PPMA hosts inaugural Pioneer Awards

Back row, from left, are PPMA VP Marty Overline, President Keith Hamilton and President-Elect John Besic. Front row, from left, are PPMA Pioneer Award winners Fred Goldberg, Joseph Kahn and David Steiger. PHOTO: PPMA

At the recently held Pennsylvania Pest Management Association (PPMA) Annual Board Dinner, three members were presented with the inaugural Pioneer Awards.

The Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have unselfishly served the association and the pest management industry over a period of at least 10 years. It is a lifetime/career achievement award, and may be awarded to no more than three individuals in any one year. Along with a commemorative plaque, the award also confers Honorary Member status on its recipients. This award is dedicated to those who have served as pioneers in the field of pest control in Pennsylvania and have forged the way for continued growth today.

The recipients of the 2015 Pioneer Awards were Fred Goldberg, Joseph Kahn, BCE, and David Steiger.

Goldberg served in the U.S. Navy in Vector Control and received a bachelor’s of science degree in urban entomology from Purdue University. He served as a technical director and branch manager for a multi-branch interstate pest control company, and also developed technical training materials, which he presented at a variety of conferences and meetings.

Goldberg’s tenure with PPMA includes a broad range of service, including the founding of the Salino Scholarship Fund. He is a certified pesticide applicator in numerous states, starting and operating his own company in Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. He is also a past president of the Delaware Pest Control Association and a member of numerous entomological groups.

Kahn was born in Germany in 1932. He and his family moved to Nebraska in 1940. He received a bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture from Nebraska, and a master’s of science degree in entomology from Purdue. Kahn served in the U.S. Army and later worked for numerous pest management companies, eventually owning his own business.

Kahn is a member of the Entomological Society of America and a certified entomologist. He is a past regional director, committee member and committee chair for the National Pest Management Association. He was PPMA’s original appointment to the Governor’s Pesticide Advisory Board, and assisted in the development of the Pennsylvania Pesticide Act of 1974.

Steiger served in the U.S. Air Force and later received his bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Maryland. He is a former Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspector and Penn State instructor. He published works regarding entomology and government regulations, and has been active in PPMA, the Pennsylvania Vector Control Association and regulatory professional associations.

During his tenure with the PPMA, Steiger has served as a teacher, mentor and valuable resource. He also volunteers with The Insectarium in Philadelphia.

“Leadership to the organization comes in many forms,” says Keith Hamilton, PPMA president. “Often, pioneers in our industry are not only involved with this organization, but actively drive the industry forward through their dedication to their businesses, customers and employees.”