May/June 2015 | 27
News from Davey's corporate office.
The Big Picture
A
s part of the company's plan to continue
its strategic growth, Davey has announced
the acquisition of Nature First, a tree care
residential/commercial company based near
Santa Cruz, California.
Nature First provides tree pruning and
removal, planting and diagnosis, and garden
renovation to its clients in the San Jose/Santa
Cruz area. Dick Scoppettone started the
company in 2006 and will remain with the
company during the transition. Additionally,
MiMi Scoppettone will be indefinitely
retained as an employee.
"I am excited about
the new direction we
are heading," he says.
"I want to assure our
clients that we will
continue to provide
reliable and exceptional
service. Additionally, our
clients can now benefit
from comprehensive
plant health care services,
including subsurface
fertilization, pest and
disease management,
along with specialized prescription care for
their trees and shrubs."
Jim Stief, executive vice president, U.S.
residential operations, says Davey is excited
to welcome Nature First and its talented team.
"Nature First clients also will now have access
to the Davey Institute, an industry-leading
diagnostic and research facility," Stief says.
Stief also stressed that Nature First
employees would also have more opportunities
to grow as industry leaders. "We have no
doubt they will benefit from Davey's diversified
service offerings, technology and equipment
resources, research and development
capability and, of course, the culture of
employee ownership."
Davey's Travis Evans will manage the
Santa Cruz office. Evans is an International
Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist
and a lifelong resident of the community.
Evans started with Davey in 2001 and has
worked within the Davey Tree Surgery
Company, Davey Resource Group and Davey's
Residential/Commercial (R/C) operations.
The acquisition is Davey's sixth in the last
year. Stief reiterated that Davey is committed
to future growth—organically and through
acquisitions. "We will continue to focus on
high-quality companies with client demographics
that are similar to our own, within markets
where we want to grow density," he says.
Nature First Becomes
a Davey Company
