THE ASPLUNDH TREE

Spring/Summer 2011
THE ASPLUNDH TREE
ARBOR DAY 2011
u At the 2011 Houston Arbor Day on
January 22, these folks from the Gene Blount
Region in Texas competed in a tree planting
contest and finished in second place! To mark
the 25th anniversary of being accredited by
the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA,
the City of Houston joined with the Texas
Forest Service, Texas Dept. of Transportation
(TXDoT) and the Houston Area Urban
Forestry Council to plant 25,000 trees that
day. In addition, TXDoT was celebrating the
planting of their one millionth tree in the state
of Texas. Close to 3,000 volunteers were on
hand to plant the trees. The timed competition
consisted of planting 100 trees correctly with only 11 volunteers. The Asplundh Team shown above
planted 100 trees in 50 minutes, 45 seconds! Back row (L to R): RSS Tim Cook, Foreperson
Agripin Urbina, Manager Gene Blount, Supervisor Jeff Vining and General Foreperson Marvin
Umanzor. Front row (L to R): Francisco Juarez (son of Permissions Person German Juarez next to
him), General Forepersons Gary Bourke, Jose Garcia and Sebastian Lagunas, and Foreperson
Romualdo Mondragon. The second place trophy was presented to the Asplundh Team by
Director of Houston Parks & Recreation Dept. Joe Turner and on April 29, National Arbor Day, State
Forester Tom Boggus gave additional recognition to the Asplundh Team.
t Employees at the Asplundh Home Office
in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania celebrated the
planting of a sturdy new white pine tree near
the flagpoles in front of the building on a
sunny, breezy National Arbor Day. Dozens of
workers gathered around the new memorial
garden built to honor the first and second
generation Asplundhs, which is near the new
tree, as President George Graham (L) gave
a little history of Arbor Day and stressed
the importance of enjoying the fresh air and
beauty that trees afford us. Participants in
the celebration also had a chance to win
North American Tree Identification Guides
and ‘Trees Are Good®’ ball caps from the ISA.
u Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has
received the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree
Line USA designation for more than 15
years in a row and the Asplundh folks
pictured here were proud to once again
play a part in helping the utility earn that
distinction. The city government, CSU, local
volunteers and Asplundh teamed up to
plant 21 trees along the Midland Trail
in the city’s America the Beautiful Park
on April 29. Shown at right are five of
Asplundh’s ISA Certified Arborists who
work for CSU (L to R): Foreperson David
Richardson, Trimmer Mark Crow, Job
Planner Johnny Hearlson, General Foreperson Rex Hilton and Foreperson Phillip Hardgrove.
THE
ASPLUNDH
TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Contents
Safety Success Is No Accident ...................1
Aerial Chemical Side Trimming:
The Results Are In .....................................3
Merit Awards .................................................4
Co-op Corner ...............................................5
In The Trees Of
Georgia’s Low Country ............................6
What’s Up Down Under ...........................8
Stormy Times ................................................9
New Product Review ................................10
Management Update ..................................11
Orchids .........................................................13
Service Anniversaries .................................19
Crews & News ............................................22
Retirees Honored ......................................28
In Memoriam ...............................................29
On The Cover
An Asplundh lift rumbles through the Spanish
moss-covered live oaks that line the entrance
to the Wormsloe Historic Site near Savannah,
Georgia. See pgs. 6-7 for more about the
McWhirter Region crews working in Georgia’s
Low Country. (photo by K. Wild)
Managing editor
Corporate Communications
Patti Chipman
Writer/Editor
Kristin Wild
Assistant Editor/
Graphics Specialist
Ronnie Gauker
Intern
Jessica D’Alonzo
The Asplundh TREE is a family magazine,
published twice a year for all employees and
friends of the Asplundh companies.
Asplundh welcomes requests to reprint or
otherwise duplicate this magazine, in whole
or in part. Please contact the Managing Editor
of Corporate Communications at the address
below for permission, or call 1-800-248-TREE
(in the U.S. or Canada).
©
2011 Asplundh Tree Expert Co.
Asplundh Tree Expert Co.
708 Blair Mill Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090
www.asplundh.com
Printed on recycled paper
Safety Success
Is No Accident
by Gil Niedenthal
Director and Corporate Safety Officer
INTRO TO HUMAN NATURE AND ERROR TRAPS
L
et’s take a few minutes
to really consider human
nature. Have you ever ...
• lost your place while reading
a book?
• written the wrong year on a
check in January?
• built or assembled something
only to find out you have to
rebuild it because there are
leftover parts?
When an incident occurs,
we often focus attention on the
individual and the errors he or she made. But that’s not the
only way to look at workplace incidents and human error.
Human error is natural. We all make mistakes. I know you
may say you don’t, but the fact of the matter is ... you do!
Predicting when errors will be made is difficult because of
human nature and the fact that we’re all different in how we act
or think. However, no matter who we are, we’re all exposed to
the same error traps. The ten most common are the following:
1. Distractions/interruptions — the worker loses focus on
the task at hand (e.g., sudden
noise or another employee
asking a question).
2. Change/off normal —
when a worker returns to a
job and the conditions have
changed or are not what the
worker initially expected.
3. First shift/late shift —
this could be the result of
working before or after a
long weekend or holiday. The
worker may not be in the
frame of mind or be physically
prepared to perform the task.
4. Mental stress — the
emotional factor that can
interfere with a worker’s
ability to perform a job safely.
5. Multiple tasks — workers
performing too many tasks at
once and becoming confused
or overloaded.
6. Overconfidence — the
worker believes he or she
can complete the job without
appropriate equipment,
knowledge, time, manpower
and planning.
7. Peer pressure — when an
employee feels a need to complete
a job a certain way (e.g., without
proper knowledge or without
help) because they are influenced
or appear to be influenced by
fellow employees.
8. Physical environment —
the work environment provides
hazards (slippery surface) that can
result in an undesired event.
9. Time pressure —
when workers are under an
unreasonable time deadline to
complete a job, leading
to shortcuts.
10. Vague/interpretive
guidance — when instructions
to complete an assignment are
unclear or miscommunicated,
resulting in a misunderstanding of
how to complete the task in a safe manner.
Knowing the ten most common error traps is good, but how
do you guard against them? There are many different types of
tools that can be used to address error traps. One technique
that works well can be remembered by the acronym STAR.
The meaning of each letter is shown below.
Stop — Pause and focus your attention on the task about to
be performed.
Think — Understand exactly what is required to complete the
job safely.
Act — Perform the action.
Review — Confirm that the expected results are obtained.
This technique, when discussed, understood and used by
employees and management, can help to prevent error traps
from occurring. Remember STAR so you can help reduce
human errors and improve the safety of yourself and others.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
1
safety Performance recognition
u RSS Greg Kulp and General Foreperson Doug Landis of
the Larry Gauger Region 23 in Pennsylvania are proud of the
six co-workers pictured here who proved this past winter that
First Aid/CPR training pays off. On a cold day in February,
a fellow crew member collapsed on the job, unresponsive.
Immediately, Trimmer Chuck Bacon (far L) called 911 and
Trimmer Doug Landis, Jr. (second from R) called his general
foreperson (his dad). Forepersons Tim Taylor (far R), Tim
Knepp and Mark Umphred, along with Trimmer Denise
Evans (second from L), checked for a pulse and breathing.
At first, the victim was not breathing, but a very faint pulse
was found at his neck. They made sure nothing was lodged in
his throat, but then the pulse faded away. The team immediately knew that CPR was the next step. However, where the victim
had collapsed, there wasn’t adequate room to properly perform the technique so the team carefully pulled him to a flat surface
nearby. Mark removed the victim’s coveralls and Tim (Taylor) repositioned his head. Suddenly, the victim took a big gasp of air
and opened his eyes. Relieved, Denise and Doug, Jr. provided a jacket and sweatshirt to keep their co-worker warm until EMS
arrived. The team also kept him in conversation to ensure he didn’t go unconscious again. Later, the crew found out that their
co-worker suffered a heart attack. Surgery was performed and the crew member is recovering nicely. Great teamwork and skills!
p Tim Knepp
p Mark Umphred
t RSS Greg Hallstein (R) and General Foreperson John
Devlin (L) of the Brian Fuge Region on Long Island, New
York congratulate Trimmer Steve Collazo (center) for
working incident-free in 2010 and winning a Cabela’s gift
card in the Corporate Safety Excellence Drawing.
u In the photo at right, General Foreperson Don Bossong (L)
presents a “Safety First” certificate of recognition to Trimmer
Leo Rodriguez (R) for receiving a positive Motorist
Observation Report about honoring the right-of-way. They all
work on the property of National Grid on Long Island.
t Vice President Dave Puckett (L) presented
Regional Trainer Denny Kyne (R) with a plaque
of appreciation for his hard work during 2010,
traveling throughout parts of West Virginia, Ohio and
Pennsylvania training employees on the proper way to
perform their work in the safest possible way.
u Supervisor John Belton (far R) presented General
Forepersons (L to R) Rusty McCumbee, Richard
Varner, Ernie Knotts and Brooke Sheeder with
plaques for their incident-free operations in 2010.
t At a Duke Energy annual safety orientation meeting on January 19, Apprentices Heath Goodrich (L) and
Travis Marshall (R) of the Barry Suddreth Region in North Carolina impressed Lee Pardue of Duke Energy
Vegetation Management when they had already memorized that, in the case of a spill, S-W-I-M stands for
Secure the area, Warn others, Inform Service Response and Monitor the area. They had also programmed
the spill contact number into their cell phones.
Thanks to the training provided by Asplundh and
Duke supervision, these men were able to easily
demonstrate their safety knowledge.
u Supervisor Carl Marcum of the Dave Sachs Region in Indiana challenged everyone in
his operation to work incident-free throughout 2010 and the reward would be a new pair of
boots. This group under General Foreperson Greg Gibson met the challenge and obviously,
the boots arrived just in time as the snow was falling and the temperatures were, too!
2
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
t During a safety meeting for distribution vegetation management crews
on the property of Entergy Mississippi in January, Foreperson Terry Arender
(third from L) of the Don Redden Region received an award for his crew’s
safety performance in 2010. Some heavy hitters were on hand for the
presentation, including (L to R): Director and Corporate Safety Officer Gil
Niedenthal, Sponsor/Vice President Steve Bostock, Sponsor/Vice President
Brent Asplundh, Robert Clark and Chris Moore of Entergy and Corporate
Safety Supervisor Todd Long. Thanks to RSS Gueth Braddock for sending
this in to honor the good safety behavior of employees he works with all year.
u Pictured here on stage in Topeka, Kansas in early January, Chief
Operating Officer Doug Sterbenz of Westar Energy personally delivered
the utility’s safety message to all contractor employees who work on their
system, including more than 280 Asplundh employees from the Mel Riley
Region in Kansas. The 2011 Westar Energy Safety Kick-Off Program
takes place in multiple locations throughout the state so that all contractor
employees are able to attend. The purpose of the program is to start the
New Year right by making sure that all employees on the Westar Energy
system, including contractors, understand that safety comes first and
foremost, no matter what your job is or who pays your wages!
Aerial Chemical Side Trimming:
The Results Are In
S
ummer is here and the time is
right for herbicide applications!
Aerial chemical side trimming
offers a highly efficient means of
controlling the growth of trees along
hard-to-access rights-of-way. The photos
at right show a Virginia right-of-way
during an aerial application in August 2010
and the results in May 2011.
Over the past year, Vice President Joe
Lentz of our Arborchem Products Division
has been working closely with Asplundh’s
aerial side trimming partner to tailor the
nozzle settings and formulas to achieve
the desired results for each right-of-way.
The benefits of this innovative vegetation
management tool are clear:
• ideal for difficult-to-access terrain
• long-term control
• no brush to clean up
• efficient, productive method
• excellent value for dollars spent
To learn more about aerial side
trimming, contact Vice President Brent
Asplundh at brent@asplundh.com or
joelentz@arborchem.com.
For three days last August, in the mountains
of Virginia, Supervisor Robbie Adkins of
the Larry Kirk Region and Vice President
Joe Lentz of Arborchem worked with our
helicopter partners to complete 20 miles
(both sides) of aerial chemical side trimming
along AEP distribution and transmission lines,
which had been pruned two years earlier.
This innovative growth control method aims
to reduce future vegetation management
costs for utilities with hundreds of miles of
difficult rights-of-way to manage each year.
Upon inspection in May 2011, it was clear
that the applications were on target and
effective in stopping the side growth of the
trees along the powerline corridor. Controlling
this growth will help to reduce the amount
of vegetation management work needed
during future pruning cycles. In addition, the
helicopter application took just three days to
do 20 miles in very hilly terrain. It would take
a mechanical side trimming crew significantly
longer, with more crew exposure to the
hazards of difficult terrain.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
3
Merit
A
Awards
splundh is fortunate to have
so many brave, helpful and
skilled employees, including
the eight found on this page whose good
deeds recently earned them Silver Merit
Award pins.
Silver Merit Award pins were presented by
Vice President Dave Sachs (far L) to Trimmer
Scott Mills (second from L) and Forepersons
A.J. Wilson (third from L), Tim Pace
(center) and Tim McDaniel (third from R)
for coming to the aid of a young man who was
hit by a car. Adding their congratulations were
Supervisor Dan Stubbs (second from R) and
General Foreperson Elijah Gilliam (far R).
Aid To Injured Cyclist
On the afternoon of July 7, 2010 a
developmentally-challenged young man
was riding his bicycle along State Route
25A near Wapakoneta, Ohio. He was
attempting to cross the road when he
was struck by a vehicle.
Working along an AEP line on a
nearby side road, Forepersons Tim
McDaniel, Tim Pace and A.J. Wilson,
and Trimmer Scott Mills of the Dave
Sachs Region heard the noise of the
collision and raced to the scene. Right
away, two employees provided first aid
to the young man who was conscious,
but scared, with minor visible injuries.
