Davey Tree Flipbooks

135 Years of Davey History Celebrated T his year is full of historic anniversaries. In 2015, Davey celebrates 135 years since John Davey started practicing tree surgery in 1880 in Kent, Ohio, a little-known town of the Western Reserve. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Davey's corporate headquarters, which opened in September 1985 across the street from Standing Rock Cemetery—John Davey's first official client. These two landmarks come on the heels of 35 years of employee ownership observed in 2014. To mark these milestones, Davey is partner- ing with the Kent Historical Society to create an exhibit highlighting 135 years of tree care. "We're thrilled to dedicate our main exhibit for 2015 to the history of Davey Tree," says Lorie Bednar, co-director of the Kent Historical Society Museum. "There are two families in Kent that are absolutely critical to the history and establishment of the community: the Kent and Davey families." The Kent Historical Society Museum, located at 237 E. Main St. next to the Portage County Municipal Court Kent branch, will feature three rooms dedicated to Davey on the first floor. The exhibit, titled "Davey and Kent: Growing Together Since 1880," will focus on the general history of the company, the 1985 corporate complex construction and grand opening, and the transition to employee ownership in 1979. The Davey exhibit is slated to open in April and will run through December 2015. The historical society has a wealth of Davey- related items, but the bulk of the material for the exhibit will come from the Davey Historical Archives, which are located in the Davey Institute and house historic materials ranging from 90-year-old company group photographs to early "treeskinner" equipment. Davey's corporate communications department is organizing the materials and assisting with their display. "The Kent Historical Society does a wonderful job telling the stories of the people and businesses that shaped Kent, and we're excited to partner with them to tell the story of Davey Tree," says Sandra Reid, vice president, corporate communications and strategic plan administration. "If you're in Kent in 2015, make sure to visit the exhibit and immerse yourself in 135 years of Davey lore." Admission to the museum is free. It is open on Friday and Saturday from 9 a. m. to 2 p.m. You can also make arrangements for a private viewing by calling 330-678-2712. March/April 2015 | 31 B ob Chordar remembers seeing a lot of golf balls the first day he visited the construction site of Davey's new corporate complex in Kent. It was 1984, and Chordar, president of TC Architects in Akron, had just been hired as a draftsman at the firm. And the new Davey complex, sited mere feet from Oak Knolls West Golf Course, was his first big project. "We didn't really know that people would be that bad of golfers!" Chordar says. Designers quickly changed all windows facing the course—which closed in 2006—from Above: Letterpress engraving of company founder, John Davey Below: Time and material spray prices from 1971 Corporate Complex Turns 30 glass to Lexan, which wouldn't shatter if struck. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1985 dedication and opening of the complex, which includes the Davey Institute. The project's lead designer, Kent native David Fenn, died in 2009 and is buried across the street in Standing Rock Cemetery—Davey tree founder John Davey's first-ever client. An aerial photograph shows Davey's new corporate complex grounds during construction in 1984.

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