The Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund recently announced the 2026 recipient of its Ken Ottman Volunteer Award. Randall Miller, BCMA, was honored during a presentation at the 2026 International Society of Arboriculture Annual Conference in Detroit. 

Since 2007, the TREE Fund has given this award to an individual whose contributions to TREE Fund are exemplary. Named for its first recipient, whose dedication to TREE Fund’s programs set a standard for volunteering, it is the highest and only award TREE Fund gives out annually.

“Randy has been such an integral part of the growth of TREE Fund for so many years, and we are honored to be able to bestow this honor on him,” said David Gorden, TREE Fund Board Chair. “His passion for the research TREE Fund is able to fund and his advocacy for continuing to grow the knowledge of the industry is unmatched."

Miller has held many different volunteer positions on TREE Fund committees, including serving on the Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2021. Miller served as the Chair of the Liaison Committee and as the Liaison for the Utah Chapter of the ISA from 2018 to 2021.

Miller also served on the Grant and Scholarship Review Committee and has participated in the Tour des Trees 13 times, often continuing to fundraise in the years he is unable to ride.

Dr. Paul Putman, TREE Fund president and CEO, said it has been a pleasure to work with Randy over the years.

"His knowledge of the industry and his guidance have been invaluable to TREE Fund," he said. "He has played an important role in helping us understand and communicate the value of our work, enabling us to effectively share our story with both long-time supporters and those who are just learning about TREE Fund and its mission."

As the Director of Research and Development at Eocene Environmental Group and a member of the Board of Directors for the International Society of Arboriculture, Miller gives research presentations all over the world, often ending presentations with his signature request, “If every Certified Arborist donated $100 to TREE Fund, we could fully endow tree research for years to come.”

“Arboriculture has given me the opportunity to earn a living while contributing to the greater good through the care and preservation of trees," Miller said. "Because of that, it is important to me to give back through the TREE Fund. I am especially passionate about the scholarships the TREE Fund provides, which help educate, encourage and support the next generation of arborists to whom we will entrust tree care."