Pasternak is the first-ever PGA professional to become General Manager of the 122-year-old club. Others honored in the 2018 PGA National Awards class include James Sieckmann of Shadow Ridge CC as Teacher of the Year, and Cameron Milton of Polson Bay GC and Marvol Barnard of Haven GC for Youth Player Development and Player Development awards, respectively.

Dan Pasternak, the PGA General Manager at Essex Fells (N.J.) Country Club, has been named the 65th recipient of the PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award. In winning the highest annual honor given to a PGA Golf Professional, Pasternak heads the 2018 PGA National Awards class for “qualities of leadership, strong moral character, and a substantial record of service” to the PGA and the game of golf overall.

As the first-ever PGA Professional to assume the role of General Manager at the 122-year old Essex Fells Country Club, Pasternak has enjoyed a distinguished 22-year career as a PGA Member. A selfless leader and mentor, Pasternak has guided more than 20 former assistants and colleagues to PGA Head Professional status. This is part of an unrelenting passion to ensure his fellow colleagues and young professionals are equipped with the tools needed to advance in their careers.

Pasternak has served as a New Jersey PGA Section Officer and on virtually every committee in the Section, as well as at the national level on the PGA of America’s Board of Directors.

James Sieckmann, a 23-year PGA Member in the Nebraska Section and the PGA Director of Instruction at The Golf Academy at Shadow Ridge Country Club in Omaha, Neb. is the recipient of the 2018 PGA Teacher of the Year Award for his “outstanding services as a golf teacher, innovator and coach.”

Pasternak and Sieckmann lead a group of 11 PGA Professionals and one PGA Section in winning the PGA of America’s 2018 National Awards. The majority of the awards will be presented on November  6th as part of the 2018 PGA Annual Meeting in Indian Wells, Calif.

The three PGA Merchandiser of the Year Awards will be presented during the 2019 PGA Magazine Merchandiser of the Year Conference prior to the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando next January.

The full list of recipients of the 2018 PGA of America National Awards include:

PGA Golf Professional of the Year

Dan Pasternak, PGA, Essex Fells (N.J.) Country Club

PGA Teacher of the Year

James Sieckmann, PGA, The Golf Academy at Shadow Ridge Country Club, Omaha, Neb.

PGA Youth Player Development Award

Cameron Milton, PGA, Polson Bay Golf Course, Polson, Mont.

Bill Strausbaugh Award

Cameron Doan, PGA, Preston Trail Golf Club, Dallas, Texas

Horton Smith Award

Joseph Hallett, PGA, Vanderbilt Legends Golf Club, Franklin, Tenn.

PGA Player Development Award

Marvol Barnard, PGA/LPGA, Haven Golf Club, Green Valley, Ariz.

Patriot Award

Ken Juhn, PGA, Terrace Hill Golf Center, Temple Terrace, Fla.

Deacon Palmer Award

Monty Elam, PGA, Whiteford Valley Golf Club, Ottawa Lake, Mich.

Herb Graffis Award

Colorado PGA Section

PGA Merchandiser of the Year (Private Facilities)

Nick Muller, PGA, Country Club of Lincoln (Neb.)

PGA Merchandiser of the Year (Public Facilities)

Mark Rashell, PGA, The Golf Club at Newcastle (Wash.)

PGA Merchandiser of the Year (Resort Facilities)

Erik Wilson, PGA, Fairmont Grand Golf Club, San Diego, Calif.

“The PGA of America National Awards winners represent the best of the best among our nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals,” said PGA President Paul Levy. “Their expertise and acumen for both the game and business of golf is so highly respected throughout the industry.

“Through their best practices and innovations in teaching, coaching, management, merchandising, growth-of-the-game initiatives, community and veterans outreach, and much more, they have earned the admiration of their peers,” Levy added. “Congratulations to this outstanding class of PGA Members who serve as consummate PGA Professionals.”