Bob bichowsky memorial service award

This annual award is presented during our August Seminar Day. It is in memory of the late Robert Bichowsky, a long time consulting arborist, an active past member and President of our professional tree care association.

"Outstanding knowledge of arboriculture, unflagging perseverance and selfless dedication to our industry"

2023 Recipient - Michael Poffenberger

This award is given annually to an individual who has shown, through their body of work, outstanding knowledge of arboriculture, unflagging perseverance, and selfless dedication to our industry. How do we recognize a potential candidate for this award? We consider many candidates and their long-term connections and history of commitment and dedication to trees, our industry, our organization, and our community. We also acknowledge their long-term involvement with the PTCA and PTCA events. Many of our early members provided valuable service with events like our Annual Seminar and Field Day.

How do we recognize a potential candidate for this award? It is not a popularity contest but a group of prior recipients who gather to discuss candidate qualifications.

We consider many candidates and their long-term connections and history of commitment and dedication to trees, our industry, our organization and our community. We acknowledge their long-term involvement with our organization and events and someone who supports our goals often with public participation but often without public recognition. Our choice this year is not afraid to do the many unsung tasks that ensure successful events. Some have said he is the ultimate ‘behind the scenes’ warrior or is that worrier? Forward-thinking and actively engaging. This is what every organization needs to meet its goals. His hard work and dedication has helped make the PTCA what it is today.

Our choice this year has been engaged in service to our community trees for many decades. And has been involved with the PTCA and its functions for almost the same period. Our selected individual is a tree service owner/ operator. He is an inspiration for service and is currently on the PTCA Board of Directors, but has also served as a past president and treasurer of our organization and has done several presentations at our monthly meetings and seminars. He is one of the key individuals who works behind the scenes to offer value to PTCA membership. He has been involved with this annual Seminar / Field day event longer than most of you have been members. The calm guidance he provides at meetings and events has allowed us to focus and move our organization forward in serving our tree care industry, and also our community.

For their consistent commitment to support and serve trees, the PTCA  and our local tree care industry, our selection committee has chosen, as this year’s recipient of the Bob Bichowsky Memorial Service Award ---

Mike Poffenberger

Congratulations, Mike and Thank You for support!

PAST RECIPIENTS

OCTOBER, 2021 - PTCA Receives CAUFC Excellence in Education Award 

Each year California Urban Forests Council presents their annual awards to deserving people and programs through out the state.  in 2021, Lissette Rios from West Coast Arborists, Inc. nominated PTCA in recognition of our annual program.   Lissette wrote, "The Professional Tree Care Association in San Diego was created in 1985 to improve the community's quality of life by making the urban forest safer through education and proper tree care. The PTCA ANNUAL SEMINAR & FIELD DAY is held every August, featuring industry experts bringing the latest research and information to San Diego's historic Balboa Park. Cosponsored by the Professional Tree Care Association of San Diego and the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, this is the best local opportunity to get information or training in the field of tree care." 

Co-Chairs Alden Pedersen and Mike Palat accepted the award on the PTCA's behalf during the CaUFC virtual conference in the fall of 2021.