Eric Tschanz is the president and CEO of Powell Gardens in Kingsville, Missouri. What began for Tschanz as a summer job at Cox Arboretum in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a life-long career in public garden management. After graduating in 1977 with a Master's degree in Botanic Garden Management, he returned to Cox Arboretum as the horticultural superintendent. In 1982 he accepted the position as the first director of the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. He joined Powell Gardens in 1988, leading the organization through the installation of the Heartland Harvest Garden—the largest edible landscape in the country. Tschanz has been an active member of the American Public Gardens Association since 1985, serving on numerous professional committees and as a board member. In 1997 he became a member of the executive committee, serving as vice president and president. In 2010 he was honored by the American Horticultural Society with the 2010 Professional Award. He served as a Center management panelist in 2009.