Special Recognition Award Recipients Announced at the 2024 PPA National Symposium

2024 Special Recognition Award winners banner | Perennial Plant Association

During the Perennial Plant Association’s (PPA) 2024 National Symposium in Asheville, NC, five perennial professional individuals or groups were honored for their exceptional contributions to the industry with Special Recognition Awards.

New in 2024, PPA announced a revised awards program designed to reflect the changes in the perennial plant industry, particularly the maturity of the sector overall, while recognizing the immense contributions individuals and companies continue to make to the industry.

This year’s awards and recipients are:

The Emerging Perennial Professional Award to David McKinney. This award may be given to a Perennial Plant Association member who is a talented and diligent newcomer to the perennial plant industry. David earned two undergraduate degrees in horticulture as well as a master’s degree from Colorado State University. He worked for the Denver Zoological Foundation as a horticulture specialist and is currently the Curator of Collections and Grounds at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens. He’s an active member of the Perennial Plant Association, serves on the local planning committee for PPA’s 2025 National Symposium, and was a Perennial Plant Foundation scholar in 2018.

The Perennial Service Award to Patty Steinhauser, owner of Stonehouse Nursery in Berrien Springs, MI. This award acknowledges a Perennial Plant Association member for outstanding service to the association. The Perennial Plant Association benefited greatly from Patty’s six years of board service, during which she provided wise counsel and enthusiasm for the association. A PPA member for decades, Patty unfailingly promotes PPA to potential members. As co-owner of Stonehouse Nursery, she’s actively participated in symposia and the trade show, supporting PPA and offering to help with logistics. She also continues to serve on the PPA Foundation board and has enthusiastically supported the foundation, even after stepping off the PPA board.

The Perennial Outreach and Education Award to Paul Pilon, Director of Growing at Opel Growers in Hudsonville, MI, and editor-at-large of the Perennial Pulse e-newsletter. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves by advancing perennial plants and the industry through education, advocacy, awareness, outreach, or promotion. Paul has been instrumental in helping raise the bar in perennial plant production through his consulting, speaking, and writing. His work to keep perennial growers informed through regular columns in Grower Talks and as a speaker at many industry events provides the timely subject matter expertise needed to achieve production success.

The Perennial Excellence Award to Jeff Epping. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves through their contributions, skills, and efforts related to herbaceous perennial plants and the perennial plant industry. Jeff is a longtime advocate and promoter of perennials through his garden designs and lectures. Over his 28 years at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, WI, Jeff developed several significant gravel gardens, which focus on perennial plants and promote an environmental and sustainable message.

The Directors Award to The Founders of the Perennial Plant Association. This award recognizes an individual or group who goes above and beyond in their support of the Perennial Plant Association and the broader perennial industry. In the summer of 1983, Dr. Steven Still, a young horticulture professor at The Ohio State University, saw a need for more information regarding perennials. Dr. Still sent out word of a conference to be held in Columbus, OH, which ended up hosting an impressive 250 attendees. An ad hoc committee of growers, which included Aine Busse, Jim Kyle, Jim Beam, and Pierre Bennerup donated money and cobbled together the PPA, with Dr. Still as Executive Director and Beam as President. PPA officially became a non-profit in 1984. Countless horticulture professionals have gained knowledge, colleagues, and friends through PPA’s National Symposium and other events over the past 40 years. Thirty-five outstanding perennial plants have received widespread recognition as Perennial Plants of the Year, furthering the industry’s and public’s knowledge of perennial plants. Future horticulture leaders have been introduced to and inspired by perennial plants thanks to the Perennial Plant Foundation’s scholarship program. Industry leaders from around the world have been celebrated through the Association’s annual awards.

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to the 2024 award recipients! To learn more about the recipients and the awards program please visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/2024SpecialRecognitionWinners