Tim Pace and Tim McDaniel controlled
traffic while Scott Mills dialed 911. The
crew remained at the scene until the
state highway patrol and EMTs arrived.
At an Entergy Quarterly Safety Advisory
Board Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana,
two Silver Merit Awards were presented to the
men who located a pipe bomb and responsibly
took action to maintain safety for themselves
and others. Pictured are (L to R): Sponsor/VP
Brent Asplundh, Manager Don Redden,
Foreperson Brent Athey, General Foreperson
Ray Felt, Jr., and Entergy T&D Vegetation
Manager Steve Hoover, Operations Coordinator
Ronnie Toney and T&D System Vegetation
Manager Chris Cooper.
Silver Merit Awards were presented to two
trimmers from the Joe Schneider Region
for helping an elderly man regain stable
breathing from an oxygen tank. Joining in
the presentation were (L to R): We Energies
Head Forester Ken Tenhagen, Vice President
Joe Schneider, Trimmer Jeff Steinert,
RSS Bob Kubacki, Trimmer Kevin
Schweizer, General Foreperson Tim
Guetzke, Supervisor Bob Livingston and
WE Energies Regional Forester Jeff Treu.
A witness of the accident wrote, “It
makes you feel good when you see that
there are still people out there [who]
are willing to help at any time.” We’re
proud of these guys, too!
Pipe Bomb Detection
On October 20, 2010 in Lake Charles,
Louisiana, General Foreperson Ray
Felt, Jr. of the Don Redden Region was
performing a Job Behavior Observation
of Foreperson Brent Athey and crew.
They were hand cutting around a fence
in advance of mowing along an Entergy
distribution line right near the airport.
To their shock and surprise, the
crew came across an unexploded pipe
bomb. They immediately stopped their
hand cutting work to contact the local
authorities and Entergy Operations
Coordinator Ronnie Toney. Very quickly,
the Louisiana State Police, Homeland
Security and a local fire department
arrived on the scene. A bomb squad
safely detonated the bomb.
4
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
In an e-mail to Manager Don Redden
from Entergy T&D Vegetation Manager
Steve Hoover, “You never know what
kind of hazards that you may encounter
... The hand cutting crew was following
proper protocol ... and was obviously very
observant of their surroundings.” Great job!
A Life-Saving Moment
Trimmers Kevin Schweizer and Jeff
Steinert of the Joe Schneider Region
were working for We Energies in
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin on
November 3, 2010 when they heard calls
for help coming from inside a nearby
home. Upon entering the home, they
saw an elderly man slouched in his chair
with an oxygen mask attached to his
face. His frantic wife told them that her
husband’s portable oxygen tank had run
out and she could not connect the tube
to the stationary tank.
Kevin and Jeff successfully disconnected
the portable tank and moved the man
closer to the stationary tank where they
were able to attach the tubing. The man’s
breathing was stabilized before the crew
returned to the work site. His wife was
especially grateful to the men who did not
hesitate to help her in her emergency.
Congratulations to all of these heroic men!
Co-OPCorner
F
rom aerial sawing and herbicide
applications to specialized
equipment and vehicle location
systems, our co-op customers are taking
advantage of many of Asplundh’s safe,
efficient and innovative services. Better
service reliability and public safety are
just some of the long-term benefits to
their members, as well as the co-op’s
bottom line!
One example of Asplundh’s service
focus is AVMS Live, a vehicle location
system that is available to utilities that
want to know where Asplundh crews
are working on their system at any time.
This recently came in handy to Sussex
Rural Electric Cooperative in New
Jersey where a rash of burglaries made
many co-op members suspicious of
anyone entering their property.
Sussex’s Engineering Representative
Brenda Myslinski was contaced by
several concerned members who
wanted to make sure that Asplundh
Pre-Planner Ron Kasisky, Jr. and crews
from the Pat Lamberton Region were
legitimate contractors. She immediately
consulted AVMS Live and was able to
reassure each member that Ron or his
crews were at the location in question.
This technology is also useful in
responding to storm emergencies, but
identifying Asplundh crews to reassure
co-op members is an extra-added value!
North Georgia Electric
Membership Corporation (NGEMC),
in the mountains of northwest Georgia,
maintains approximately 6,000 miles
of line serving 99,000 members.
Randy Skidmore, NGEMC Director of
Corporate Operations, recently sent
in this photo of Asplundh’s helicopter
partner in action, sawing overhang
along 18 line miles of their right-of-way.
With three major mountain crossings
and 75 percent of the 12.5 brush miles
requiring both sides to be trimmed,
Randy estimates that this work would
have taken a Jarraff, bucket and climbing
crew three months. With the aerial
saw, it took 17.5 hours of actual cutting
time! Asplundh crews from the Wilmer
McWhirter Region cleaned up brush
where necessary and also managed traffic
control along some of the roadways where
the aerial sawing took place.
Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative
provides electric energy to nine cooperatives
and several municipalities in Missouri.
Asplundh crews under Branch Manager
Scott Harmon are performing a variety of
herbicide applications on approximately
400 miles of Sho-Me’s transmission
right-of-way this year. From bareground
treatments in substations to high-volume
foliar and backpack basal applications,
these crews have been trained by our
Arborchem Products Division staff and have
all the tools to work safely and productively.
Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (CREC), based in Troy, Missouri, has nearly 3,000 miles of overhead power lines and strives to maintain a five-year
vegetation management cycle. These Asplundh crews from the Jim Winemiller Region will be working hard over the next four years to maintain that cycle safely and
efficiently for CREC and its 59,000+ members. As you can see above, they are well equipped with two 70-ft. lifts, six 55-ft. lifts, two split dumps for manual crews,
two Kershaw SkyTrims and two John Deere mowers. General Foreperson Jim Pecoraro oversees the Asplundh crews working on the CREC system.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
5
iN tHE tREES
oF gEORGIA’S lOW cOUNTRY
T
he coastal plains and barrier
islands of Georgia are part of a
beautiful region in the Southern
United States called the Low Country.
Live oaks, pines, palm trees, Spanish
moss and marsh grasses dominate the
landscape and the region has been a
popular vacation destination for more
than a century.
One of the largest and most historically
well-preserved cities in this region is
Savannah where Georgia Power serves
over 150,000 customers who like their
air conditioning and love their trees!
Southwest of Savannah, in the town of
Midway, the Coastal Electric Cooperative
serves approximately 14,600 members in
a four-county area. Not surprisingly, they
also expect reliable electricity!
In the historic section of Savannah, the
power lines often run along alleys or
lanes behind the homes. It can be a
tight fit for a bucket truck!
Here’s an example of directional pruning of live oaks
under Georgia Power conductors along a busy Savannah
thoroughfare. When large palm trees grow directly under the
lines, this method cannot be used and removal is necessary.
t An Asplundh ticket crew carefully prunes
a limb away from a 13kV Georgia Power line
that runs parallel to a spectacular 1.5 mile long
tunnel of 120-year-old live oaks, the Georgia
state tree, at the Wormsloe Historic Site just
outside of Savannah. The trees line a former
colonial road laid out by Captain Noble Jones
in 1740 and were planted in 1891 by his
great-great grandson W.J. Derenne.
Asplundh crews from the Wilmer
McWhirter Region manage vegetation
around the power lines of both utilities.
Let’s take a closer look at these diverse
operations in the Georgia Low Country.
The Beauty And
Challenge Of Savannah
Established in 1733 alongside the
Savannah River, this charming, historic
city is also a major international shipping
port and convention site. In fact, the
North American Tree Conference (a
joint meeting of the Utility Arborist
Association and the ISA Southern
Chapter) was held there in February.
u Working at the Wormsloe Historic Site were
(L to R): General Foreperson Bryan Crawford,
Journeyman Randy Butler, Foreperson Richard
Thompson and Georgia Power Forestry and
Right-of-Way Specialist Luke Penney.
One of Savannah’s main attractions
is the historic district where tree-lined
streets and more than 20 public squares
and parks create a beautiful canopy. Since
trees are a major selling point for the
city, it’s a challenge for Georgia Power
to maintain a safe distance between the
trees and their overhead power lines
without creating a major public outcry.
Although outages have been less
frequent in recent years and the system
is now on a three-year vegetation
management cycle, the amount of
trouble calls throughout the metro area
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The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Foreperson Henry Bailey (R) and
Trimmers Robert Steplight (L) and
Leanthony Morell (center) handle
trouble calls that require climbing for
Georgia Power in the Savannah area.
On Burnside Island near Savannah, Henry Bailey’s
crew cleans up after pruning vines and limbs away from a
Georgia Power line serving a small dock area and homes.
still creates a constant source of work
for two Asplundh crews on the system.
General Foreperson Bryan Crawford
and Ticket Checker William Pritts work
closely with Georgia Power Forestry and
Right-of-Way Specialist Luke Penney to
keep on top of the hot-spotting work.
Fortunately, a small, but highly
experienced and personable team of
employees has been handling ticket work
and storm emergencies in the four-county
Savannah area for many years. One bucket
crew is led by 30-year Savannah veteran
Foreperson Richard Thompson and the
climbing crew is led by Foreperson Henry
“Big Henry” Bailey, Jr. who has worked in
the area for 13 years.
Despite the heat, sand gnats, red
bugs, snakes and the occasional
over-protective homeowner, this team
just keeps on pruning and removing trees
from Georgia Power lines whenever the
need arises, day or night!
Keeping Members
Powered Up And Happy
Two years ago, Asplundh crews
began working on the Coastal Electric
Cooperative system which covers 573
square miles in one of the fastest growing
regions of the South. The co-op maintains
almost 1,500 miles of line in four counties,
including two barrier islands.
At the Coastal Electric Cooperative headquarters in
Midway, General Foreperson Charles Crosby (R)
pays a visit to Operations Manager Donald Carter
(center) and Line Supervisor Jake Horton (L) who are
responsible for maintaining the co-op’s vegetation
management cycle. Charles and his crews work
closely with these folks to address any member
concerns about tree work that may arise.
u Foreperson Richard Walker, who
first came to work for Asplundh in 1977,
oversees the work of Trimmers Murray
Thompson and Dylan Crosby as they
widen a Coastal Electric right-of-way to
accommodate a line upgrade. Richard
also serves as a training crew foreperson.
Vice President of Engineering and
Operations Chris Fettes described the
co-op as proactive—replacing many of
their wooden poles with steel ones and
working hard to maintain a four-year
vegetation management cycle. This is
where Asplundh has jumped in feet first
to keep the productivity high by using
mechanized side trimmers and mowers,
in addition to conventional lift and
climbing equipment.
General Foreperson Charles
Crosby, a 26-year Asplundh veteran,
works closely with Coastal Electric’s
Operations Manager Donald Carter and
Line Supervisor Jake Horton to keep
the Asplundh crews on track. Assisting
Charles are Coordinator/Forepersons
Ramsey Bacon and Ryan Crosby, who
handle any member concerns about
Asplundh’s operations and move
equipment or crews as needed.
As the afternoon sun sinks lower along
a rural Coastal Electric right-of-way,
Coordinator and Chipping Crew Foreperson
Ryan Crosby finishes chipping up tree
limbs with Crew Members Adam Lairsey
and Chris Johnson.
t Asplundh crews pump up the productivity
along a rural Coastal Electric right-of-way with
a Jarraff side-trimming machine and a Brown
brush cutter mounted on a John Deere tractor.
Foreperson David Love, a 28-year Asplundh
veteran, uses the brush cutter to grind up
the limbs that are cut by Jarraff Operator
Michael Conover.
Some of the challenges on Coastal
Electric’s system include the number
of palms and live oaks that can only
be pruned in a limited way due to the
member’s wishes. The co-op actually
relocates trees and poles when feasible.
Another problem can be swampy spots
where it’s difficult to avoid making ruts
with the mowing tractor or the Jarraff
side-trimming machine.
However, member complaints are down
this year and, thanks to efficient equipment
and crew compositions, the vegetation
management cycle is still on schedule.
Experienced Asplundh employees who
care about good customer service and
safety are a good fit with Coastal Electric
Cooperative and its membership base.
They are helping to keep Asplundh in the
trees of Georgia’s Low Country!
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
7
What’s Up
Down Under
I
t has been entirely too long since
we updated our readers on one of
our subsidiaries in the Southern
Hemisphere ... Asplundh Australia! With the
annual International Society of Arboriculture
Conference and Trade Show being held near
Sydney, Australia this summer, we decided
it’s time to get a fresh look at this hard-working
operation and some of its people.
Asplundh Australia (and Asplundh New
Zealand) Managing Director Carl Rogers
oversees a team of approximately 250
employees and subcontractors in Australia
who serve three leading electricity
companies in the state of New South
Wales—Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and
Essential Energy. Asplundh Australia crews
are also doing some corridor [right-of-way]
clearing work in the state of Queensland.
The subsidiary maintains a sizeable
fleet of standard and specialized utility
vegetation management equipment,
including two brand new Kershaw SkyTrim
telescopic side-trimming machines.
David has 16
years of national
and international
experience in a range
of business sectors
including energy,
finance and defense.
About a year ago, Asplundh Australia
brought aboard fresh management
expertise with the hiring of General
Manager of Australian Operations Greg
Fitzgerald and General Manager of
Strategy and Development David Zensea.
Greg Fitzgerald
Greg came to
Asplundh with 18
years of experience
with a major energy
distributor in New
South Wales, much
of it focused on
vegetation and
contract management.
As a fully qualified Electrical Fitter
Mechanic and Overhead Lineworker, he
holds a certificate in electrical engineering and
earned a Master of Business Administration
(MBA) with distinction in 2006. Greg’s
operational and management experience,
coupled with his knowledge of the utilities’
needs, are well suited to his role as the
subsidiary’s operations manager.
Specializing in
business strategy
development and
execution, David holds professional
qualifications in personnel management
from the Royal Military College and
has earned an MBA in international
marketing and project management.
