17
March/April 2024
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THE DAVEY BULLETIN
''
I feel like being employee owners gives
us a little more sense of purpose with
what we do. We know that the work we
do in the long term directly impacts us,
as opposed to us doing the hard work
just for the money to go to the higher-ups
in the company.
''
EMPLOYEE-OWNED
Lillian Boehm
environmental scientist
Environmental Consulting services
Davey Resource Group
45 YEARS
Eric Phillips majored in biology and has always had an
interest in plants and animals. Phillips joined Davey nine
years ago as a restoration technician on the Bethel Asian
Longhorned Beetle project in Cincinnati, Ohio. He transferred
to the Akron office as a trimmer in 2015, and after several
promotions, is now an assistant district manager.
"My father, retiree Mark Phillips, was big into employee
ownership and the stock program. I knew it was something
I would do, but I didn't initially know how extensive and
beneficial the program was when I first joined Davey,"
Phillips
said. "I knew it was a good opportunity to save
for my retirement and a good investment, so that's how
I got started."
For Phillips, ownership at Davey means we all have a direct
connection to each other with the common goal of being
the best company we can be. "We all have a vested interest
in retiring one day, and the direct impact we collectively
make strengthens the company, including the diversity we
offer in services. Employee ownership ties us all together in
a way I believe is unique," Phillips said.
Phillips and his wife, Kristin, recently welcomed a daughter,
Sunny. "The continued opportunity to invest in the company
I work for makes me feel secure, as we think about how
we're going to afford what we need as a family as our
daughter grows up," Phillips said. "It's a good feeling."
Eric Phillips examines a branch of a maple tree
for potential insects and to determine growth
rate. Throughout 2024, The Bulletin will share
your employee-ownership stories.
Eric Phillips
assistant district manager
Akron office
Davey Green Leader
Eric Phillips lives our company
value of Stewardship frequently,
volunteering on behalf of the
Akron R/C office and Davey
at tree planting events
throughout Northeast Ohio.
Eric has volunteered as an
expert arborist, instructing
non-arborist volunteers on the
proper way to plant trees, for
numerous events including
Davey's Swing for the Trees
program with the Cleveland
Guardians, the Trees for Threes
program with the Cleveland
Cavaliers, the Reforest Our
City program with Davey
partner Western Reserve Land
Conservancy, and many others.
