The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance Recognizes 2025 Award Winners at Annual Conference
At its annual conference in February, The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance (TPSA) presented several awards, including 2025 ‘Pizzy’ Award for Leadership in Product Stewardship-Private (Bart Clewis, Syngenta Crop Protection), 2025 Outstanding Member Award (Melissa Rosch, Office of Indiana State Chemist), and 2025 President’s Award (Scott Birchfield and Angie Martin).
Here’s a look at each winner:
2025 ‘Pizzy’ Award for Leadership in Product Stewardship-Private: Bart Clewis, Syngenta Crop Protection
TPSA presented the 2025 ‘Pizzy’ Award for Leadership in Product Stewardship-Private to Bart Clewis, Syngenta Crop Protection.
This award is named in honor of Steve Pizzitola who was an active TPSA member who worked tirelessly and was a leader in the field of product stewardship. This year’s recipient, Bart Clewis, clearly exemplifies this and is fully deserving of this recognition.
Among the activities that Bart is engaged in on behalf of Syngenta, includes being a part of 5 key company teams specifically to support the stewardship of active ingredients that are critical to growers’ ability to produce high yields and high-quality crops.
In addition, several of Syngenta’s key products, require a stewardship training program as part of their regulatory requirements. Bart has taken ownership and developed a training module for growers to allow the continued safe use of Tavium (contains active ingredients S-metolachlor and dicamba). Just in the 2024 use season, Bart has trained nearly 300 growers across 27 states as a result of his outreach.
Another product that requires training for workers/handlers that Bart has fulfilled this year was for the insecticide product, Avicta. This amounted to 43 handlers being fully trained on the use of this restricted use insecticide.
Lastly, at the request of US EPA and several state regulators/extension specialists, Bart developed a training webinar that was made available to growers to support their requirements to continue the safe use of paraquat-containing products. Bart not only developed the training program, he conducted bi-weekly training webinars including testing to insure complete understanding by applicators/growers following the training.
On a separate note, Bart also invests his time and energy in support of the NC 4-H program serving as a member of the Board of Directors as well as participating in events and activities associated with the 4-H.
Lastly, he also Chairs the Weed Science Society of America Public Release Committee. This is an extremely active team under WSSA which has led to the release of 30 press releases on a wide variety of topics that are important to the Society at large.
2025 Outstanding Member Award: Melissa Rosch, Office of Indiana State Chemist
TPSA presented the 2025 Outstanding Member Award to Melissa Rosch, Office of Indiana State Chemist. The award is presented to a TPSA member who has made significant contributions to the alliance and its growth.
Melissa understands service and is an individual who embodies the characteristics of leadership. She gives tirelessly of herself above and beyond what anyone would expect in terms of industry knowledge, service, encouragement, and inspiration. Collaboration and team spirit are second nature.
Melissa possesses courage and vision for something greater in her current role as a Pesticide Inspector at the Office of Indiana State Chemist.
She works to build compassionate, service-based leadership that nurtures our industry and can be seen at industry conferences such as TPSA and AAPCO meetings soaking in the latest knowledge, while hammering away on her laptop serving in some role to make our industry better, such as disseminating attendee survey results to conference speakers.
Melissa is team player who provides a lesson in honor, integrity, loyalty, respect, empathy, motivation, duty, and service. Her membership in TPSA for over six years set an example as she served on the planning committee, performed annual member surveys, and served on the Board of Directors as a member at large.
2025 President’s Award: Scott Birchfield and Angie Martin
TPSA President Jennifer Thomasen presented the President’s Award to Scott Birchfield, Syngenta Crop Protection, and Angie Martin, Heritage Environmental.
Birchfield has been a long time member of TPSA and served as the 2017 TPSA President. In addition, he works to recruit members, sponsors for the annual conference and helps with the Annual Conference program in moderating sessions, securing speakers or wherever needed. Scott is always willing to provide input and share his knowledge on any stewardship issue as well as TPSA’s role. Throughout his work with TPSA, as a mentor, or helping wherever needed, he recognizes the importance of pesticide stewardship.
Martin has also been a long-time member of TPSA and served as the 2022 President. Angie hosted the TPSA Board of Directors in 2022 and 2023 for their summer meeting at the Heritage headquarters in Indianapolis, IN; plus, she served as the conference chair for the ’25 annual conference and assisted with the planning for the 25th anniversary. She is dedicated to TPSA and provides assistance whenever asked.
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