His diverse background is useful as he
looks after new business and tenders
[bids], contract mobilization, process
improvements and technology.
David Zensea
In 2012, Asplundh Australia will celebrate
its 20 th year in business. We look forward
to hearing more about this subsidiary’s new
customers, employees, equipment and
accomplishments in the land ‘Down Under!’
t Two brand new Kershaw SkyTrim side-trimming machines were
recently added to the fleet in Australia. In the past, Asplundh Australia
has subcontracted for side-trimming machines and operators, but that
will be less necessary now that these units have arrived. The subsidiary
has become a trusted contractor in Australia by having highly-efficient
equipment like this, along with skilled employees and internationally
recognized certifications. These include ISO 9001 Quality Management
Systems, ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems and AS/NZS
4801 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
u Asplundh Australia climbers under Contract
Manager Scott McSweeney used every
ounce of skill and determination to reclaim the
easement for this Ausgrid line near Tumbi Umbi
in the Central Coast Region. Fighting tropical
heat and leeches, they also had to carefully leave
numerous tall trunks to be used as landing and
launching pads for the endangered yellow-bellied
gliders, a species similar to a flying squirrel.
u In a rural area of the Ausgrid system in New South Wales, an Asplundh Australia crew works
over a high voltage line in outage conditions, using a 19-metre tower [62-foot aerial lift].
8
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
StormyTimes
T
he first six months of 2011
had no shortage of storms,
including blizzards, wind, ice
and the deadliest tornado season since
1953. While Asplundh’s storm responses
were frequent, the vast majority of
them were handled by our crews within
the affected region. Only a few required
moving more than 50 crews into a
storm-afflicted area.
The massive tornado outbreaks in late
April, which killed over 340 people in
Alabama alone and caused widespread
destruction of homes and businesses,
required the movement of almost 120
crews. Three nearby regions sent 65
crews for up to ten days to assist Alabama
Power and the Rickey Bailey Region
in clearing debris and restoring power
where there were still houses to receive
it. Thirteen additional crews were sent to
assist Chattanooga Electric Power Board
in Tennessee and North Georgia Electric
Membership Corporation.
Entergy, in Arkansas especially, also
called in added support from Asplundh
crews after the tornado outbreaks from
April 25-28. Approximately 40 crews
travelled from Oklahoma, Texas and
Louisiana for eight days to assist Entergy
in removing storm damaged trees and
restoring power.
u Late January and early February brought
blizzard conditions and ice to many areas from
the Midwest to the Middle Atlantic states. At
right, a crew from the Tom McDonnell Region
prepares to remove a snow-laden pine from a
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative line.
t From April 14-16, at least 200 confirmed
tornadoes across 16 states caused severe
destruction and 38 deaths. At left is a crew
under RSS Jody Messick removing toppled
trees from a Dominion Virginia Power line near
Gloucester, Virginia.
u A massive tornado outbreak April 25-28 saw
a total of 335 tornadoes confirmed in 21 states
from Texas to New York. On April 27, General
Foreperson Joey Parrish of the Rickey Bailey
Region took this photo of a fearsome tornado
from inside a building in Rainsville, Alabama. On
that day, Alabama suffered 344 tornado deaths.
t After the April 27 tornadoes, our ArborMetrics
Solutions subsidiary supplied 25 damage
evaluation teams in addition to the 70 Asplundh
crews who were sent to assist Alabama Power,
North Georgia Electric Membership Corp. and
Chattanooga Electric Power Board in Tennessee.
Thankfully, everyone returned home
safely, but we can’t let down our guard
because the summer thunderstorm and
hurricane season is now upon us!
u In Gadsen, Alabama, trees stripped of leaves
made a tragic backdrop for a broken Alabama
Power pole. This scene is almost nothing
compared to the miles and miles of rubble from
people’s homes and businesses after the
deadly tornado outbreak of April 27.
p A broken Alabama Power utility pole sits
lodged among the debris of exploded homes
and shredded trees in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
after the April 27 tornado outbreak. Supervisor
Jeff Findley of the Rickey Bailey Region
took this photo as he surveyed damage and
mobilized crews where power could be restored.
t After eight days of tornado clean-up in
Arkansas for Entergy, the tired, but safe crews
of General Forepersons Roberto Nieto and
Arturo Soto from the Robert Coffman Region
prepared to return to Oklahoma on May 5.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
9
N
E
W
product
Review
Two national account Items In high demand
Polaris’ Ranger 800 XP ATV / utility vehicle is designed for easy and
efficient off-road transportation. It is equipped with a 50 horsepower,
760cc twin-cylinder EFI engine. The smooth, independent rear suspension
and dual A-Arm front suspension systems allow for greater handling on a
variety of terrains. The Ranger ATV also comes with optional Electronic
Power Steering (EPS).
Other features of the Polaris Ranger 800 XP include:
• 2,000 lb. (907.2 kg) towing capacity
• 1,500 lb. (680.4 kg) payload capacity
• 1,000 lb. (453.6 kg) rear cargo box
Polaris also offers National Account users like Asplundh a one-year
warranty, nationwide customer support and discounted pricing. To learn
more about the Polaris National Account, Asplundh employees may
contact Purchasing Agent Rob Allen (rallen123@asplundh.com) at the Home
Office in Willow Grove.
More information about the Polaris Ranger 800 XP ATV can be
found at www.polarisnationalaccounts.com. You may also e-mail Polaris
at national.accounts@polarisind.com or call toll-free 866-778-3724.
The JUSTRITE AccuFlow TM Type II safety can is a new product from Grainger that
allows for fast, precision pouring that is safe and easy to use. The cans are available
in 2.5 or 5 gallon capacities and they have a 9-inch flexible hose. The leakproof,
self-closing lid vents automatically. An ergonomic lift lever is great for easy filling and
the air displacement vent allows for smooth liquid flow. The silver handle has a
Safe-Squeeze ® trigger that allows controlled pouring as well.
The JUSTRITE AccuFlow TM Type II safety can is available through the Asplundh
Distribution Center. Complete the EQ-6 “Tool and Supply” order form and forward it
to purchasing@asplundh.com for processing.
More information about the AccuFlow TM safety can can be found on JUSTRITE’s web
site at www.justritemfg.com or call toll-free at 800-798-9250.
Stainless Steel Flame Arrester
• Precision screen stops flashback
ignition to reduce fire risks
• Superior chemical resistance and
corrosion protection
• Long length for safe insertion of
gas nozzle
• Faster and more controlled
liquid flow
10
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Large ID Zone
• Identifying
contents
reduces
misuse or
incompatible
mixtures
AccuFlow TM Innovative Manifold
• Quick-open fill port with
ergonomic lift lever for
easy filling
• Auto venting protects against
pressure build-up
ManagementUpdate
nEWmANAGERS
Blair Brassard, former senior safety
supervisor in Canada, was promoted to
manager of Asplundh Canada ULC in
the province of Ontario in December
2010. The Brassard Region is sponsored
by Senior Vice President Brent Asplundh.
A native of Ontario, Blair joined Asplundh
as a corporate safety supervisor in
June 2007 with 10 years of vegetation
management experience, most recently
as a division manager. As an Asplundh Canada ULC manager, he is
currently responsible for overseeing tree crews working for various
investor-owned electric utilities and municipal accounts throughout
the province. Blair studied business marketing at Canadore College
in North Bay, Ontario and is a member of the ISA and the Electrical
Distribution Association of Ontario.
Chris Hein joined the company in
March as assistant general counsel under
Vice President and General Counsel Phil
Tatoian in the Home Office in Willow
Grove, Pennsylvania.
Chris brings to the company more than 25
years of corporate law expertise, the past
10 of which were with PJM Interconnection,
LLC in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He is
working with Phil in the management of
the legal affairs of Asplundh and its subsidiaries. Chris was admitted
to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1985. He earned his juris doctor degree
from New York University School of Law in New York City, New York
and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple
University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Chris also served four years in
the U.S. Navy before college.
John McNamee, Director of
Corporate Strategy, assumed additional
responsibilities in April for the Asplundh
Municipal and Technical Services Divisions
in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. He reports
directly to President George Graham.
John joined the company in July 2009 with
25 years of both utility and contractor
experience in the electric utility industry.
A graduate of Drexel University in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical
engineering and gained a wealth of knowledge from various positions
in operations, engineering and management with PECO Energy. In
1998, John moved to the contractor side and now uses his experience
for strategic business development, marketing management and
project mobilization for both Asplundh and UtiliCon operations.
Phil Bertolotti joined Asplundh in
March as the manager of Information
Technology (IT) Technical Services, based
in the Home Office in Willow Grove,
Pennsylvania. He reports directly to Chief
Information Officer George Gunther.
A native Pennsylvanian, Phil brings to the
company more than 13 years of experience
in managing networks, workstations,
operating systems, applications and
databases for major corporations in the Philadelphia area. As
Asplundh’s Manager of IT Technical Services, he is responsible for
overseeing data center infrastructure, data network and security, client
management and the service desk. He earned a master’s degree
in information systems and a bachelor’s degree in general arts and
sciences from The Pennsylvania State University.
NEWSUPERVISORsINTHEFIELD
Paul Arno, former general foreperson in
Greg Bath, former general foreperson,
Almost 22 years ago, Paul started out on
an Asplundh tree crew in New Hampshire.
Within two years, he was a foreperson
and in 1998, he was promoted to
general foreperson under then Supervisor
Gary Shelto. Paul is a 1999 graduate of ASTP and his supervisory
responsibilities now include overseeing Asplundh distribution tree crews
working on the property of Public Service New Hampshire and various
cooperative and telecommunications accounts in the state. He is
studying for the ISA Certified Arborist exam.
Greg joined the company as a general
foreperson in 2001 when Asplundh
acquired the line clearance operations
of Bartlett Tree Experts. He had been
employed there for almost 18 years. As a
supervisor, Greg is responsible for overseeing Asplundh crews working
on the property of Unitil in southern New Hampshire and parts of
Massachusetts, as well as New Hampshire Electric Cooperative and
Public Service of New Hampshire. He has been an ISA Certified
Arborist since 1993 and holds a supervisory-level pesticide license.
the Gary Shelto Region in New Hampshire,
advanced to supervisor there in March.
Senior Vice President Matt Asplundh
sponsors the Shelto Region.
was promoted to supervisor in the Gary
Shelto Region in New Hampshire in
March. The Shelto Region is sponsored by
Senior Vice President Matt Asplundh.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
11
NEWSUPERVISORsINTHEFIELD
Clyde Davis, former general foreperson
in Michigan under Manager Ray Schneider,
was promoted to supervisor there in March.
Senior Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr.
sponsors the Schneider Region.
In 1996, Clyde joined an Asplundh tree
crew in his home state of Michigan as
a foreperson because he had 10 years
of prior tree service experience. In
May 2001, Clyde advanced to general
foreperson and he graduated from ASTP in December 2002. His
supervisory responsibilities include overseeing Asplundh bucket, manual,
mowing and side-trimming crews working for various cooperatives,
municipalities and pipelines in southern Michigan and northern Ohio.
Todd Hagenbuch joined the
Arborchem Products Division of Asplundh
as a vegetation management specialist
under Vice President Joe Lentz in October
2010. Senior Vice President Steven
Asplundh sponsors the Arborchem Division.
Todd brings to Arborchem over 16 years of
experience in the vegetation management
industry and has extensive knowledge of all
the herbicide products used for utility
right-of-way (ROW) management today. As a member of the
Arborchem team, he provides training and technical support to
Asplundh operations and a variety of ROW management customers.
Todd holds a bachelor’s degree in forest science from The Pennsylvania
State University and is a Pennsylvania licensed pesticide applicator.
Jake Kitzmiller, former general
foreperson in Texas, advanced to supervisor
under Manager Jerry Kensinger in
September 2010. Senior Vice President Matt
Asplundh sponsors the Kensinger Region.
A 22-year Asplundh veteran, Jake joined a tree
crew in his native state of Maryland where he
rose to the rank of general foreperson in 1994.
The following year, he transferred to Texas
where he has lived ever since. As a supervisor,
Jake is responsible for overseeing Asplundh crews on the property of
AEP / SWEPCO in parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, as well as
pipeline and municipal accounts. He is a Texas licensed commercial
pesticide applicator and is studying for the ISA Certified Arborist exam.
Ricardo Mancera, former general
foreperson in northern Illinois under
Manager Larry Gauger, was promoted to
supervisor in September 2010. CEO Scott
Asplundh sponsors the Gauger Regions in
Illinois and Pennsylvania.
With two years of prior tree service
experience, Ricardo came to work for
Asplundh in the Chicago, Illinois area in
12
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
May 2001. He advanced through the ranks to general foreperson in
2006 and graduated from ASTP in July of the following year. In June
2010, Ricardo transferred to the Gauger Region in Pennsylvania where
he advanced to supervisor. However, in February he was called back to
Illinois to assume supervisor responsibilities for Asplundh crews in the
southwest area of ComEd.
Jeff Nichols, former general
foreperson in the western Carolinas,
advanced to supervisor under Vice
President Barry Suddreth in February. The
Suddreth Region is sponsored by Senior
Vice President Gregg Asplundh.
Following in the footsteps of his father,
retired Supervisor Gerald Nichols, Jeff joined
an Asplundh crew in North Carolina in 1981.
He gained experience in all types of manual
and mechanical vegetation management and became a general
foreperson in 1992. Jeff’s supervisory responsibilities cover Asplundh
operations in the Central East and Central West areas of Duke Energy,
as well as some cooperative and municipal accounts in North and South
Carolina. He is a 1994 graduate of ASTP and an ISA Certified Arborist.
Dave Robinson, former general
foreperson in Ohio and West Virginia,
was promoted to supervisor under Vice
President Dave Puckett in October 2010.
Senior Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr.
sponsors the Puckett Region.
Dave came to work for Asplundh in his
home state of West Virginia in 1986.
