2019 Advocacy Award Recipient

The 2019 Advocacy Award goes to Dick Pencek, emeritus teaching scholar at Pennsylvania State University. He found his way to preservation through his love of early American furniture, and over a career spanning five decades he has engaged in preservation education and advocacy for central Pennsylvania’s vernacular heritage. Outside of the classroom at Penn State, he also taught hands-on classes at Centre Furnace Mansion and other historic sites in the region, helping save numerous vernacular structures while teaching proper preservation techniques. His passion for preservation has touched generations of students and professionals in the field, and a recent celebration of Dick’s dedication and expertise drew 150 attendees. His sustained dedication has helped people from all walks of life appreciate the significance of vernacular architecture in Pennsylvania and the region.