Davey Tree Flipbooks

159 158 Growth Rings tools and processes. is proved critical because in addition to Warnke's retirement, the company had experienced several significant retirements and promotions in the prior two years in nearly every service line and operation, including Eastern Utility, Residential/Commercial, Davey Tree Surgery Company and Davey Resource Group. "We're not stuffing people in positions," he added. "ese people are seasoned, and they're very capable. We have good people at the executive level and really strong bench strength." Warnke also pointed to the company's rapid pace of acquisitions, in an April 2017 interview with the Akron Beacon Journal, and geographic expansion as another means of succession planning by providing growth opportunities to attract strong talent. "We can plod along and watch some of our markets get taken away from us, maintain a very solid bottom line and have very strong stock appreciation, but in essence be sitting on a melting ice cube unless we grow the business," he told the Beacon Journal. For several years, Davey had discussed the possibility of purchasing property from a former golf course adjacent to the Davey corporate offices. ere had been numer- ous discussions with the property owner for the 18-hole course, but the landowner seemed to have little interest in selling. At the end of 2016, two important events occurred almost simultaneously. First, the Kent City Schools Board of Education offered to Davey Tree an abandoned grade school on eight acres directly across North Mantua Street from the corporate offices in exchange for property owned by Davey behind the developed corporate grounds. Second, the owner of the golf course put the property up for sale. With asbestos problems surrounding the school building and the high price the board of education wanted for it and the parcel of land, the golf course became a viable alternative despite its higher price tag. e negotiations were kept confidential from Davey employees, management and the public for a number of reasons. Ultimately, the board of education offer was rejected in favor of purchasing the 170-acre former golf course due to its vast arboriculture potential. e property became known as the Davey SEED (Science, Employee Education and Development) Campus and it was publicized as a future site for the expansion Harry Claypool, left, was promoted to vice president and general manager, southern Utility operations, in 2016. Chapter 10 of the corporate offices, a new science and learning center with considerations for a museum dedicated to Davey or to the arboriculture industry. Moreover, the property's abundance of trees and green space and rich topography offered a variety of oppor- tunities for showcasing Davey's diverse services, including wetland management in the riparian area abutting the Cuyahoga River, golf course maintenance expertise and Davey's core tree services. "e Davey SEED Campus is almost like a carrot hanging out there," Warnke said in a 2017 interview. "And it's saying, 'Here I am. Come and get me.' You've got an unlimited opportunity as to what you could do with that property. I would like to see a science and learning center and a showplace for additional Davey corporate offices, state-of-the-art green buildings. We envision housing a non-profit affiliate and poten- tially a Davey museum at this location as well. ose are the aspirations, but it doesn't mean they will come to fruition. It's in the hands of the next era of leadership." Pat Covey credited Warnke's unwavering leadership for the company's tremendous sales growth and share price performance during his tenure as president and CEO. "Looking back on the 23 years I have worked for Karl, it is his competitiveness, integrity and passion for the Davey Company that stands out," Covey said. "All companies experience the challenges created by downturns in the economy, compet- itive pressures and managing risk. Davey has been able to successfully maneuver through these events in large part due to Karl's leadership. roughout all these challenges, Karl consistently put the best interests of the Davey Company first, and he did whatever needed to be done to protect the employee shareholders." anks to the work of Warnke, his management team and the thousands of Davey employees, the company was in a healthy and flexible position 38 years after the employee acquisition, as the next era of leadership prepared to take over and continue plotting a course toward future prosperity for Davey's people – it's employees, clients and shareholders. As Warnke noted at the 2015 Davey Annual Shareholders' Meeting, and as others committed to the Davey culture have opined over the decades, the greatest asset the Davey Company has is its people. "When you bring good people into an organization, they create the kind of culture you're looking for," Warnke said. "You're not going to find our culture in a best- practices guideline somewhere. It's unique, and it's created by Davey employees. Our culture is not fabricated or superficial. It's very real. It's very genuine, and it's deep. It brings out the best in everybody in this company."

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