He learned the ropes (and a variety of
machines) as he rose through the ranks to
general foreperson in 1994. As an Asplundh supervisor, Dave oversees
bucket, climbing, side-trimming and spray crews working on the
properties of several rural electric cooperatives in southern Ohio. He
is a certified First Aid/CPR instructor, licensed herbicide applicator in
Ohio and West Virginia, and a 2003 graduate of ASTP.
Mark Turner, former Senior Corporate
Safety Supervisor, advanced to supervisor
in the Northeastern U.S. under Asplundh
Brush Control (ABC) Manager Bob Ray in
November 2010. Sponsor/Vice President
Larry Moore sponsors the Ray Region of ABC.
A native of Maine, Mark joined an Asplundh
crew in 1991 in nearby New Hampshire.
Within a year he had learned enough
to be a foreperson and by 1997, he was
promoted to general foreperson. In 2004, Mark advanced to regional
safety superintendent for the Shelto Region, and he hit the road as a
corporate safety supervisor the following year. For ABC, his supervisory
responsibilities are currently focused on a 400-mile long right-of-way
reclamation and expansion project for Central Maine Power.
Management Update continues on page 21
Orchids
Letters and telephone calls were received complimenting the following forepersons and their
crews working on the property of the utility or organization listed below the employees’ names.
This listing covers all Orchids that were received in the Corporate Communications Department
between October 31, 2010 and May 20, 2011. For their outstanding job performance or special
volunteer efforts, we say ...
Thank you and congratulations!
ALABAMA
Jonathan Bentley, Ronny
Duke and Mark Smith,
Journeyman Jesse San
Miguel and Groundpersons
Anthony Atherton, Josh
Barrett, T.J. Guy and
Zack Moore,
Decatur Utilities
General Foreperson
Michael Carden,
Forepersons Mark Lambert
and Larry Leviner, and
Trimmers Jon Arthur,
Josh Graham and
Gregory Smith,
Huntsville Utilities
Mark Smith and
Groundperson T.J. Guy,
Decatur Utilities
alberta
General Foreperson Jeff
Deuschle, Foreperson Clinton
Lusty and Groundperson
Matthew McLean,
City of Lethbridge
ARIZONA
Ismael Garcia, Trimmer
Jaime Venzor and Permissions
Person Greg Kahler,
Salt River Project
RSS Alex Teran, General
Foreperson Dave Brower,
Forepersons Lorenzo
Benitez, Ismael Garcia,
Kenneth Knight and Alfredo
Nunez, and Trimmers
Gabriel Chavez and Alfredo
Lares, for volunteering their
time to prune palm trees
surrounding the Marcos de
Niza High School football field
in Tempe to the make the area
safer for the students, faculty
and community,
Salt River Project
ARKANSAS
James Travis and
Journeyman Quinte
Sproling, for coming to the
aid of an elderly woman who
collapsed in her driveway,
Jonesboro City Water & Light
Australia
Contract Manager Scott
McSweeney, Team Leader
Machinery and Plant
Greg Duggan, Team
Leader Heath Kelly, Team
Leader / Tower Operator
Ben Reid, Climber and
Tower Operators David
Objadin and Blake Sippel,
and Tower Operator David
Mar, for their professional,
efficient work and excellent
communication skills with
home owners,
Ausgrid
(five letters were received)
From a letter to Utility Tree Service in Redding, California,
regarding Foreperson Jacob Brownlee and Apprentice Julio
Castrejon from the Pete Sparacio Region:
“... Mr. Julio Castrejon and Mr. Jacob Brownlee most
effectively and professionally cut, trimmed and cleaned the area
of a tree they cut down to prevent it from hitting power lines in
front of our home. ... We want to thank both your company and
PG&E for solving a potentially dangerous situation before it could
affect the entire community.”
M.J. and Deanna Manganiello
Team Leaders Jamie Morgan
and Matthew Robson, and
Climbers Xavier Kay and
Paul Kohlhagen,
Essential Energy
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Mike Ferrier, Climber Joe
Palmer and Apprentice
Kyle Temple,
BC Hydro
General Foreperson
Steve Later, Forepersons
Rod Damon and Daryl
Pietrzykowski, and
Groundperson Cody Ranger,
BC Hydro
Marty Lundy, for using his
excellent customer service skills
to correct a situation with an
unhappy home owner,
BC Hydro
Roben Rudichuk, Climber
Damian Howard,
Apprentice Wes Deugua
and Faller Al Howard,
FortisBC
CALIFORNIA
Utility Tree Service
Foreperson Jacob Brownlee
and Apprentice
Julio Castrejon,
Pacific Gas & Electric
Utility Tree Service
Forepersons Jacob Brownlee
and Emilio Pinedo, and
Apprentices Julio Castrejon
and Jose Morales,
Pacific Gas & Electric
General Foreperson
Adrian Genesta,
San Diego Gas & Electric
General Foreperson
Ken Peters and Crew, for
volunteering to prune trees near
the Women’s Improvement
Club of Calexico,
Imperial Irrigation District
General Foreperson Dennis
Sweeney, Forepersons
Shawn Barrett and Logovii
Sialoi, and Crews,
San Diego Gas & Electric
COLORADO
General Foreperson Jimmy
Babb, Foreperson Dave
Padilla and Crews,
Black Hills Utility Holdings
Sergio Peralta, Journeyman
Francisco Gaspar and
Groundperson Juan Ornelas,
Xcel Energy
CONNECTICUT
Railroad Division
Foreperson Tom
Greenwald, Trimmer
Miguel Tamarez and
Groundperson Juan Merida,
Amtrak
From a letter to the Amtrak Railroad Station regarding the work of
Asplundh Railroad Division Foreperson Tom Greenwald, Trimmer
Miguel Tamarez and Groundperson Juan Merida at the Pelatiah
Leete, III house in Guilford, Connecticut:
“It gives me great pleasure to write you this letter as it provides me
with the opportunity to make you aware of the extraordinary level of
professionalism and dedication to their jobs ... I have observed. ... We
are grateful for all of the good that these individuals did on our behalf.
They helped to save and protect a piece of our history in doing so.”
Robert Vavasour
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
13
Orchids – October 31, 2010 through May 20, 2011
DELAWARE
General Foreperson
Derek Nichols,
Delmarva Power
FLORIDA
General Foreperson Francis
Chase, Forepersons James
Chase and Juan Fernandez,
and Trimmers Richard
Badger, Merced Castillo and
Roberto Contreras,
Florida Power & Light
General Forepersons
Francis Chase and Robert
Oen, Planner Greg
Pearson, Forepersons Larry
Graham, Jean Malbranche,
Miguel Orduna, Crisanto
Sanchez, Journeymen
Fermin Casto and Daniel
Jecrois, and Apprentice
Hector Figueroa on our
outsourcing project in NH,
for improving public safety at the
McKelvie Intermediate School
in Bedford by removing and
chipping dead limbs from the
trees on the schoolgrounds,
Public Service Co. of NH
General Forepersons Jose
Luis Lopez and Eline Noel,
and Crews,
Florida Power & Light
Michael McGurer and
Journeyman Ruben Ortega,
Florida Power & Light
General Foreperson Pedro
Perez, Foreperson Kevin
Reardon, Journeyman
Carlos Zambrano and
Groundperson Juan Andino,
Florida Power & Light
ArborMetrics Solutions
Permissions Person Sergio
Romero and Asplundh
General Foreperson Rick
Hilliard, Foreperson Phillip
Pons, Journeyman Chester
Smith and Groundpersons
Rick Burkhalter and
Nathan Pons,
Clay Electric Cooperative
ILLINOIS
Mike Coers, Jess Roberson
and Dave Rodman, and
Trimmers Zach Sloan and
Dave Winters,
MidAmerican Energy
Crew Leader Jim
Eisenmenger and Trimmer
Ed Wilkinson,
Batavia Municipal Electric Utility
Crew Leader Jim
Eisenmenger and Trimmer
Ed Wilkinson,
ComEd
Railroad Division RSS Dave
Ellifritz, Foreperson Jim
Temple and Trimmers Edri
Morales and David Oliver,
Metra
Melvin Raygor and Trimmer
Robert Munday,
MidAmerican Energy
INDIANA
Supervisor Roger Hinton,
General Foreperson
Bryan Davis, Foreperson
Brian Thompson and
Groundperson Josh Fish,
Utilities District of Western
Indiana R.E.M.C.
Rob Philipsen and Trimmer
Ryan Beals,
MidAmerican Energy
General Foreperson Rick
Sizemore and Crews,
Duke Energy
Brandon Rodasky and
Trimmer Billy Walker,
MidAmerican Energy
IOWA
Jason Ahlf and Crew,
MidAmerican Energy
Popiel Battin and Trimmer
Josh Hodson,
MidAmerican Energy
Dana Blatchford and Kelvin
Cooper, Trimmer William
Thompson, Apprentice
Colten Kelsheimer and
Permissions Person
Jason Waugh,
MidAmerican Energy
Kelvin Cooper and Apprentice
Colten Kelsheimer,
MidAmerican Energy
Planner Terry Hughes and
Foreperson Jim Black, for
helping a woman get her stuck
vehicle out of eight inches of snow,
MidAmerican Energy
General Foreperson Gabe
Jones, Foreperson Corey
Campbell and Trimmer
Jeff Cates,
MidAmerican Energy
Ryan Lewis and Trimmers
Tim McCreery and
Nick Miller,
MidAmerican Energy
Bill Olson and Trimmer
Larry Peterson, for retrieving
a cat from a tree,
MidAmerican Energy
Brandon Sutton and Crew,
MidAmerican Energy
KANSAS
General Foreperson Herb
Babb, Foreperson Chris
Rice and Groundperson
Daylan Mzhickteno,
Kaw Valley Electric Cooperative
General Foreperson Kyle
Baur, Forepersons Warren
Day and Joseph Miller,
and Crews,
Kansas City BPU
Adam Stauffer and
Trimmers Anthony Burge
and Shawn Griffith,
Westar Energy
General Foreperson Jesse
Villalobos and Crew,
Westar Energy
General Foreperson John
Wright, Forepersons Aaron
Fullerton and Jose Garcia,
and Crews,
Westar Energy
KENTUCKY
Permissions Persons Danny
Lester and Roco Pascarella,
for persuading two men against
using a metal ladder to reach
tree limbs near a 7200V line,
AEP / Kentucky Power
From an e-mail to Clay Electric Cooperative regarding General
Foreperson Rick Hilliard, Foreperson Philip Pons and crew, along
with ArborMetrics Solutions Permissions Person Sergio Romero:
From an e-mail to PEPCO Senior Staff Forester Dan Landry in
Maryland, regarding Foreperson Celso Saul Bonilla, Journeyman
Jose Alvarez and Groundperson Julio Sorto:
“ [I] want to express my thanks for the super job your contractors
did in our neighborhood. ... You know it is hard to lose trees that
have been around for so long (though we know it has to be done),
and your folks have a wonderful way of making the whole process
easier for residents. You and your teams are to be commended
and I thank you.”
Judy Harris
“I want to compliment your men who removed the tree from
my yard. ... They were very professional and extremely careful in
removing the tree, which was surrounded by the electrical lines, pole
and another large tree. ... I work as a consultant in the health, safety
and environmental professions for a large manufacturing corporation,
and I was impressed by their teamwork and safe work practices.”
June Bolstridge
14
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Orchids – October 31, 2010 through May 20, 2011
MAINE
Trimmer Troy Billings and
Groundperson Chris Richards,
Central Maine Power Co.
Roger Lister and
Groundpersons Chris Bann
and Phillip Hopkins,
Central Maine Power Co.
MARYLAND
Foreperson Celso Saul
Bonilla, Journeyman Jose
Alvarez and Groundperson
Julio Sorto,
Potomac Electric Power Co.
General Forepersons Julio
Bonilla and Chris Scardina,
and Office Assistant Tilunda
Victor, for their professionalism
and excellent customer service
while working with a resident
concerning pruning work in
Montgomery County,
Potomac Electric Power Co.
Tomas Bonilla and Crew,
Potomac Electric Power Co.
Tomas Bonilla and Crew, for
delivering a truckful of firewood
to a resident of Bethesda,
Potomac Electric Power Co.
Oscar Gonzalez and Oscar
Novoa, and Crews,
Montgomery County Govt.
General Foreperson Rusty
McCumbee, Foreperson
Jason Moss and Trimmer
Michael Merchant, for
removing a high-risk tree
threatening the Sand Hook
Methodist Church,
Volunteer Work
Barbara Zamora and
Groundperson Daniel
Serrano, for using the safety
cones to provide a safe work
area for Daniel to replace a flat
tire on an elderly woman’s car,
Potomac Electric Power Co.
minnesota
Nathan Anaruk and
Trimmers Robert
Ewer-Gurtz, Adam Madison
and Robert Schneider,
Great River Energy
Trimmers Matt Busho and
Ed Wood,
CenterPoint Energy
Jason Frey and John Holmes,
and Trimmers Lynn Harp,
Robert Pavel, Chris Plan
and Bryan Shopbell,
Xcel Energy
General Foreperson Glenn
Erickson, Forepersons Cliff
Larson and Jason Spike, and
Trimmers Kevin Murray
and Tom Surdey,
Great River Energy
General Foreperson Jeff
Lopeman, Foreperson
Scott Skalicky and Crews,
Connexus Energy
General Foreperson Dave
Tronson, Forepersons Scott
Benz, Chuck Heiland and
Ryan West, and Crews,
Xcel Energy
MISSISSIPPI
General Foreperson Mike
Lander, Foreperson Mandy
Murphy and Groundperson
From an e-mail to Vice President Keith Erickson regarding
Trimmers Ed Wood and Matt Busho in Minnesota:
“This is a very sensitive area due to wildlife, trees, erosion and
the public. Your crews made quick work of the project while
keeping all of the issues in mind. ... The work was all done by
hand in knee- to waist-deep snow. They worked through some of
the coldest days we had this winter. I had several opportunities to
meet with the guys on site. You have a fine, hard-working group
of guys. Thank you.”
