The Chair's Award is presented by the current chairperson of the Board to recognize outstanding contributions to the Association.
Nominations for the Chair’s Award are made by the President and the Board of Directors of the TCIA. The recipient is honored at TCIA’s annual Winter Management Conference.
Current winner
2012 Chair’s Award goes to Mark Garvin
Kevin Caldwell outgoing TCIA Board chair, presented Mark Garvin, 16-year TCIA employee and current president and CEO, with the 2012 Chairman’s Award during WMC in St. Kitts in February. Following here are some of Caldwell’s comments made in presenting the award.
Mark was hired in February 1996 to be associate editor of TCI Magazine. (Peter Gerstenberger was editor at the time.)
Mark soon found out that small organizations have an expansive view of job descriptions. From going on the road to interview members, to writing his own hire announcement, Mark always stepped up for the assignment. Mark’s talents in producing marketing materials, helping to organize events, and providing positive PR soon showed through.
Before long, 10 years had passed and Mark took on the responsibilities of TCIA public policies and public relations, and by 2008 was promoted to chief program officer, so he could just do … pretty much everything.
His job description at the time read:
“In his new capacity, Mark will manage the Voice for Trees political action committee, the bi-annual Legislative Conference, grass-roots fundraising and implement TCIA’s legislative initiatives. He will also oversee production and content delivery of the online and print publications teams and direct the association’s public relations and industry partnership programs. As CPO, he will also lead the marketing for all TCIA programs, including membership, Accreditation, Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP), Partners Advancing Commercial Tree Care (PACT), Winter Management Conference, and TCI EXPO.”
Just look at that list of responsibilities!
In 2009, Cynthia Mills, long-time TCIA president, left and Mark stepped up as interim president, bringing on a new set of responsibilities. He was named president in October 2010. In 2012 he earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives, at which time the Board bestowed on him the title of president and CEO of the association.
It is my pleasure as one of my final acts in this position to present the 2012 Chair’s Award to Mark Garvin.
