predecessor organization in 1999 and served as chairman of the board from 2009 to 2011, as well as in several other leadership roles overseeing government relations, battlefield preservation and development.

Nau's advocacy and generosity have helped establish new national park units, expand existing battlefield park boundaries and support significant preservation and restoration projects across the country. He served as chairman of the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation from 2001 to 2010 and as chairman of the Texas Historical Commission. His efforts have supported battlefield protection at Vicksburg, Shiloh, Petersburg and other historic sites, while his personal philanthropy has helped advance restoration projects at Gettysburg and strengthen battlefield partner organizations at Manassas and Vicksburg.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Nau is also the chief benefactor and namesake of the university's John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History. In recognition of his decades of service, the American Battlefield Trust presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award, named him a Trustee for Life and renamed its national leadership award for federal officials in his honor.

On May 21, 2026, the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, in partnership with the American Battlefield Trust, dedicated a monument honoring Nau's contributions to battlefield preservation. Located near the Texas Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park, the monument recognizes his decades of leadership, advocacy and generosity in protecting America's historic battlefields.