The Irrigation Association is excited to announce that Jack Buzzard, of Corona del Mar, California, has been named the recipient of the 2022 Industry Achievement Award. This award, sponsored by Hunter Industries, is the IA’s highest honor and recognizes an individual whose career demonstrates outstanding contributions to the advancement of the irrigation industry.
Jack Buzzard began working for Rain Bird in 1968 as an assistant controller, and by 1975, he had taken on the role of vice president and director of the Rain Bird International Strategic Business Unit. During his career Buzzard lived and worked in France, introducing Europe, and later parts of South America, to the concept of total, complete automatic irrigation systems as we know them today. Buzzard’s visionary, global approach and his steadfast support of training set the standard for other businesses to follow. His future-forward focus introduced irrigation into areas of the world that truly needed a faster, more efficient way to keep crops and landscapes healthy with less water.
Buzzard served as the president of the Irrigation Association in 1995 and was presented the Crawford Reid Memorial Award in 2004. He retired from his vice president role at Rain Bird International in 2006. His indelible imprint on Rain Bird and the irrigation industry itself is still felt to this day. Many say the irrigation industry looks like it does today due to his efforts.
