Davey Tree Flipbooks

20 | January/February 2016 DAVEY PEOPLE "What I like about my job at Davey is being aware what we do helps keep the power on. Many people thanked us for our work in Middletown; the electric company was ecstatic we worked as efficiently as we did. We learned new equipment and techniques from other crews we joined there. They were surprised by the ways in which we communicated with each other, but we're more like a family here." – Arthur Castillo, who has worked alongside fellow crewmembers for many years, explains everyone knows each other's families. Some crewmembers also attended high school together. As Castillo says, "That's why we always take the extra mile to make sure everyone gets home safe." "Our district is more family-oriented; employees here think of you but also your family. Management is really supportive of our team. Our managers spend the time, effort and money to train employees in order to get the results they're looking for. The safety discussions we have in the field make me feel professional; we're profes- sional from the way we respond in a state of emergency to the way managers carry themselves. Our standards are very high." – David Solano, who has worked with Davey since 1997, admires Larry Abernathy, Brian Friedrich and other long-time employees who began their Davey careers in the field and then advanced to bigger opportunities. "I feel secure with this company. Safety takes first priority; it's something our supervisors discuss with us every morning. Because fire season lasts all year in San Diego, we are always alert. It's rewarding to work with the fire crew because it makes you feel good working to help people get back on their feet. We have fun working together—I love being outside and working in the trees—and it's nice having other people look out for you. We learn some- thing new every day." – Oscar Escarcega, who is not afraid to invest in Davey; he's been an employee owner for five years. Because he trusts the company "100 percent," Escarcega hopes to retire with Davey someday. "Every day is something different; a different tree, a different experience, a different location. We're always moving from location to location, which makes the job enjoyable. In Middletown, it was exciting to meet crews from other states. Being safe is our collective goal. I've had a great experience working for Davey, where I hope to continue growing for the future." – Sid Avila, a Davey employee since 2003, loves his regular tree climbing responsibil- ities and occasional reliability assignments that he tackles in the same district where he began his Davey career. After recognizing the benefits of employee ownership, Avila began contributing more to the stock ownership program several years ago. Davey employees (pictured in Davey t-shirts) from several locations traveled to Middletown, California, to join recovery efforts in the aftermath of last September's Valley Fire. Hundreds of homes and businesses suffered from the flames, which represented the third most damaging wildfire in California history. Although several Davey employees had to spend extended periods of time away from home to assist wildfire victims and their community, their efforts felt reward- ing in the end. Read about some of their Davey experiences here. (Pictured from left to right, front row: Jose Moreno, Ortiz Augustine, Macario Mendoza, Javier Gallegos, Pedro Reyes, Alfredo Razo and David Solano; second row: Rosendo Rizo, Arthur Castillo, Luis Simental, Efrain Villatoro, Jorge Orellana, Juan Gutierrez, Bruce Williams, Oscar Ecarcega, Noe Fuentes, Victor Mondragon and Tim Xinidakis; third row: Sid Avila, Salvador Avila, Jose Chacon and Fotu Levu.) ON THE ROAD

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