59 58 Growth Rings
e Success of the Transition
e spring of 1979 proved a fitting time for the transfer of ownership from the
Davey family to the employees. It was a new dawn for the Davey Company. Many
new managers took positions with increased responsibility. New members, including
some long-time employees, joined the board of directors. An official corporate history
had been documented with the publication of Green Leaves, which would define
company culture for the next four decades.
After the departure of the familial hierarchy from atop the business, Brub Davey
remained the sole family member serving the company, although he moved from vice
president of equipment and properties, which gave him a role in regular operations,
to chairman of the board of directors – more of a hands-off position in terms of
daily work. He still held his close to 63,000 shares, which were a significant, though
minority, portion of the company due to the terms of the employee acquisition.
Al Smith's retirement from active service came in February 1979. His departure,
although he continued briefly as a director, represented the initial breaking away of
the Davey family's core ownership group, which included his wife, Evangeline, who
was the daughter of M.L. Davey, Sr., granddaughter of John Davey and sister to
4
Roots of eir Labor
(1979–1983)
Chapter 4
A brand new 1980 Ford F700 outfitted to
Davey operational standards and equipped
with a chipper unit. is truck and chipper
combination was commonly used for both
residential and utility crews.
