Davey Tree Flipbooks

March/April 2014 | 27 Davey memorabilia from self-dubbed "pack rat" John Dingus, a 2008 retiree, range in origin, significance and meaning. 1. Dingus paid $1 for the book titled Davey's Primer on Trees and Birds (pictured above) at a flea market in Tennessee. 2. After Davey helped restore damage from the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon, Dingus attended a dedication ceremony at which he received the pin, pictured top left. 3. A Road to Zero key chain Dingus acquired in 2005 (pictured top right) arrived to corporate with several other Davey materials from Dingus. 4. The language expressed in an employee contract from 1922 (pictured above) gave Dingus and co-workers a good laugh. Like a Message in a Bottle Davey Memories J ohn Dingus never expected to receive two Davey artifacts when he requested a "new" filing cabinet for his office near Washington, D.C. The filing cabinet, which hailed all the way from Davey's corporate office in Kent, Ohio, bared an employee contract from 1922. "But the filing cabinet looked as if it was from 1922 as well," Dingus says with a laugh. Dingus, who retired from Davey in 2008, loves saving memorabilia from his past. "I'm a pack rat," he says. After spending more than 40 years contributing to large projects for Davey near the nation's capital, such as the WWII Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the National Christmas Tree, Dingus has acquired—and saved— several programs, pamphlets and papers that highlight his career experiences. So, it's no surprise Dingus kept the contract he found tucked within the filing cabinet. He stored it among other company materials, books and more for many years until sending it on its way back to Kent this year. The notarized contract outlines one and a half pages of guidelines and regulations for employment with The Davey Tree Expert Company. But the language throughout might surprise present-day employees, as it did for Dingus and his co-workers. "We figured if someone had to commit to something like that, Davey must be something special," Dingus says. But to Dingus, Davey really did turn out to be "something special." Deaths Retiree George Sterner passed away on Jan. 12. George retired in 1996 following 42 years of service. He was shop manager at the Buffalo shop. Retiree Jerry Lovine passed away on Dec. 15, 2013. Jerry retired in 1991 follow- ing 21 years of service. He was a foreman. In Memory of Richard Hill We are saddened by the loss of Richard Hill, who passed away on Jan. 19. Hill, district manager for Davey's San Francisco R/C office, had just celebrated his 30-year anniversary with the company in December 2013. As a certified arborist, Hill was involved with ISA and served as a consultant and expert witness in litigation involving tree work. "His passion for arboriculture and influence on his coworkers contributed to his legacy as an expert in the San Francisco market," says Kevin Peters, western operations manager. During his Davey career, Hill served on President's Council and received numerous sales awards; clients and coworkers admired and respected him. "Richard was a mentor to numerous arborists and employees throughout his 30 years of service," Peters says. "He was a friend, a colleague, a pillar of the organization. He will be missed by many." Richard Hill

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