Davey Tree Flipbooks

3 March/April 2024 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN A LEGACY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING This issue of the Bulletin celebrates the 2024 class of our flagship training program, the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (D.I.T.S.). Turn to pages 12-15 and the cover to see this year's class coverage. D.I.T.S. is our original training program, having been established in 1909 by our founder, John Davey. Countless Davey employees have sat in the seats of a D.I.T.S. classroom. From its founding in 1909, through 1950, a total 1,809 students attended through 31 sessions, according to the February 1950 issue of the Bulletin. From 1950 to present day, an average of 40 to 50 students have attended the annual training session. That means, as many as 3,300 students have attended D.I.T.S. in the past 74 years. Add that to the enrollment numbers from the first 40 years, and it's likely more than 5,000 employees have graduated from our most prestigious training program. PROLIFIC PROFESSORS Davey students come to Kent to learn from the best and brightest instructors at the Davey Institute. On Day 1 of D.I.T.S., all the instructors line the back of the room to introduce themselves, and it is a goosebump-inducing experience to see all the educational support our employees are afforded. In recent D.I.T.S. history, the program has been led and instructed by three exceptional minds. The training program's current lead instructor, Dr. R.J. Laverne, has been the captain of the D.I.T.S. ship since 2007 and has taught hundreds of Davey employees in various training programs. Dr. Laverne received the baton from Dick Jones, who retired in 2007 as manager of education and training. Jones had been involved in D.I.T.S. since 1994. One of the longest serving instructors in D.I.T.S. history is Dr. Roger Funk, who started teaching at the Institute in his first year at Davey in 1973. Funk served in various leadership roles at Davey, but he continued to serve as an instructor at D.I.T.S. throughout the entirety of his 40-year career until he retired in 2013. Between the three of them, Funk, Jones and Laverne have instructed countless Davey employees over the years. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE OF DITS ATTENDEES Many significant leaders of the Davey Company have attended D.I.T.S. and other Davey training courses. Most notably, past Davey CEO Jack Joy graduated from D.I.T.S. in 1949. Joy served as CEO during the employee- ownership transition in 1979 and retired in 1991. What will the future be for this year's graduating class? The sky's the limit, and like we do with all D.I.T.S. classes, we will watch your careers with great interest! Matt Fredmonsky ROOT OF THE ISSUE Our Mission We exceed client expectations. Leadership We take purposeful action toward our collective success. Perseverance We create solutions to overcome challenges. Integrity We are honest and truthful in all we do. Safety We protect and care for each other. Expertise We use science and knowledge to master our craft. Our Vision We create and deliver sustainable solutions. Stewardship We make the world around us better.

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