Shane Jones, Technical Field Ops. Supervisor, CenterPoint Energy
Corey Reed,
Mississippi Power Co.
MISSOURI
Asplundh Brush Control
Forepersons Glen Adams,
John Adams and Mark
Adams, and Groundpersons
Dirk Johnson, Larry
Oehlert and Chris Shirey,
Rolla Municipal Utilities
General Foreperson
Tom Bair, Forepersons
Doug Davidson and Jamie
Davidson, and Crews,
City of Kansas City
General Foreperson Greg
Chapple and Crew,
Boone Electric Cooperative
General Forepersons Brian
Plake and Willy Plake,
Forepersons Kenneth
Brown, Daniel Lafferty,
Jonathan Parker, Scott
Popp, John Rodgers, Rob
Stanley and David Storey,
Trimmer Vern Miley and
Groundpersons Larry
Burdick, Mark Gibson
and Edward Reuscher,
for donating their time on a
Saturday to chip Christmas
trees for Boy Scout Troop 492’s
annual tree recycling fund-raiser,
Independence Power & Light
RSS Paul Snethen, for his
exceptionally well-presented
tree trimming and chain saw
safety course,
Kansas City Power & Light
NEBRASKA
Jose Castillo and
Brandon Nanfito,
Omaha Public Power District
Aaron Holloway and
Jovani Pena, and Crews,
Omaha Public Power District
Lonnie Pedde and
Trimmers Tom Benedict
and Raymond Whitbeck,
Omaha Public Power District
General Foreperson David
Sweeney, Forepersons David
Aken, Jose Barrera-Victorio
and Dwand Brown, and
Trimmer Rico Campbell,
Omaha Public Power District
NEVADA
General Foreperson David
Gonzalez, Forepersons
Pedro Murillo and Juan
Trejo, and Crews,
NV Energy
Matt McClurg and Rob
Wilson, and Crews,
NV Energy
NEW HAMPSHIRE
General Foreperson Greg
Bath, Forepersons Dan
Gelina and Sid Howlett,
Trimmer Tom Dunkerton
and Groundpersons Chris
Fitzgerald and Shiloh
Turgeon, for repairing a cord
so the American flag could
once again proudly fly over the
Claremont Walmart,
Public Service Co. of NH
General Foreperson Tom
Chouinard, Foreperson
David Aken and Trimmers
From an e-mail to Supervisor Dom Derosa, regarding the work of
General Forepersons Trish Coulter and Ron Tucker and crews in
New Jersey:
“I’ve had nothing but great service from Trish and Ron’s
crews. Your company has done a great job for us and I hope
we can continue our relationship for the future. I wish all
my other contractors were as good as your company. Thanks
for everything.”
Rick Meng, C & M Tech 1, New Jersey DOT
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
15
Orchids – October 31, 2010 through May 20, 2011
Jerry Clark and Crew,
Public Service Co. of NH
General Foreperson Bruce
Lee and Forepersons Brian
Coffey and Jeff Fellows, for
donating a day of their time
to perform tree work for the
Hillsboro Parks and Recreation
Dept. in honor of Arbor Day,
Volunteer Work
NEW JERSEY
General Forepersons Bill
Costello and Joe Donlon,
and Crews,
Public Service Electric & Gas Co.
General Forepersons
Trish Coulter and Grant
Sietinsons, Foreperson
Daryl Loatman and Crews,
Atlantic City Electric
General Forepersons Trish
Coulter and Ron Tucker,
and Crews,
New Jersey DOT
General Foreperson Ron
Tucker, Foreperson Tim
Greene and Apprentice
Justin Krebs,
Atlantic City Electric
NEW YORK
Brian Gribbins and
Trimmer Kenny Randolph,
Long Island Power Authority
General Foreperson Mike
Greene, Forepersons Steven
Fox and Matt Morales,
Trimmers Jon Bate and Chris
Hayes, and Permissions
Person Alan Attanasio,
Con Edison
Asplundh Brush Control
General Foreperson Mike
Ray and Trimmers Richard
Fronk, Jim Mascho, Jr. and
Joe Stewart,
National Grid
Asplundh Brush Control
General Foreperson Mike
Terry, Foreperson Jan
McIntosh and Trimmer
Ben Hanno, for donating their
expertise on a day off to help an
Eagle Scout candidate clear trees
and brush, and spread wood
chips for a hiking trail in Syracuse
City Park,
Volunteer Work
NORTH CAROLINA
General Foreperson Robbie
Callis and Apprentices
Heath Goodrich and
Travis Marshall,
Duke Energy
Charles Cummings and Crew,
North Carolina DOT
(two letters were received)
Thomas Dalton and Crew,
Duke Energy
OHIO
Rony Alvardo
and Groundperson
Anthony Beach,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Dave
Ayers, Forepersons Dave
Atherton and Roger Smith,
Trimmer Chuck Phillips
and Groundpersons Jeremy
McCoun and Luke North,
for helping to free a school bus
From an e-mail to Asplundh Brush Control Vice President Rod
Cornett regarding Assistant General Foreperson Danny Roy and
crews working in Oklahoma:
“I appreciate the work that your crews did for us on the Putnam
to Leon interconnect line upgrade. They performed their work in
a very professional and safe manner. Victor Hicks gave them very
high praise when he said that they were one of the best groups
that he has worked with. Again, thank your crews for their work
and safe attitude.”
Larry Roberson, Project Manager, AEP / PSO
16
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
stuck in the snow,
AEP Ohio
and Trimmer Adam Ewing,
AEP Ohio
Cody Beshire and Cody
Walters, Journeymen
Gerardo Molina and Johnny
Provenzale, Trimmers
Daniel Diaz and Justin
Walters, and Groundperson
Chris McGrail,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson John
Lewis, for his excellent
public relations skills,
Cincinnati Bell
General Foreperson Ernie
Brinker, Forepersons John
Claggett, Gary Ginn and
Todd Moore, and Journeyman
Troy McCormick,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Cory
Chambers and Crews, for
food and toys donated to the
Glenford Food Pantry,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Brian
Crow, Foreperson William
Kinison and Journeyman
Frankie Rosado,
South Central Power Co.
General Foreperson Jim
Dunaway and Crews,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Tim
Dunham and Outsource
Crews from Michigan,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Bart
Elliott and Crews,
Butler Rural Electric Co-op.
General Foreperson
Matthew Knisley,
Journeyman Charles Yahn
Jeff Lindsey and Trimmer
Joe Brown,
South Central Power Co.
Jim Mills, Trimmers Bobby
Gray and Andrew Hill,
Apprentice Mike Noggler and
Groundperson Cory Colaner,
AEP Ohio
Ronald Painter and Trimmer
Terry Wiseman, Jr.,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Keith
Parks, Foreperson Mickey
Rosser, Trimmers Dave
McGarvey and John Rieck, III,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson Sergio
Perlera, Foreperson Dennis
Rivera and Trimmers
Francisco Cardenas and
James Coleman,
AEP Ohio
General Foreperson John
Rader, Foreperson Jim Mills
and Trimmers Bobby Gray
and Andrew Hill,
AEP Ohio
Mickey Rosser and Trimmers
Dave McGarvey, Chris Pack
and John Rieck, III,
AEP Ohio
Kevin Senters, Journeyman
Russell Nickles and
From a letter to Hydro Ottawa in Ontario, Canada regarding Blair
Brassard Region Foreperson Donald James and crews:
“I wanted to thank you so much for helping my daughter yesterday
dig out our outdoor ‘emergency key’ so she could get into
the house. She was cold and alone and feeling vulnerable, and
your crew was very kind to help her. She says that you were
wonderful and respectful, and that she felt safe even though
the men were strangers. Thank you again and keep up the
good work.”
Peggy Hallward
Orchids – October 31, 2010 through May 20, 2011
Trimmer Julian Chavez,
AEP Ohio
Caleb Vernon and Justin
Warren, and Crew,
AEP Ohio
OKLAHOMA
General Foreperson
Shannon Moore,
Foreperson Barry
Henderson and Apprentice
Waylon Hogshooter,
AEP / PSO
Asplundh Brush Control
Assistant General
Foreperson Danny Roy
and Crews,
AEP / PSO
ONTARIO
Donald James and Crew,
Hydro Ottawa
OREGON
General Forepersons Steve
Larson and Robert Spitler,
Forepersons Jerry Bonsall,
Chris Hollister and John
Perini, and Apprentice Jesse
Renoude, for donating their
time to help Girl Scouts Troops
40259 and 41259 chip Christmas
trees and greenery for their
annual tree recycling fund-raiser,
Portland General Electric
PENNSYLVANIA
General Foreperson
Arnulfo Cazares and Crews,
PECO Energy
General Foreperson Zack
Foley, Forepersons Troy
Baton, Mike Freeland and
Rick Rickert, and Trimmer
Keith LaPoint,
FirstEnergy/Penelec
Supervisor Jude Solis, for his
outstanding customer service
and professionalism in dealing
with an upset home owner,
PECO Energy
Ramon Torres and Crew,
PECO Energy
SOUTH CAROLINA
General Foreperson Jamie
Briley, Foreperson Samuel
Strickland and Crew,
Progress Energy
Trimmer Justin McSwain,
Duke Energy
General Foreperson Robert
B. Roberts, for stopping to
help control a wildfire that was
heading toward a mobile home,
Progress Energy
TENNESSEE
General Foreperson Ed
Bedell, Foreperson Jerry
Arnett, Jr., Journeyman
Aubrey Knight, Trimmer
Edward Clemmer
and Groundperson
Larenzo Buggs,
Jackson Energy Authority
Justin Buttry
and Groundperson
Daniel Whitney,
Holston Electric Cooperative
TEXAS
General Forepersons
Truman Beck and Zac
Womble, Forepersons
Shane Floyd, Justin Murphy
and Joel Poe, and Trimmer
Roy Weatherford,
Xcel Energy
General Foreperson Joe
Flores, Jr. and Foreperson
Frank Moreno,
Oncor
General Foreperson Roger
Galvan, Foreperson Roman
Molina and Crew,
Oncor
General Foreperson
Sebastian Lagunas and Crews,
CenterPoint Energy
Foreperson Ricardo
Mendez and Groundperson
Julio Davila,
CPS Energy
Efren Oceguera and
Trimmer Fernando Robles,
Pedernales Electric Co-op.
Asplundh Brush Control
Assistant General
Foreperson Danny Roy, for
using his expertise to help repair
the Cottonwood Trail at the
Lewisville Lake Environmental
Learning Area,
Oncor
General Foreperson Zac
Womble, Forepersons
Sam Houston and Daniel
Wallace, and Trimmers Ben
Hight and John Saavedra,
Xcel Energy
VIRGINIA
Brandon Bayne, Journeyman
Illren Keller and Groundperson
Holden Parker,
City of Salem
Brett Hunt and Trimmers
Mitchell Hayter and
A.J. Shatrowskas,
Virginia Dept. of Forestry
William Jenkins
and Groundperson
Guillermo Barrios,
Dominion Virginia Power
Robert Ponton and James
Stephens, Trimmers Mike
Johns and Calvin Smith, and
Apprentice Kerry Sayers,
AEP / Appalachian Power Co.
General Foreperson Carl
Pugh and Crews,
Dominion Virginia Power
David Ramey, Trimmer
Charles Ramey and
Permissions Person Lori Cash,
AEP / Appalachian Power Co.
WASHINGTON
Vince Galera and Crew,
Seattle City Light
Mark Johnson and Crew,
Snohomish County PUD
Ross Johnston and Bill
Polich, and Crews,
Snohomish County PUD
Robert Salamanca, Trimmer
Oscar Mendoza and
Apprentice Brandon Cady,
City of Richland
Craig Timmerman,
Trimmer Britt Farnsworth
and Groundperson Griffin
Horn-Smith,
Benton Rural Electric Association
From a letter to Field Personnel Manager Joe Lee at the Home
Office in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, regarding Foreperson Justin
Buttry and Groundperson Daniel Whitney working in Tennessee:
From a letter to Vice President Larry Kirk, regarding the work
of Foreperson Brett Hunt and Trimmers A.J. Shatrowskas and
Mitchell Hayter in Virginia:
“I’m writing to thank you for the excellent service our community
received. ... These two men responded to my call to Holston
Electric regarding a large Beech tree that had fallen. ... I would
like to recognize them for their selfless actions, fantastic positive
attitudes and willingness to use their skills to help a little country
church in dire need of assistance.”
Michelle Gossett
“Please accept my sincere thanks for the good work of your crew
this morning, aiding our Abingdon staff in the cutting down and
moving of the 25-foot red spruce that will serve as the 2010
Virginia Capitol Christmas Tree. Their efforts ensured this tree
was removed safely and in good form. ... We are grateful to you
for your assistance and wish you the best in 2011.”
Carl Garrison III, State Forester, Virginia Department of Forestry
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
17
Orchids – October 31, 2010 through May 20, 2011
Dave Watts and Crew,
Puget Sound Energy
WEST VIRGINIA
Justin Bryant and Trimmer
Tony Brewer,
AEP / Appalachian Power Co.
