Davey Tree Flipbooks

May/June 2015 | 35 J ulia Schumacher developed an intimate understanding of the inner workings of the headquarters of The Davey Tree Expert Company long before any employees set foot in the new Kent, Ohio, corporate complex. Schumacher was the interior designer with Akron-based TC Architects, the architecture firm for the new corporate headquarters, when work started in 1984 on the complex. "I was involved from the very beginning working with Davey Tree and our design team to understand the company's culture and needs for the new work environment," Schumacher says. "We designed the build- ing from the inside out. We were very careful to consider the human element." That "human element" was about 160 Davey administrative employees, who would be relocating from three separate offices spread throughout downtown Kent into the new corporate complex. The new buildings boasted some cutting-edge materials for their time, including modular carpet and flat-wire electrical distribution. "These were very new ideas at the time," Schumacher says. "We studied and mocked up lighting to test the color rendering attributes and comfort of light." This September marks the 30 th anniversary of the dedication of the new complex in 1985. The construction and dedication are part of an exhibit at the Kent Historical Society titled "Davey and Kent: Growing Together Since 1880," which will run through December 2015. Thirty years later, what is Schumacher's favorite aspect of the corporate center? "That it has lasted," she says. June 6 marks the birthday of The Davey Tree Expert Company founder, John Davey. He would have turned 169 this year. The illustration above features a portrait of John, shaded with words from his most influential phrase, "Do it right or not at all." John often referred to this concept— a lesson he learned from his father while tending potato plants—as he continued to motivate and encourage Davey employees. A TREEmendous Birthday Social Hour Do you want to #ClimbMoreTrees for #DaveyTree? How do you show your #TreeLove? What do you want to know about #DaveyHistory? What's not to love about tree-related hashtags? Familiarize yourself with those listed above—and more—by visiting Davey's newest social media account on Instagram. Since late February, Davey has gradually built its presence on the photo- and video- sharing site by posting images of employees climbing and planting trees, before and after photos of landscapes and scans of Davey memorabilia from the company's archives. If you haven't already, search "daveytree" among Instagram users and follow us for more fun tree photos! Use the hashtag "#daveytree" when posting your own tree images so we can share them, too. Picture This The Thursday, Sept. 12, 1985 Record-Courier featured a 32-page special supplement recognizing the inauguration of Davey's corporate complex in Kent, Ohio. Corporate Complex Interior Designer Interview

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