Davey Tree Flipbooks

11 March/April 2019 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN Daniel Sharp, center, shows off the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences 2019 Golden Oak Award with Davey President and CEO Pat Covey (right) and Greg Ina, executive vice president of the Davey Institute and employee development. This prestigious award is presented to one D.I.T.S. student each year who accumulates the highest amount of points on all assignments throughout the month-long program. Sharp was the first Canadian to win the award in 20 years. Sharp is a general foreman in Victoria Tree Surgery, Victoria, British Columbia. Congratulations! Golden Oak Award Winner Above: 2019 D.I.T.S. students learn about the importance of pollinators and the services Davey offers to clients to care for and maintain pollinator habitats. This session was one of many classroom courses held throughout the four-week training program. Above right: The bitterly cold temperatures during week one didn't stop the students from learning about aerial rescues. Davey's trainers, including Emmett Shutts, get an A+ for innovation. They brought the lesson inside, tree and all. "I was looking forward to coming here and learning more and coming back with more knowledge to share with my employees and to be able to help our customers more," she said. "Being here makes me feel like I'm part of something bigger and that there are people there to help me." Osmar Mejia, production manager, South Chicago R/C office, said he felt he was getting into a comfort zone at work and saw D.I.T.S. as an opportunity to push himself. "At some point in my life, I started thinking that it's time to go to D.I.T.S. and become a manager," Mejia said. "Davey has put in a lot of effort in everyone to be here. And in the end, we learn more and become more professional about the services we provide." Matthew French, crew leader, Cleveland East territory, Commercial Landscape Services, said his goal has been to become an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist ® , and D.I.T.S. has made him more well-rounded in that regard. "This is going to improve me as an employee, it's going to put me in a better position to succeed and in a better position to take the next step to be the next big leader," French said. French also wants to be a mentor for any future D.I.T.S. attendees from his office. "In the long run, the whole experience is beneficial," French said. "It's more than just sitting in a classroom." Faculty Award Winners Julius Uehlein (left) and Osmar Mejia (right) received the D.I.T.S. Faculty award at the 2019 D.I.T.S. banquet from R.J. Laverne. The Faculty Award is presented to the D.I.T.S. participants who best exemplify the spirit of seeking knowledge and the willingness to share that knowledge with others. Uehlein is a general foreman for the PG&E North Bay account, Davey Tree Surgery Company, and Mejia is a production manager in the South Chicago Residential/ Commercial office. Congrats!

• Cover