About the Awardee
The Arnold Ricks Award is presented to an individual or organization in recognition of exceptional contributions to the Bennington community and Bennington Museum. This year we are pleased to honor our principal volunteer at the Regional History Room, Bob Tegart, who has been diligently culling, organizing, digitizing, and cataloging the genealogical library resources for the past several years. Additionally, he, along with a cohort of volunteers from the Bennington Historical Society, have used the resources of the library to assist scores of individuals from across the country with their inquiries into their family history.
Bob moved to Vermont about 6 years ago from Clinton, New York, where he was actively involved in history as Director of the Clinton Historical Society and Chair of the Clinton Historic Preservation Commission. Bob is currently President of the Bennington Historical Society and Administrator of the Bennington Museum Regional History Room. He also serves a commissioner on the Bennington Historic Preservation Commission. Bob studied history at the University of Rochester and the Graduate School at SUNY Geneseo. He and his wife, Beth, live on Elm Street in Bennington.
“Bob has provided outstanding leadership for both the Bennington Historical Society (BHS) and the Regional History Room (aka the Library). He is serving in his second year as President of the BHS, a program of the Bennington Museum. In that role he has arranged speakers for the popular, vibrant monthly series, presided over those gatherings, and chaired the monthly BHS board meeting. When the Museum was ready to reopen post-COVID, someone was needed to coordinate volunteers, manage and provide research support and think through reorganization of the large library collection. Bob enjoys a challenge and has history in his blood so it was no surprise that he stepped forward to fill these important roles for the RHR and Museum. As the RHR reopens in 2023, we are very fortunate to have Bob in his important leadership roles.”
~David Pilachowski, board member and former Interim Director of Bennington Museum |
