Davey Tree Flipbooks

RETIREE CORNER LESSONS LEARNED FROM A LIFETIME SPENT AMONG TREES Growing up on a tree farm in Indiana, Jeffrey Matheney planted his first sapling when he was 5 years old. At that moment, with his hands covered in dirt, Matheney knew he wanted to work outside for the rest of his life. As he helped his father plant, maintain and care for the trees on their 150-acre farm, Matheney learned a few more lifelong lessons. "That was hard work. My dad was a worker in every sense of the word. And he expected me to be one," Matheney said. Following in his dad's footsteps, Matheney adopted his father's work ethic. After attending Purdue University and studying forestry, he began working with a few landscaping companies. "I was being recruited by Davey back in 1976 but didn't officially join until 1982. Now, of course, I wish I had started earlier. I learned so much about tree care and business from Davey – way more than I would have at any of those other companies. At Davey, there are so many opportunities and levels of employment," Matheney said. Matheney learned this first-hand. During his 33 years at Davey, he worked his way up from a spray technician to a sales trainee, sales arborist and district manager. As he got to see different aspects of the company, Matheney also got to travel to different areas of the country. He worked in Indianapolis and New Jersey before settling with his family outside of Atlanta in 1988. "If Davey asks you, be willing to move. Always be ready to take on tasks and November/December 2016 | The Davey Bulletin 35 forget," Matheney said. "Do whatever you can to limit problems, but when they happen, jump head in. You aren't the first one to deal with this, and you won't be the last." Each day, Matheney advises you go to work with a positive attitude. "Don't dread it. Give it all you got to the day you leave. Even if you don't like it every second, you have to do the job to the best of your ability. You owe it to Davey. It's a good company." As an employee owner, Matheney is part of the company. He's always seen the dividend checks "as a nice bonus," and his Davey stock played a role in helping him retire comfortably. "I loved the last 33 years so much. Davey is interested in teaching, in helping you grow. All you have to do is take advantage of it," Matheney said. "Work hard, and stick with Davey. You can't do better. Believe me." do more than you're asked. It's about taking initiative," Matheney said. "Even if you don't see any instant gratification, it can't hurt to work harder and do more." Over the years, Matheney embodied John Davey's motto of "Do it right or not at all." After all, his father taught him the same lesson growing up. "It builds up over the years. All the stuff and advice your parents taught you. You don't take it seriously at first, but then you realize that they're right," Matheney said. Looking back, Matheney realizes he lived his life by this standard, which boils down to doing good work with a good attitude. "You have to build trust with your clients. Be honest, and do what's best for them. Sometimes that means delivering bad news, but you still have to tell the truth. Lies are hard to After 33 years at Davey, Jeffrey Matheney retired Jan. 1, 2015. Now, he spends his days making home improvements, dabbling in woodwork and riding his Harley. " I loved the last 33 years so much. Davey is interested in teaching, in helping you grow. All you have to do is take advantage of it. " Jeffrey Matheney

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