News Release: April 27, 1998

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI – DAVID B. KATZ

For the first time since it’s founding, the Landscape Department of Suny Agricultural and Technical College at Cobleskill, New York, (a nationally recognized program) honored 10 distinguished alumni, in celebration of it’s 30th anniversary.

Among the first 10 honorees, (chosen from over 300) was David B. Katz, President of ELITE Landscaping Inc. based in Wappingers Falls, NY Distinguished Professor, Jack Ingels, who has taught at the college since the programs inception, presented the awards during the annual alumni banquet dinner. Sighting Mr. Katz for his exemplary entrepenuerism, honest, integrity and sucess in an already flooded market. Mr. Ingels went so far as to say that ”The market Mr. Katz covers, predominately Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam counties, didn’t need another landscape firm” when he founded his company. Professor Ingels said, ”when I first heard the name ELITE I thought it was arrogant and pompous”, but that Mr. Katz, through a proven track record of documented client satisfaction, and recognition in local and national publications, was a man whose picture should be in the dictionary next to the word Entrepreneur and Honesty.” He also said ” the name ELITE was well chosen and well earned.”

Joining Mr. Katz as recipients, were Richard Centolella, Landscape Architect and Associate Principal with the Countries most prestigious firm of Edward D. Stone Jr. and Associates, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., responsible for such sites as teh Miami Florida, site of Pope John Paul’s visit, The Atalntis Hotel & Resort, Paradise Island, Nassau Bahamas. // J. Glenn Eugster Policy Analyst, office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. // Cari Goetchens, Coordinator of Cultural Landscape Inventory Program, SW Region of The National Park Service, Atlanta, Georgia. // John Krieg, President Landscape Architect Natural effects, Palm Desert, Cal. // Gregg Mason President Mason’s Landscape contracting, Raleigh North Carolina. // Kevin Murphy, Vice President and Principal Designer Kean Landscaping, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. // Craig Sieber Princeton Branch Manager, The Brickman Groups Most profitable Branch, Princeton NJ The countries largest Landscape Firm Doing upwards of 80 million per annum. // Michael Stewart, President Control Environmental Services, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey a National Corporation. // David Linehan Principal Designer and Project Supervisor Girard Landscaping, Glens Falls, NY.