Ralph Edwards and Curtis
Haskiell, Journeymen George
Coffman, Ronnie Lawson and
Brian Travis, and Trimmer
Charles McNear,
Allegheny Power
WISCONSIN
Jeff Steinert and Trimmer
Kevin Schweizer, for quickly
responding to a cry for help
from an elderly woman who was
having trouble connecting her
husband’s breathing apparatus to
a fresh tank of oxygen,
We Energies
Storm work
October 2010 – Snow Storm
Robert Pearson and Crew,
for their excellent customer
service while performing snow
storm restoration work in the
Broad Run area,
Northern Virginia
Electric Cooperative
December 2010 – Windstorm
General Foreperson Ed
Cote, Trimmers Shaun
Messier, Josh Randall, Chris
Vinal and Mark Warren, Jr.,
and Groundperson Travis
Calloway, for their hard work
clearing debris from power lines
so the windstorm restoration
could be completed in five days,
Vermont Electric Cooperative
December 2010 – Blizzard
Matt Morales and Wayne
Van Aken, and Trimmers
Chris Hayes and Al Slavin,
for working without incident in
extremely difficult conditions
following a post-Christmas
blizzard in the Westchester
County area,
Con Edison (NY)
February 2011 – Ice Storm
General Foreperson Rondal
Warren, Forepersons Bryan
Magee, Paul Magee and
Steve Walker, Journeyman
Will Hobgood and
Trimmers Bobby Murray
and Hendrix Roberson, for
working long hours to safely and
efficiently remove debris from
ice-coated power lines in the
Pineville area,
Central Louisiana Electric Co.
General Foreperson Kenny
Roy, Foreperson Tim Hall,
Trimmer James Dailey and
Groundperson Erik Johnson
(KY), for doing an outstanding
job removing storm-damaged
trees in the Rockville area,
Montgomery County (MD)
Mike Young and Trimmer
Chris Terry (KY), for
doing a great job pruning
storm-damaged branches and
cleaning up debris,
Montgomery County (MD)
Senior Vice President
Chris Asplundh, Manager
Jeff Lynch, Supervisor
Kevin Booher, General
Forepersons Adam Luster
and Shawn Stewart, and
Crews, for their dedication,
endurance and commitment
to safety while helping the ice
storm restoration efforts in the
Dayton area,
Dayton Power & Light (OH)
Supervisors Kevin Booher
and Carl Marcum, General
Forepersons Greg Gibson,
Adam Luster, Bart
Mingus, Sergio Perlera,
Shawn Stewart, Luis Trejo
and Darrin Wilson, and
Permissions Person Floyd
Marcum (IN/OH), for
working hard to remove ice-laden
branches so power could be
restored in the Dayton area,
Dayton Power & Light
(two letters were received)
March 2011 – Snow & Ice Storm
Shon Erskine and
Groundperson John
Sheppard, for their excellent
work patrolling and trimming
during the ice storm restoration
in the Lebanon area,
National Grid (MA)
downed trees and limbs from
power lines after a snow and ice
storm in the Springfield area,
Central Vermont Public Service
March 2011 – Thunderstorm
General Foreperson
Jose Vega, Foreperson
Jose Umanzor and
Groundperson Aristides
Garcia, for doing a great,
professional job clearing broken
tree limbs while being careful
not to damage any property or
additional tree limbs,
Montgomery County (MD)
April 2011 – Tornadoes
Permissions Person David
Whitly, for his efforts above
and beyond his usual duties to
support the storm restoration
efforts after the Hickory area
was hit with several tornadoes
in April,
Duke Energy (NC)
General Forepersons Barry
Buckley and Mike Nulty,
Forepersons Garland
Good, Johnny Lang,
Robert Luttrell and Glen
Rutherford, and Crews,
Shenandoah Valley Electric
Cooperative (VA)
General Foreperson Ed
Cote, Forepersons Jason
McAlister and Jason
Messier, and Groundperson
Howard Young, for
working efficiently, safely and
methodically to remove
From a letter to Vice President Mike Smith regarding General
Foreperson Rondal Warren and crews working for Central
Louisiana Electric Co.:
From an e-mail to Manager Ralph Guadagno regarding
Foreperson Shon Erskine and Groundperson John Sheppard
in Massachusetts:
“Just a few lines to let your company know how well the crews
under Rondal Warren did during the ice storm in Pineville.
While here from the fourth to the seventh of February, they
worked long hours safely and efficiently. People with CLECO,
whom these crews worked with, had nothing but praise and
good remarks.”
Charles DeLuca, Reliability Specialist, Central Louisiana Electric Co.
“I wanted to let you know that [Shon] and John were a great
help to the crews and I during the ice storm this past week.
They did a great job and were very eager to take on any task,
patrolling, trimming and a nudge or two to get our trucks out of
the snow. They were a pleasure to have with us.”
Keith Trefry, Performance Supervisor, National Grid
18
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Service
Anniversaries
January – June
1971, 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991
40years
Doug Gober
Sponsor / Vice President
Willow Grove
Greg “Dirt” Homiller
Equipment Training &
Inspection Supervisor
Fleet Services
Willow Grove
Ronald Lambert
Foreperson
Ohio
Larry Moore
Sponsor / Vice President
Willow Grove
Donn Patterson
RSS
Virginia
Samuel B. Williamson
Foreperson
Kentucky
35years
Larry Beegle
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Gerry Blase
Mgr. Eastern Region
Railroad Division
Willow Grove
Dennis Middleton
General Foreperson
Mississippi
Joe Schneider
Vice President
Wisconsin
Ronald Dehart
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
John Schwaiger
Permissions Person
North Carolina
Danny Terwilliger, Sr.
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
19
30years
Curtis Bain
Foreperson
North Carolina
Troy Ball
General Foreperson
Tennessee
Frank Devine
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
David Fox, Sr.
Foreperson
Virginia
Jay Hodkiewicz
Trimmer
Wisconsin
Odilon Julme
Foreperson
Florida
David McLamb
RSS
North Carolina
James McQuown
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Kenneth Miller
Foreperson
Ohio
Jerry Montague
Foreperson
North Carolina
Randy Schwindemann
Foreperson
New York
Michael Smith
Foreperson
Tennessee
Bradley Ankrom
General Foreperson
West Virginia
Andrew Anthony
Supervisor
Louisiana
Steven Asplundh
Sponsor / Sr. Vice President
Willow Grove
Kevin Booher
Supervisor
Ohio
Carl Cleckler
Permissions Person
Alabama
Maureen Cruice
Purchasing Agent
Procurement Services
Willow Grove
Bill Curran
General Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Joe Dwyer
Chief Financial Officer
Secretary-Treasurer
Willow Grove
Ronald Fountain
General Foreperson
South Carolina
Barry Haff
Foreperson
Wisconsin
Greg Hallstein
RSS
New York
Calvin Harris
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Daniel Hernandez
Foreperson
Missouri
Elwood Hess
General Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Charles Higdon, Jr.
General Foreperson
Maryland
David Karikas
Foreperson
New York
Glen Koski
Foreperson
Michigan
Patrick Lamberton
Manager
Pennsylvania
Edwin Martinez
Foreperson
Florida
David Morland
Sprayer
Pennsylvania
Benny Newton
Foreperson
Asplundh Brush Control Co.
New York
Robert Newton
Foreperson
Asplundh Brush Control Co.
New York
Emilio Perez
Supervisor
Florida
Mark Perisho
Groundperson
Kansas
Susan Potter
Administrative Coordinator
Asplundh Brush Control Co.
New York
John Rapach
Foreperson
New Jersey
George Roe
General Foreperson
New York
Rois Thompsen
General Foreperson
Virginia
25years
20years
20
Don Alderson
Foreperson
Oklahoma
William Bare
Permissions Person
North Carolina
John Boley, Jr.
Foreperson
Virginia
Thomas Brehm
Foreperson
New York
Douglas Brooks
Foreperson
Arkansas
Rodney Busch
Foreperson
Washington
Jerry Cerna
General Foreperson
Oklahoma
Kent Collins
Trimmer
Oregon
Carlos Daye
Foreperson
Pennsylvania
Danny Downing
Foreperson
Alaska
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
20years
Geoffrey Eads
Foreperson
Missouri
Michael Harrington
General Foreperson
Washington
Ray Easterling
Foreperson
Alabama
Laurence Harris
General Foreperson
Massachusetts
Gene Kopacz
Michael Larsen
Foreperson
Foreperson
Washington
Wisconsin
Daniel McGuire
Mark Meister
General Foreperson
Foreperson
Florida
Washington
Michael Ray
Dwight Preston
General Foreperson
Foreperson
Asplundh Brush Control Co. Asplundh Brush Control Co.
New York
New York
Juvenal Rivera
Fred Rose
Foreperson
Foreperson
California
Washington
Harold Vaughan
Permissions Person
West Virginia
Roy Fite
Foreperson
Kentucky
Efrain Hernandez
General Foreperson
Illinois
Oscar Gonzalez
Foreperson
Virginia
Robert Herron
Foreperson
Washington
Jeff Lynch
Manager
Michigan
Paul Metsala
Work Planner
California
Robert Reimer
Foreperson
Washington
Curtis Marks
Foreperson
Virginia
Troy Norwood
Foreperson
Arkansas
Virgil Richardson
General Foreperson
Texas
John Rountree, Jr.
Foreperson
Missouri
Gregory Waybright
Trimmer
West Virginia
Robert White
Journeyman
West Virginia
Ray Williams
Trimmer
Louisiana
Mike Wolford
Supervisor
West Virginia
Ralph Guadagno
Manager
Massachusetts
David Kelley
General Foreperson
Railroad Division
Mississippi
Charles McGee, Jr.
Foreperson
Alabama
Johnny Peters
Foreperson
Alabama
Earnest Riddle, Jr.
Supervisor
Delaware
Sue Smith
Mark Turner
Technician
Supervisor
Customer & Field Liaison Asplundh Brush Control Co.
Willow Grove
New Hampshire
Randy Whitley
Gary Willard
Foreperson
Foreperson
North Carolina
Massachusetts
Sammy Wood, II
General Foreperson
Tennessee
ManagementUpdate
continued from pg. 12
NEWSUPERVISORsINTHEFIELD
Derik Wolfe, former general
foreperson in Maryland and D.C., was
promoted to supervisor in the Steve Miller
Region in March. Senior Vice President
Gregg Asplundh sponsors the Miller Region.
Born and raised in Maryland, Derik joined
an Asplundh tree crew there in 1994
after serving two years in the U.S. Army.
Progressing steadily through the ranks,
he advanced to general foreperson in
1998. Derik’s supervisory responsibilities include overseeing Asplundh
crews working on the property of Potomac Electric Power Company
and various municipal accounts in Maryland and D.C. He is an ISA
Certified Arborist and a licensed Maryland Tree Expert. A 1998
graduate of ASTP, Derik also participated in the July 2005 General
Foreperson Professional Development Program.
John Wolfe, former general foreperson
in northern Ohio, advanced to supervisor
there under Branch Manager Les Parsons
in October 2010. The Parsons Region is
sponsored by Senior Vice President
Gregg Asplundh.
With 10 years of prior tree service
experience, John joined an Asplundh
crew in his home state of Ohio in January
1994. Within three months, he became a
foreperson and the following year, he was promoted to general foreperson.
As a supervisor, John is responsible for overseeing Asplundh crews working
on the property of FirstEnergy/Ohio Edison, as well as various cooperative
and municipal accounts. He is an ISA Certified Arborist and Utility
Specialist. A 2001 graduate of ASTP, John also attended the General
Foreperson Professional Development Program in 2007.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
21
Crews
& News
ONTHEjoB
p Cool Crews Keep The Heat On—On a freezing cold, winter day
in January, crews from the Kevin Dove Region not only saved MidAmerican
Energy equipment and personnel expenses, but also saved the residents
of East Moline, Illinois from losing power in -20 degree weather. General
Foreperson Dan Roberson, Planner Dave Rodman, Forepersons Mike Coers
and Jesse Roberson, and Trimmers Zach Sloan and Dave Winters all fought
through the bitter cold to safely remove a limb that was knocked onto power
lines by 30 mph winds. The men were able to clear the line in a timely and
cost-effective manner without having to switch out and cut jumpers like
MidAmerican Energy was prepared to do.
p Railroad Division Keeps Metra on Track—Although Chicago,
Illinois had its share of snow storms this winter, the Railroad Division was
out doing routine trimming to keep Metra’s services on track and reliable.
Regional Safety Superintendent Dave Ellifritz, Foreperson Jim Temple
(operating the Prentice Loader above) and Trimmers Edri Morales and David
Oliver from the Tom Mayer Region used a Jarraff to side trim tree limbs to a
safe distance away from the commuter railroad’s assets. Then the loader was
used to collect the brush for chipping. Asplundh Railroad crews have worked
safely and efficiently on Metra’s cycle trimming program for several years.
ISA Board Certified
Master Arborist
CHRIS SAMUELS
On March 26, 2011, Permissions
Person Chris Samuels of the Barry
Suddreth Region in North Carolina
became the first Asplundh employee
to pass the International Society of
Arboriculture’s (ISA) Board Certified
Master Arborist exam. Chris joins
an exclusive group of less than 400
folks worldwide who have achieved
the highest level of professional certification in arboriculture.
p McDonnell Region Removes High-Risk Trees—An Asplundh
crew from the Tom McDonnell Region in Virginia was presented with a
challenging job from Dominion Virginia Power to remove trees threatening
their lines in Powhatan. Two white oaks were leaning toward a 19.9kV
distribution line. The first tree was removed via aerial lift by Bucket Operator
Joe Rose and Foreperson Mike Messinger. However, the second tree was out
of the lift’s reach, so Foreperson Leo Aguilar (pictured) skillfully climbed the
tree to safely remove it without hitting the power line or damaging property.
These men are part of a cost-plus crew specializing in removals in the
Midlothian District of Dominion Virginia Power.
22
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
To qualify to sit for the exam, Chris had to be an ISA Certified Arborist and
hold eight points based on education, work experience and other industry
certifications. The exam tested Chris’ knowledge of arboricultural science,
practice and management based on a recommended reading list that was
38" inches tall when stacked cover-to-cover. All the studying and hard work
was worth it. “I hope this inspires more Asplundh employees to hit the
books and push harder,” says Chris. “There is strength in knowledge.”
Want to increase your “strength” as an arborist? Technical Services can help
you start on the right path with a collection of articles that are part of the
recommended reading for the ISA Certified Arborist exam. Call 1-800-2488733, ext. 4246 or e-mail techsvcs@asplundh.com for details. It’s free!
