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Kurt Bartel ’80 Announces His Retirement after 50 Years in Horticulture
Kurt Bartel ’80 Announces His Retirement after 50 Years in Horticulture
Kurt Bartel graduated from the UW in 1980 with degrees in horticulture and plant pathology. His adviser and mentor was Dr. Edward Hasselkus ’54, MS’58, PhD‘62.
Upon graduation Kurt accepted a position at the Milwaukee County Zoo as horticulturist and park supervisor. After nine years, he left the zoo to become production manager, VP of the maintenance department at David J. Frank Landscaping Inc.
Kurt is actively involved in educating others in the industry. He has given hundreds of lectures, seminars, and classes at home improvement expos, master gardener programs, universities, MATC, garden clubs, and the Mequon Recreation Department. In addition, Kurt has trained and helped hundreds of employees earn their Landscape Industry Certified Technician Certification, Pesticide Certification, CDL, and in other areas of horticulture.
After 50 years Kurt has announced his retirement. He recently received a gold award at both the state and national level for his work at Hilldale Shopping Center in Madison. And in March of this year, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association Hall of Fame.
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