Meet the 2004 Distinguished Public Service
Award Winner

William G. Koch Sr.

William G. Koch Sr. (left) receives the 2004 DPSA from Bill Lazor, 2003-2004 PICPA president.

Giving back to the community is no one-time task for William G. Koch Sr. In fact, he’s been bettering the lives of others for nearly 50 years.

A half-century of public service
has been recognized by the PICPA, which presented Koch with the 2004 Distinguished Public Service Award (DPSA). The DPSA is the most prestigious PICPA award given annually to a member who demonstrates the goodwill of the CPA profession through public service activities that make a difference in the community.

Koch’s spirit of community service was established early on. “When I was a youngster at church, I was asked to help clean pipes – I was 13 years old,” Koch says. “It was rewarding to help the church, and I didn’t take any money for it. In high school, I volunteered for different class officer roles, and I was involved with the Boy Scouts. Both things helped mold me into serving the public.”

Koch has been a member of the PICPA since 1968, one year before he joined, and subsequently revitalized, the Historical Society of Berks County. He has also contributed his time and talents to many other nonprofit and community organizations, including Albright College, Berks Arts Council, Atonement Lutheran Church, South Mountain YMCA, Hawk Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America, United Way of Berks County, and the Berks County Conservancy.

Koch was able to apply his accounting expertise immediately upon joining the Historical Society of Berks County. “Within a week of looking over the records, I had to borrow $3,000 to meet the payroll,” Koch explained. “The banker asked me to personally guarantee the loan. From that day on, I decided this wasn’t going to happen again. I began strategic planning and, with the help of the community, quickly paid off that debt. After we got the debt paid, membership increased. Today, the endowment is up $1.5 million, and it is one of the largest historical societies in the state.”

Koch also became involved with Albright College, his alma mater, in the 1970s. Prior to becoming a member of the board of trustees in 1994, he spent many years on various committees at the private liberal arts college in Reading. Since then, he has worked with U.S. Rep. Tim Holden to help transfer ownership of a vacant armory building to Albright. After years of negotiations, the move is finally in the works. Plans are to have the property turned into an athletic field, which will benefit both Albright and Reading.

Koch believes that the arts are a crucial part of education. That belief led him to the Berks Arts Council, where he serves on the board of directors. Since 1992, he has helped raise the budget from $200,000 to more than $1 million and served as president from 1999 to 2001. Koch is the co-founder of the Berks Jazz Fest, which brought in $4 million to Berks County in 2003. “Art and music are a mood changer,” Koch says. “They give you time to sit back in quiet space and be able to reflect on yourself. It’s good for our mental health.”

Fittingly, Koch is the co-founder of Jazz Vespers Services at Atonement Lutheran Church, and he is the co-producer of the CD, Reflections – Jazz Vespers. All proceeds from the CD are given to the church.

The children in the community have also benefited from Koch’s good deeds. He is involved with the South Mountain YMCA and the Hawk Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts. The YMCA provides Berks County youth with a productive outlet during the summer months, and the Boy Scouts helps develop character, leadership, and responsibility.

Koch’s involvement with the United Way of Berks County has also made an impact. As head of the professional division in 1995 and 1996, he helped exceed organizational goals in enabling children and their families to live healthier and stronger lives.

Not to be forgotten, Koch has offered his knowledge of accounting and tax issues to the Berks County Conservancy. The organization strives to protect and enhance Berks County’s natural environment and foster an appreciation for the historical significance of the county.

Koch is both a dedicated public servant and a successful businessman. He is founder and president of William G. Koch and Associates, a public accounting firm in Wyomissing. He and his wife Robin live in Sinking Spring, and recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Koch has two children and five grandchildren. He is an avid sports fan, who enjoys gardening, sheep farming, and reading.