AWARDS&REWARDS
CommunitySERVICE
p GRU Asplundh Employee of the Year—In December 2010,
Trimmer Lawrence Brown (third from R) of the Ronnie Collins Region
in Florida was named the Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Asplundh
Contract Employee of the Year. Lawrence received this recognition during
the GRU / Asplundh Annual Safety and Training Meeting. He earned
the award for showing growth in his position, his great attitude and his
teamwork approach. On hand to congratulate Lawrence were (L to R)
GRU Forester Donald Eyster, GRU Line Clearance Coordinator Mike
Kennedy, GRU Electric Systems Manager Tracy Maxwell, Asplundh General
Foreperson James Williams and GRU Senior Forester Joe Wolf.
p Employees Help Girl Scouts Recycle Trees—Girl Scout Troops
#40259 and #41259 of Beaverton, Oregon got some helping hands from
the Bodie Miller Region. In early January, the chipping team of General
Forepersons Steve Larson (far L) and Robert Spitler, Forepersons Jerry Bonsall
(far R), Chris Hollister and John Perini, and Apprentice Jesse Renoude all
volunteered to help the troops gather and chip over 775 Christmas trees,
wreathes and garlands they collected from the public. With the donations they
received over two days to have the greens recycled, the Girl Scouts can fund
their programs for almost an entire year!
t GF Awarded Puget
Sound Energy’s Star
Award—On January 18,
the Nooksack River in
Washington took a turn for
the worse when it flooded,
causing the Warnick Bluff to
cave into the river along with
a Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
transmission pole. General
Foreperson Keven Moore (L)
of the Mike Kavran Region
was a crucial member of the
employee and contractor
teams who responded. His
quick and decisive thinking
helped to reconstruct the
line through the area. Keven
was presented with the PSE Star Award on March 17 by Vegetation
Management Department Manager Beth Rogers (R) to recognize his
contribution to the team and for making this job a priority in an already
busy schedule.
p Florida Crews Volunteer for New Hampshire School—When
the McKelvie Intermediate School in Bedford, New Hampshire heard
Asplundh trucks rumbling up to their school grounds, they were thrilled.
Crews from the Eugene Wyatt Region in Florida under General Forepersons
Francis Chase and Robert Oen were in the area performing outsourced work
for Public Service Co. of New Hampshire. The utility donated the crews’ time,
as part of a New Hampshire State Arborists’ work day. The crews pruned
and mulched dead limbs from the school’s trees, making the area safe for the
students and community. The crews were only there for a day, but the school
was pleased with how safely the crews performed their job, remaining aware
of the students and faculty around them at all times.
t Asplundh Employees Help High School—Marcos de Niza High
School in Tempe, Arizona was struggling to maintain the palm trees around
their football field. Since they had gone many years without care, the trees
became a hazard to students who were outside near them. Thankfully, in
October 2010, a crew from the Will Willis Region in Arizona was referred to
the school by Salt River Project to prune the palms and make the area safe
once again for the students, faculty and community. Pictured (L to R) are:
Trimmer Gabriel Chavez, Forepersons Alfredo Nunez and Lorenzo Benitez,
Trimmer Alfredo Lares and Forepersons Ismael Garcia and Kenneth Knight
who volunteered their time along with RSS Alex Teran (not pictured) and his
son, Joseph (front row), who helped the crew with groundwork that day.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
23
30-YearWatches
u A glitch in the
system delayed
the presentation of
Foreperson Larry
Leviner’s (center)
specially-engraved
watch, but it didn’t
dull the heartfelt
appreciation Supervisor
Gary Parker (L) and
General Foreperson
Mike Carden (R) have
for Larry’s years of
dedicated service. He first joined Asplundh in April 1976 as a groundperson
on Tampa Electric Co. property in Florida. Larry left Asplundh briefly before
joining Farrens Tree Service (which became an Asplundh subsidiary) in 1986
as a foreperson. By 1988, he was back, working as climber on Duke Energy
property in North Carolina. Four years later, Larry moved to Alabama and
began working on Huntsville Utilities, where he has remained ever since.
t At a general
forepersons’ meeting
in February, General
Foreperson Michael
Quick (L) was presented
with a specially-engraved
watch by Vice President
Tom McDonnell (R) in
recognition of 30+ years
of dedicated service.
Michael originally started
with the company
in August 1974 as
a groundperson on
Oklahoma Gas & Electric
(OGE) property. He left the company for a couple of years, but returned in
November 1977 as a climber when he realized arboriculture was the career
for him. Michael continued to work for OGE and numerous cooperatives in
the state before moving to Tennessee in 1985 with a promotion to general
foreperson on Bristol Electric Co. property. He remained there for 12 years
until an opportunity to advance to supervisor took him back to Oklahoma.
In 2005, Michael moved once more, this time to Northern Neck Electric
Cooperative property in Virginia. He has remained there ever since, working
as a general foreperson overseeing crews in the Warsaw area.
t General Foreperson
Randy McQueeney
(R) was presented with
a specially-engraved
watch by Vice President
Dave Puckett (R)
to mark his 30 th
anniversary with
Asplundh. Randy began
his career in October
1980 as a tree trimmer
trainee on Pennsylvania
Electric Co. (now First
Energy/Penelec) property. He rose through the ranks, being promoted to
foreperson in 1988. Randy left Pennsylvania in 1999 to install and dismantle
highway billboards in Ohio for Asplundh’s now defunct outdoor maintenance
subsidiary. In February 2000, he joined the Asplundh Brush Control Co. as
a foreperson overseeing spray and mowing crews for PennDOT. Three years
later, he rejoined the Tree company and was promoted to RSS in 2004.
Randy became a general foreperson in April 2007, responsible for pipeline
maintenance crews working on PEPCO property in Ohio. He returned to
Pennsylvania later that year, and has been overseeing work for First Energy/
Penelec and Northwestern REC ever since.
t Supervisor Marty
Robinson (center)
received a
specially-engraved
watch and
congratulations
from Sponsor/Senior
Vice President Matt
Asplundh (L) and Vice
President Eugene
Wyatt (R) for 30 years
of dedicated service at
a regional supervisors’
meeting in December. He started after high school in November 1978 as a
groundperson. After a brief departure, Marty returned in November 1980
and worked his way up through the ranks with a promotion to general
foreperson in 1988. He advanced to supervisor in 1997, a position he
continues to hold to this day, overseeing crew operations in the north region of
Florida Power & Light property. Marty has worked his entire career in Florida
for various customers, including the City of Coral Gables, Tampa Electric and
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative. He has been recognized numerous times
for controlling costs, outstanding safety performance and storm response.
t Everything is bigger in Texas, including the well wishes for Vice President
Allen LeBlanc (fourth from L) on his 30 th anniversary with Asplundh.
Sponsor/Senior Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr. (fourth from R) presented
Allen with a specially-engraved watch at a local restaurant and offered his
congratulations along with customers (L to R) Margie Regalado, Albert Lara,
James Koenig, Eulalio Gamboa, Clyde Stroud and Sid Bonilla from City Public
Service of San Antonio (CPS Energy). Allen first came to work for Asplundh in
September 1978 as a foreperson. He left briefly, but returned in November
1980. He was promoted to general foreperson in 1987 and advanced to
supervisor in 1992. He became manager of his own region in 1996 and was
elected vice president of the company in 2004. Along with CPS Energy, Allen
currently manages Asplundh operations on the properties of AEP Texas,
Austin Energy and various rural electric and municipal accounts.
24
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
30-YearWatches
has worked there for his entire
career as well. His hard work
was recognized with a promotion
to foreperson in 1987, which
he served as until 2004 when
he took on the duties of a
permissions person.
u Manager Rickey Bailey
(third from L) had a veritable
“watch-a-polooza” last fall
when four employees in his
Alabama-based region all marked
their 30 th anniversaries with the
company within a two month
period. Joined by Supervisor Jeff
Findley (far R) and customers
from Alabama Power Co. (APCo.),
Rickey took the celebrants out
to lunch where they were each
presented with specially-engraved
watches to thank them for their
service to Asplundh.
Foreperson Robert Rigsby (far L)
joined the company in 1978 with over five years of previous line clearance
experience on a Farrens Tree Service (which became an Asplundh subsidiary)
crew. After a short break, he returned to Asplundh as a climber in August
1980 and was promoted to foreperson in 1982. He has worked his entire
career in the northern half of APCo.’s western division in Alabama.
Operator Cecil Oden (third
from R) was hired on as a
groundman in August 1980 to
work in APCo.’s western division.
His good work was recognized
with a promotion to foreperson
in 1997. In 2008, he took on an
equipment operator position, still
working in the western division.
Climber/Operator Dale Sudduth (second from R) began his Asplundh
career in October 1980 as a groundman on an APCo. crew in the southern
half of the western division, where he still works today. He was promoted
to climber/operator a few years later and continues to do a great job in
this territory.
Permissions Person Larry Attaway (second from L) got his start as a
climber on an APCo. crew in the northern half of the western division and
u Vice President Doug Smith (L) gave Head Mechanic James Bethea (R) a
hearty handshake of congratulations along with a specially-engraved watch to
mark his 30 th anniversary with the company. James came to work for Asplundh
in December 1980 as a groundperson in South Carolina. Through his hard work,
James was promoted to foreperson in the late 1980s. He advanced again, this
time in 1995 to general foreperson overseeing crews working on the properties
of various electric cooperatives, such as Santee Cooper and Lynches River. James’
vegetation management career took a different turn in 2002 when he took on the
role of regional mechanic. Today, he continues to make sure the Doug Smith Region
fleet is ship-shape and always ready to work for its investor-owned, cooperative and
municipal utility vegetation management customers.
u Equipment Operator
David Stone (L)
received a visit from Vice
President Doug Smith,
who presented him with
a specially-engraved
watch to commemorate
30 years of loyal service.
David started in October
1979 as a climber
helper in Raleigh, North
Carolina on Progress
Energy property, which
is the utility property he
has worked on for most
of his career. He left the
company for a short time, but was back for good in December 1980. Over
the years, David has shown his versatility as an employee by working on
everything from a climbing crew, to an Asplundh Street Lighting Division crew,
to filling in on other crews when extra manpower was needed.
t Also on Vice
President Doug
Smith’s (R) list of
recognition was
Foreperson Jerry
Montague (L), who
was presented with
a specially-engraved
watch to mark his
30 th year with the
company. Jerry
began his career
with Asplundh in
February 1979 when
he was hired on as
a groundperson in
North Carolina for
Progress Energy’s northern area. After leaving the company for a short time,
he returned in January 1981 as a climber helper. From there, Jerry’s hard work
helped him progress through the ranks to his current position of foreperson.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
25
TrainingTimes
Field Personnel Manager Joe Lee, with assistance from Chuck Hitzemann of Positive Growth
International, led the employees shown below through the General Foreperson Professional
Development Program (GFPDP) and the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program (ASTP).
p August 9–13 ASTP—(Front row, L to R): Ron Didyk, PA; Scott Russell,
OH; Jose Luis Lopez, FL; Jeffery Gatlin, LA; Kenny Pierce, OH; Robert Nieto,
OK; and Pete Wicklund, CT. (Back row, L to R): Jose Enriquez, TX; Mitch
Salek, IA; Peter Ibarra, Jr., TX; Blake Self, AL; Anthony Preast, SC; Bobby
Johnson, SC; Jeff Hughes, OH; Ricky Sizemore, IN; and Brian Odom, GA.
p October 4–8 ASTP—(Front row, L to R): Heber “Buck” Dougherty, Jr.,
OH; Matt Grell, NE; James Gray, MO; Andres Rodriguez, CA; and James
Cramer, OH. (Back row, L to R): Lucky Kelley, SC; Tommy Kelley, OK; Jason
Hiser, MI; Rodger Fry, PA; James Woolums, IN; and Jake Wilson, OH.
p September 13–17 ASTP—(Front row, L to R): Phil Cason, MO; Oscar
Aviles, CA; Julio Bonilla, MD; Dan Roberson, Jr., IL; and Gabe Alderdice, IL. (Back
row, L to R): Joe Kasisky II, PA; Ike Jones, KY; Steve Pennycuff, KY; Mike Goriesky,
MI; Todd Martinchek, CT; Kenny Lewis, IN; and Bill Griffith, OH.
p September 20–23 GFPDP—(L to R): Stacy Baugh, GA; Justin
Knouf, PA; Richard Taylor, NC; Randy Clark, WA; Mark Burwell, WV;
Leonard Hall, TN; Billy Higgins, VA; Clint Barron, CO; Rick Hall, IL; and
Matt Kirk, TN.
p December 6–12 ASTP—(Front row, L to R): Tom Gray, OH; Kevin
Kasal, IA; Joe Hughes, AL; Dave Tronson, MN; and Hector Benitez, CA.
(Middle row, L to R): Jerry Necessary, VA; Bob Formhals, CO; Tim Filteau,
NH; Mark Dennis, LA; and Jimmy Jenkins, OH. (Back row, L to R): Shawn
Stewart, OH; Keith Hondlik, NC; Chad Rucker, CO; Brian Hunsicker, PA; and
Andy Rogers, LA.
p December 13–16 GFPDP—(Kneeling, L to R): Steve Baker, KY; and
Tim Dickerson, OH. (Standing, L to R): Dave Gamble, MI; David Craddock,
FL; Chuck Hess, PA; Jamie Culp, WA; Dennis Fosbenner, PA; Gary Redden,
MS; David McConnell, NC; Mike Sheffield, AL; Dave Robinson, WV; Jose
Barrera, TX; and Greg Chapple, MO.
t February 7–11, 2011 GFTP—The General Foreperson Training
Program, formerly known as the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program,
graduates are (front row, L to R): Josh Magrath, KS; Omar Lopez, FL; Ron
McCauley, OK; James Mager, FL; Richard Kleinkauf, GA; and Nate Baker,
NH. (Middle row, L to R): Matt Knisley, OH; Rene Mingucha, PA; Darrin
Steele, OR; Matt Stone, PA; and Lee Cortez, TN. (Back row, L to R): Luke
Thrush, MI; Chase Livingston, NM; Chris Temples, LA; Anthony “Opie”
Caudle, VA; and Jason Davis, IA.
