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THE DAVEY BULLETIN
|
July/August 2022
RETIREE'S LOVE FOR TRAVEL EXTENDS BEYOND CAREER
Bobby O'Shields, service mechanic, Kent Shop, retired with
36 years of service in 2015. He spent nine months a year
on the road, driving a semi-truck. "I was perfectly happy
at Davey. I couldn't have asked for a more ideal position
with the company. I drove all over the country, traveling to
places I'd never been to before, and met all sorts of different
employees who shared their view of the way things should
be done," O'Shields said.
O'Shields picked up and delivered equipment and plant
material throughout the U.S., including Arbor Green
®
PRO
fertilizer. In December 2000, he received a plaque to honor
his more than 1 million miles of safe driving for Davey from
Karl Warnke, retired chairman. Additional career highlights
include hauling the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in a 1980s
Kent State University Homecoming parade. In 2005, in
response to the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Katrina,
O'Shields brought supplies to Davey employees who were
working on storm recovery in the Gulf Coast region.
O'Shields said he's retired today because he participated in
the Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). Having
started at Davey in the 1970s, O'Shields later became an
early participant in Davey employee-ownership. "Before
Davey became employee-owned, it was just like going to
work for a regular company. Once the ESOP happened,
employees felt more invested in the company. We felt like
we were working as part of the company rather than for
the company," O'Shields said.
Retirees! Have stories to share about retirement or your life at Davey? To be featured,
or to nominate a fellow retiree, call 800-447-1667 ext. 8615 or email bulletin@davey.com.
ADVICE FROM BOBBY O'SHIELDS:
1. A young person can't go wrong buying
Davey stock. Purchasing stock is why I'm
retired today.
2. Respect the people you work with, and
people in general.
3. For fellow retirees: Stay active. Don't sit
round and let life pass you by.
Above: Bobby O'Shields pictured at the Kent Shop with a Davey semi-truck.
Right: Bobby and Sharon O'Shields are pictured with the Great Smoky
Mountains as a backdrop, near Fontana Dam, N.C. To reach this spot, they
traveled on N.C.'s State Highway 28, nicknamed Moonshiner 28, a popular
motorcycle route.
O'Shields and his wife, Sharon, enjoy traveling. They've
taken motorcycle trips with friends to the Grand Canyon,
Las Vegas, Colorado, and all down through the Great
Smoky Mountains. They hope to visit North Dakota and
Montana this summer and enjoy taking the time to
appreciate the scenery. "We used to make hotel
reservations before the trip. Now we typically book the
night before, so we're able to stop and explore areas as
we go," O'Shields adds.
In addition to traveling during retirement, the O'Shields
purchased a house on two and a half acres of land. They've
completely remodeled the house, doing all the work
themselves. O'Shields also enjoys custom painting golf
carts. The O'Shields have two daughters, who threw them
a 50th wedding anniversary party last year, and they
celebrated with family and friends.
RETIREE CORNER
