Traeder is a 1974 graduate of Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in marketing. His wife, Glori, earned her degree in nursing in 1998 from Culver-Stockton College and works as a nurse practitioner. Traeder has served on the C-SC Board of Trustees since 2012. Since his college graduation, he has owned a number of businesses in retail, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, finance, and real estate. He is currently president of TNT Golf Car & Motorsports. Outside of work, Traeder enjoys golf, tennis, racing, and travel. He became a national and professional karting champion, having raced karts throughout the United States for 36 years. Elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2021, Traeder is still active in the sport, promoting karting close to home at the track in West Quincy, Missouri. He and Glori reside in Quincy, Illinois. They have three children, Jason, Tara, and Paige, and three grandchildren, Calvin, Ben, and Silas.
