Jack Sustic

Jack is the Supervisory Museum Curator of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

Jack's interest in bonsai began in 1985 while serving in the U.S. Army with a tour of duty in Korea. Upon his return to the United States, he was stationed at Ft. McClellan in Alabama. Jack quickly realized that he needed to learn how to keep his bonsai alive, so he joined the Alabama Bonsai Society. In 1990, Jack was discharged from the Army and began studies in horticulture at Michigan State University.

In 1995, Jack became the Greenhouse/Nursery Manager of Riverbanks Zoo and Botanic Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. While in South Carolina, Jack served as president of the Bonsai Club of South Carolina. In 1996, he applied for and was selected as the first Intern at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. Since January 2002, Jack has been the Supervisory Curator at the Museum.

As Jack explains: "I have had the privilege of studying under some of bonsai's most accomplished masters. Most notably, Saburo Kato at Mansai-en, Japan, John Naka, Harry Hirao, Warren Hill and of course our greatest teacher, Nature herself."