Davey Tree Flipbooks

32 | July/August 2015 Davey People Paul Gnap retired April 19 after 17 years of service. He was a landscape foreman at the Akron office. "Paul was hired as a laborer in landscaping, but he ultimately did every field job we had out there," says Gordon Matthews, district manager of the Akron R/C office. "He never asked for much and was uncomfortable taking credit or even being told he did a good job. He was a fixture in the shop for 17 years and is missed by all." Soeun Khiev retired April 19 after 31 years of service. He was a foreman on the PG&E North Bay account. Khiev was known for his hard work among other crewmembers. "He was a fast worker, too, so they gave him the nickname 'Too Quick,'" says Abe Palu, now supervisor on the PG&E Santa Rosa account. Mark Mercaldo retired March 29 after 36 years of service. He was district manager of the North Philadelphia office. "Mercaldo's regimented, disciplined approach to his every- day work routine made a lasting impact on the financial successes and careers of myriad employees throughout nearly four decades," says Phil Snyder, East Atlantic operations vice president. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University, Mercaldo joined Davey in 1978 at the West Philadelphia office and became a sales arborist at the same office two years later. He was promoted to assistant district manager in 1982 at the West Philadelphia office and became district manager of the North Philadelphia office in 1993. "Mark placed great emphasis on daily operations and the properties on which his team cared for, which illustrates his hard- working, lasting legacy," Snyder says. "With Mark, his work was all about the people— clients and employees alike." Bobby O'Shields retired April 3 after 36 years of service. He was a mechanic at the Kent shop. O'Shields joined Davey in 1979, shortly after he graduated high school. His father was a mechanic at the Kent shop during the same time. As a semi-truck driver and sprayer mechanic, O'Shields delivered new equipment and Arbor Green ® PRO to the field, as well as returned old equip- ment back to Kent for repair or disposal. From 1989 to 1990, O'Shields was a crew leader of the chipper/sprayer department, but he continued to inspect, repair and service the semi-truck and trailer he operated for Davey from then until his retirement. One of O'Shields' career highlights was driving more than one million miles on the job without experiencing an accident. Jay Volio retired April 26 after 33 years of service. He was a sales and service technician at the West Columbus office. Retirements After earning his bachelor's degree in biology from Kent State University, Volio began his Davey career in 1981 at the East Cleveland Lawn Care office. He transferred to the Columbus office as a sales and service technician in 1986. In 1994, Volio graduated from the Davey Institute of Horticultural Sciences (DIHS). "Jay was an outstanding lawn technician," says West Columbus R/C District Manager Scott Lindesmith. "He was very reliable and great with clients and co-workers; he will be missed at Davey." Volio is pictured receiving his 30-year service award from Lindesmith. James Westover retired May 1 after 42 years of service. He was a shipping/ receiving clerk at the Kent warehouse. Westover joined Davey in 1971 as a groundman on the Ohio Edison account. He worked in the field as a trimmer and a foreman, off and on, until 1994, when he joined customer contact at the Kent shop. There he stocked and distributed field tools, safety equipment and parts to repair equipment in the field. He became a shipping/receiving clerk in 1999. Lyle Whalley retired May 3 after 17 years of service. He worked at the Livermore shop. "Lyle was a great asset to our company, with all his knowledge in automobile and off-road equipment," says Larry Evans, senior vice president of operations for Davey Tree Surgery. "Lyle is going to be missed, and we all wish him the best in retirement." Jay Volio Soeun Khiev Mark Mercaldo Bobby O'Shields James Westover

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