10
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
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May/June 2026
Kate Miller and Matthew Paruzynski strongly represented
the company alongside seven other Davey climbers at the
International Society of Arboriculture's North American Tree
Climbing Championship (NATCC) held at the SEED (Science,
Employee Education and Development) Campus in May.
Miller, foreman, Sacramento office, Residential/Commercial
(R/C) services, placed first in the throwline event for the
women's division, and Paruzynski, foreman, South St. Paul
office, placed third in the belayed speed climb for the
men's division.
"It was an honor to represent Davey," Paruzynski said.
"During the competition, it occurred to me just how glad
I am to be a part of a company that is a leading force in
research, professionalism and commitment to employee
training and development. I was happy to compete in
my first NATCC, and I enjoy being able to showcase our
skills as arborists."
Abby Alm, Daniel Barnes, Evan Beck, Libby Bower, Dana
Brelowski, Sarah Hood-Recant and Ryan Sams also
represented Davey at NATCC.
The NATCC consists of five preliminary events: aerial
rescue, work climb, ascent, belayed speed climb and
throwline. Then, competitors' scores from those events
EMPLOYEES CLIMB LEADERBOARDS AT DAVEY-HOSTED NATCC
NATCC
are combined, and the male and female climbers with
the highest total score advance to the Masters' Challenge,
which is a singular event that tests technique and skill.
The male and female winners of the Masters' Challenge are
then named NATCC Champions and advance to the Annual
International Tree Climbing Championship, which will be
held this year in St. Louis in October.
"My favorite part of NATCC was getting to see all different
climbers from all different places around the country," Alm,
foreman, North Fort Collins office, said. "I got to see a lot
of people I don't communicate with very often. It was also
awesome to experience a variety of styles and a variety of
gear while climbing and to learn as I go."
Held at the SEED Campus, this year's event brought in
over a thousand attendees, including climbers and their
families, employees, volunteers, vendors, arborists and
community members. Davey was the exclusive sponsor
of the Masters' Challenge and the exclusive sponsor and
host of the Climber's Party that followed the second day
of competition.
"I really love the tree climbing community," Sams, trimmer,
Chicago office, said. "It doesn't matter what skill level you're
at. Everyone just wants to see you progress as a climber."
Davey climbers (left to right) Sarah Hood-Recant, Dana Brelowski, Libby Bower,
Kate Miller, Abby Alm, Ryan Sams, Evan Beck, Matthew Paruzynski and Daniel Barnes
showed off their climbing skills during the ISA's NATCC on the SEED Campus May 15-17.