26
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
FamilyAlbum
HOMEOFFICEHONORS
Employee Of The Year
DEBBIE MILLER
p Kendra Sue is a little miracle
to parents Darrell and Tiffany
Curtis. Kendra was born August
1, 2010 at Borgess Medical Center
in Kalamazoo, Michigan, weighing
5 lbs., 14 oz. First time dad Darrell
is a groundperson for AEP / Indiana
and Michigan Power Co. in the Dave
Sachs Region.
p This little guy bouncing around
is Jaxson Suttie, who was born
on October 1, 2010 at Abington
Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania.
Weighing 8 lbs. even and 21" at
birth, he is the darling grandson of
Lisa Suttie, who is a Billing Clerk
in the Customer & Field Liaison
Department at the Home Office in
Willow Grove.
t On October 14, 2010, Seth
Charles was born to Amanda
and Scott Greenwood at Anna
Jaques Hospital in Newburyport,
Massachusetts. Weighing 8 lbs.,
1 oz. at birth, Seth’s favorite toys
are his small measuring spoons
and little, stuffed bunny. In June,
he was learning to crawl. Proud
father Scott is a foreperson in
the Ralph Guadagno Region in
Massachusetts, working on the
properties of National Grid and
Reading Municipal Light Board.
u Congratulations to Christine
and Brian Bauer, who were married
April 17, 2010! Friends and family
celebrated with the newlyweds at the
Northampton Country Club in Bucks
County, Pennsylvania. At the reception,
Brian surprised Christine when he
serenated his new bride with “At Last”
on the piano. The couple works at
the Home Office in Willow Grove.
Christine is an insurance specialist
and claims examiner in the Risk
Management Department and Brian
works in Corporate Accounting as the
company’s controller.
Correction: Taylor Grace Bailey, pictured in the Autumn/Holiday 2010 issue, is the title holder of
the Miss West Alabama pageant, not the first place winner as reported.
During the annual Holiday
Assembly at the Home Office
in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania,
Equipment Inventory Coordinator
Debbie Miller of the Fleet
Services Department was named
Employee of the Year. Her
excellent work was noticed by Vice
President Barry Suddreth from
North Carolina who nominated her
for the award. She was presented
with a plaque, a bouquet of
flowers, a $1,000 cash award and
an Asplundh fleece jacket.
A previous Employee of the Month Award winner for March 2010, Debbie
started with Asplundh in September 1994 working for Dave Ramsden in the
Equipment Department, handling transportation and payroll for drivers. In
May 1995, she was promoted to administrative assistant for Donna Boyer
and Chris Rote, and then started her current job as an inventory coordinator
in April 2009. Debbie is responsible for all chassis inventory, purchasing and
assigning equipment to the field, as well as handling money meeting requests.
When Debbie is not working, she enjoys gardening, shopping and
spending quality time with her husband and five Pomeranians.
Congratulations, Debbie!
p Home Office Employees of the Month—Six Home Office
employees were recently recognized for outstanding performance and
service to the field with a presentation of the Employee of the Month
Award. The winners are (front row, L to R): Tina Growe of Customer
& Field Liaison who won in December 2010; William Gutsche of Tax
Accounting who was named in January 2011; and Suzanne Hare of Fleet
Services who was honored in March. In the back row are (L to R): Rena
Parente of Customer & Field Liaison who received the award in April;
Sally Mantione of Customer & Field Liaison who was honored in May;
and Beth Toritto of Customer & Field Liaison who was recognized in
June. Congratulations to all the winners!
If you know someone at the Home Office who has gone above and beyond
the call of duty to assist our folks in the field, you can nominate them for
the Employee of the Month by e-mailing Office Personnel Manager Sue
Jurina at sjuri@asplundh.com.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
27
Retirees
honored
Congratulations and best wishes for a happy and healthy
retirement to all the Asplundh retirees listed here!
Charles Abbe, Sr.
Francis Demerski
Benjamin Graham
Clarence Ramsey
Christopher Asplundh
Mary DiNezza
Celso Gutierrez
Terry Robson
Bonny Bechtel
Thomas Durst
Vernis Hardy
Rafael Rodriquez
Stevie Hillegass
James Smith
Permissions Person, California
First employed April 1991
Retired April 2011
Chairman of the Board
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
First employed January 1963
Retired September 2010
Permissions Person, Massachusetts Trimmer, Ohio
First employed October 1969
First employed January 1981
Retired December 2010
Retired February 2011
Executive Assistant
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
First employed February 1989
Retired October 2010
Asplundh Brush Control Co.
Foreperson, Ohio
Secretary, New York
First employed May 2009
First employed September 1993 Retired December 2010
Retired April 2011
Garold Bilbrey
Foreperson, Virginia
First employed February 2001
Retired March 2011
Ronald Boucher
GF, New Hampshire
First employed May 1977
Retired February 2011
Eddie Brown
Trimmer, North Carolina
First employed August 2003
Retired December 2010
Michael Eastman, Sr.
Trimmer, Ohio
First employed May 2009
Retired August 2010
George Fredrick
Trimmer, Virginia
First employed October 1985
Retired February 2011
Luis Gonzalez
Flagger, New York
First employed May 1993
Retired February 2011
p Supervisor Ben Hunter (R) dedicated 33 years of service to
Asplundh Brush Control Co. (ABC) before his retirement celebration in
March 2011. When Ben first started with the company in June 1977,
he was an equipment operator. Over time, he worked his way up to
the rank of general foreperson in 1981 and he became a supervisor in
October 1997 for the remainder of his career. Sponsor/Vice President
Larry Moore, along with family, co-workers and representatives from
several utility companies in New York attended a dinner in Ben’s honor
in Watertown, New York. Ben plans to spend more time with his wife,
Linda (L), and their family now that he’s retired. A special thank you
goes out to National Grid Senior Transmission Forester Ken Kirkman for
assisting in the coordination of Ben’s celebration.
28
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
Trimmer, California
First employed April 1988
Retired April 2011
Trimmer, North Carolina
First employed February 1995
Retired April 2011
Journeyman, Pennsylvania
First employed February 2002
Retired December 2010
Edward McDonald
Foreperson, West Virginia
First employed January 1976
Retired April 2011
Thomas Polulak
RSS, Pennsylvania
First employed June 1990
Retired January 2011
Trimmer, West Virginia
First employed November 1993
Retired November 2010
Journeyman, Ohio
First employed May 2006
Retired December 2010
Foreperson, Florida
First employed April 1988
Retired October 2010
Trimmer, West Virginia
First employed October 1993
(plus one year with Blume Tree
and Tree Preservation Co.)
Retired May 2011
Paul Sunderlage
Foreperson, Wisconsin
First employed June 1999
Retired March 2011
James Umphlette
Equipment Operator, Virginia
First employed March 1997
Retired January 2011
p General Foreperson Jerry Dube (R) spent 42 years with the
Asplundh Brush Control Co. (ABC) before stepping into retirement
in February 2011. There were 51 attendees at the celebration in
Festus, Missouri to honor his long career, including his wife, Jean (L),
their three daughters, ABC Vice President Rod Cornett, Sponsor/
Vice President Larry Moore and many friends, co-workers and family
members. When Jerry first began in April 1969, he started out as a
gate builder and then became a cutting crew foreperson in 1974. He
advanced to general foreperson in 1987. During his retirement, Jerry
plans to travel for pleasure, spend more time with his family and 10
grandchildren, go fishing and tend to his 58-acre property.
t On May 4, co-workers joined Forepersons Tom Sipling (second
from R) and Dayne Rowland (center) to celebrate their retirements in
New Oxford, Pennsylvania. Pictured to the left are a few of the attendees
from Adams Electric Cooperative (from L to R): Line Superindentent Mike
Ward, Vice President of Operations Ron Plank and Line Superintendent
Rich Redding. Tom started with Asplundh 36 years ago working on
Adams Electric property. He became a foreperson in 1981 and
worked with Met-Ed for a short while before going back to Adams
Electric. Tom plans to go camping and relax with his family during his
retirement. Dayne Rowland followed in his father’s footsteps and worked
with Asplundh for 47 years. He started out on Met-Ed property as a
groundperson then switched to Adams Electric in 1984 as a foreperson.
Dayne plans to golf and help his son run a tree business for his retirement.
InMemoriAm
Our sympathies are with the family and friends of these retired Asplundh veterans who loyally served the company for many years.
t Dan Cole, retired vice president in
Virginia, passed away March 7 in Anderson,
South Carolina at the age of 78.
Dan came to work for Asplundh in
1966 as a general foreperson in North
Carolina after ten years in the engineering
department of Duke Power Co. (now Duke
Energy). In 1972, he was promoted to
supervisor in Virginia and two years later, he
became the manager there when Vice President George Burrows retired.
In 1977, Dan was elected vice president and he received a Silver Merit
Award in 1987 for developing a mileage bid program. He retired in 1988.
Dan is survived by his wife, O’Dell; a son, Randy; a daughter, Allison
Leahy; a step daughter, Sandy Elgin; and six grandchildren.
t Bob Herder, retired vice president and
safety director, passed away January 2 at
the age of 92 in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.
Bob joined Asplundh in 1952 to work in the
Equipment Department and for a time,
served as a salesperson for the Asplundh
Chipper Division. In 1955, he moved
into the Safety Department as assistant
safety director and six years later, he was
appointed director. A well-regarded speaker, Bob travelled throughout
Asplundh operations to improve safety performance. He was elected
vice president in 1962, a position he held until his retirement in 1983.
Bob is survived by his wife, Bee; five children, Brian, Darcie, Edwin,
Holly and Rex; 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
t Paul Musel, retired vice president
and 40-year Asplundh veteran, passed
away on May 10 at the age of 76 in his
home state of Iowa.
Paul started out on an Asplundh tree crew
in Iowa in 1956, but the following year, he
left to serve two years active duty in the
U.S. Army. He returned to the company
in 1959 and rose through the ranks to
general foreperson in 1975. Five years later, Paul was promoted to
manager of a newly created region consisting of Iowa, Nebraska and
later, part of Illinois. He was elected vice president in 1984 and retired
in 1996. Paul is survived by two sons, Tom and Corey; one daughter
Tam; a brother, Francis; and six grandchildren.
t Don Telge, retired spray manager for
the Asplundh Railroad Division’s Western
Region, passed away May 10 at the age of
77 in Bee Caves, Texas.
Don joined the Asplundh Railroad Division
in 1986 as a spray manager with 12 years
of sales and management experience in
railroad vegetation management products.
He oversaw Asplundh spray operations
for numerous railroad lines west of the Mississippi River and retired in
January 1999. Don is survived by his wife, Cindy; two sons, John and
Don; a daughter, Susan; two stepsons, Shane and Stephen Larwa;
seven grandchildren and two great granddaughters.
Harry L. Williams, retired foreperson and 45-year Asplundh veteran, passed away March 25 at the age of 88 in Millersville, Maryland. He first
joined an Asplundh crew in 1941 and then left to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. After his military service and a forestry course, he
returned to the company and advanced to foreperson. Harry worked in the vicinity of Anne Arundel County, Maryland for his entire career until his
retirement in 1986. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; three sons, Charles, Leonard and Thomas; and eight grandchildren. Harry was laid to rest in
the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville.
The Asplundh TREE
Spring/Summer 2011
29
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PITTSBURGH, PA
PERMIT NO. 5605
International Headquarters
708 Blair Mill Road
Willow Grove, PA 19090
www.asplundh.com
Bright
Opportunities
Through Management Development
A
new training program for
all levels of Asplundh field
management is paving the
way for potential career advancement, as
well as moving the Asplundh organization
forward to better serve customers and
maintain growth.
The new Management Leadership
Academy (MLA) is led by Field Personnel
Manager Joe Lee with support from
the Pegasus Group and Positive Growth
International. The Business Section
focuses on project management, financial
analysis and reporting, and AVMS
training. The Sales Section focuses on
effective communication, leadership and
business etiquette.
Participants must be recommended
by a manager and/or sponsor. Interested
general forepersons, RSSs, supervisors
and managers should contact them to
discuss enrollment in the MLA.
During the April 2011
Management Leadership
Academy (MLA), Branch
Manager Les Parsons (L)
discusses a project management
exercise with Supervisor Keith
Confere (center) and Branch
Manager Bodie Miller (R).
The graduates of Asplundh’s first
MLA Business Section, held April
26-29, were (L to R): Tim Jessup,
Florida; Don Redden, Louisiana;
Adam Larson, Iowa; Jeff Ness,
Illinois; Keith Confere, Ohio;
Mike Wolford, West Virginia;
Bodie Miller, Oregon; Scott
Harmon, Missouri; Scott Bailey,
Oklahoma; Les Parsons, Ohio;
Robert Coffman, Oklahoma;
and Bobby Mitchell, Oklahoma.
shoot out deadline september 30, 2011
Wall Calendar
Photos
Due
August 12, 2011
Send us your best shots of Nature
and Work Related subjects. You may
submit up to 10 photos total and enter in
more than one category. High-resolution
digital images (either e-mailed or on disc)
are acceptable, as well as color or black
and white prints. No cell phone photos or
negatives, please.
Please be sure to include your name,
address, phone number and the categories
you wish to enter along with a brief
description of each picture on a separate
piece of paper. Be sure to package your
prints or disc carefully. Entries will not be
returned unless you specifically request it.
Submit your entries to:
Shoot Out 2011
Asplundh Corporate Communications
708 Blair Mill Road
Willow Grove, PA 19090
or e-mail: corpcomm@asplundh.com