Holiday 2016 THE ASPLUNDH TREE 2016 THE ASPLUNDH TREE. AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL EMPLOYEES It is the policy of our Company and all of its subsidiaries and management to

Holiday 2016

THE ASPLUNDH TREE

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL EMPLOYEESIt is the policy of our Company and all of its subsidiaries and management to

work continually toward improving recruitment, employment, development and promotional opportunities for minority group members and women.

It is the Company’s intent to provide equal opportunity in all areas of its employment practices and to ensure that there be no discrimination against any applicant or employee on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation.

This policy extends to recruiting and hiring, to working conditions, training programs, use of company facilities, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. As a field employee, complaints may be made to your immediate supervisor (foreperson, general foreperson, supervisor) or Division manager. As a Corporate Home Office employee, complaints may be made to your immediate supervisor, department manager or the Human Resources manager.

If you cannot report to your supervisor or manager, or if a complaint you have made has not been promptly addressed, you should call the Corporate EEO Officer at (215) 784-4200.

Management will continue to be guided and motivated by this policy, and with the cooperation of all employees, will actively pursue the related goals of equal opportunity and affirmative action throughout the Company and all of its subsidiaries.

Scott M. Asplundh, Chief Executive Officer

DECEMBER 2016 WILLOW GROVE, PA

THEASPLUNDH

TREEHoliday 2016

ON THE COVER

The warmth and hope of a winter sunrise shines through a grove of evergreen trees, casting shadows across the cool blue snow. (Photo by Shutterstock.com)

The Asplundh TREE is a family magazine, published three times a year for all employees and friends of the Asplundh companies.

Asplundh welcomes requests to reprint or otherwise duplicate this magazine, in whole or in part. Please contact the Managing Editor of Corporate Communications at the address below for permission, or call 1-800-248-TREE (in the U.S. or Canada).

© 2016 Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

Asplundh Tree Expert Co. 708 Blair Mill Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090 www.asplundh.com

Printed on recycled paper

MANAGING EDITOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONSPatti ChipmanWRITER/EDITORKristin WildASSISTANT EDITOR/GRAPHICS SPECIALISTRonnie Gauker

REUNION OF AMD STAFF

Some of you may not know that for over 40 years, Asplundh was an equipment manufacturer in addition to being a line clearance company. In 1949, Asplundh field tested its own chipper designs and soon a manufacturing facility in Philmont,

Pennsylvania was built. Then in 1958, with the successful development of an Asplundh aerial lift with fully-insulated booms, a new manufacturing facility was built in nearby Chalfont. The Asplundh Manufacturing Division (AMD) grew throughout the 1960s,

70s and 80s, with several additions constructed over the years. In July 1992, an agreement was completed to sell AMD to Altec Industries, Inc. and some of the Chalfont employees came to the Willow Grove Home Office while others joined Altec or found other jobs. Thanks to the Internet and good friendships, 15 former AMD employees recently enjoyed a reunion after 24 years!

p Coworkers from the days of the Asplundh Manufacturing Division in Chalfont, Pennsylvania gathered for a reunion picnic on September 17 at the home of Byron Hecker, former Asplundh chipper salesman, in Telford, Pennsylvania. Pictured in the front row (L to R): Joan Weidner, Don Welby (Accounting Dept.), Liz Pellicone (IT Dept.), Ken Schaeffer, Dave Seymore and Karl Benetz. In the back row (L to R): Ed Los, Joe Wood, John Fernandez, Byron Hecker, Fritz Bachman, Joe Supper and John Keck. In attendance, but not pictured were Ed Curry and Sue Shaw.

CONTENTS

Safety Success Is No Accident ...................2Hurricane Matthew And More Stormy Times ..............................................4Saluting Branches .........................................6Merit Awards ................................................7Retirees Honored ........................................8An Everyday Guide To Business Ethics ...........................................9Management Update ..................................10Orchids .............................................12Service Anniversaries ................................16In Memoriam ...............................................18Crews & News ...........................................19Shoot Out 2016 .........................................24

ith 2016 rapidly drawing to a close, we are all preparing for

holiday celebrations with friends and family. It has been a year filled with improved safety performance, numerous acquisitions, really hot summer temperatures, expanding work requests and Hurricane Matthew.

Our safety results were much improved over the prior year for several reasons. Auditing field operations every 18 months, evaluating results, and then implementing corrective actions are all paying off. In addition, electronic tracking of all incidents in our SafetySuite program has been well received in the field. By reporting and analyzing the root cause of each incident, we expect this data will help us continue to reduce events in the future. Our workforce has also embraced the use of our initial computer-based training for certain work activities like tree felling and chain saw sharpening, and we look forward to offering more video training this coming year.

In the event an injury occurs, we have been using a new medical evaluation concept called WorkCare™. The injured employee calls a toll-free number to discuss the injury with a nurse practitioner who identifies the best path for immediate medical attention and recovery. We are pleased with the preliminary results and plan to expand the program in 2017.

Once again, the year began with a very warm winter which allowed us to stay on budget and achieve production targets while avoiding most of the hazards of snow, ice and cold weather. As the year progressed, summertime heat was oppressive and many Southern cities hit record highs with numerous days above 95 degrees. Many thanks to our employees who dealt with severe conditions, particularly after several consecutive days, and still performed work safely and productively. Great job by all!

In October, Hurricane Matthew struck the Southeast and over 5,000 of our tree and line workers were deployed to assist the impacted regions. Most of the crews returned home after ten days of safe and efficient restoration efforts. Again, many thanks to all who participated in the storm recovery.

The use of technology continues to expand at the crew level with the transition from 2G to 4G communication devices. Our vehicles now have the ability to serve as a Wi-Fi hot spot for a computer, tablet or smartphone. At present, we have over 3,000 tablets deployed on non-supervision crews. There have also been numerous discussions about the use of drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for vegetation and asset surveys. We have participated in several trial projects and are excited about the benefits of this tool. Several additional projects are scheduled for early 2017.

With field operations expanding and many landscaping acquisitions to integrate, restructuring had to occur at Willow Grove. In particular, Brian Bauer was named Secretary/Treasurer, Greg Staton came on board as Manager of Corporate Administration and Matt Nolan was hired for the Controller position. Many thanks to our corporate acquisition teams for their tireless work, performing due diligence and integration of the six acquisition companies

this year. These would not have happened without your efforts.

In addition to acquisitions, we continued to expand the business through organic growth. To help us manage this growth, we hired two additional Directors of Operations, Barry Hooper and Doug Roof. Both individuals have significant experience in the line clearance industry and bring a wealth of knowledge to the company.

The demand for continuity of electrical service by rate payers has increased the role of vegetation management and line construction services for improving reliability. The importance of on-time, on-budget work has never been more important to, or closely monitored by, our customers.

In April, our corporation acquired a majority financial position in the helicopter side-trimming company Rotor Blade of Georgetown, South Carolina. This is a safe and cost-effective tool when terrain is hilly or swampy and heavily forested. Many opportunities exist for the use of this concept on transmission and distribution systems throughout the United States.

Our commercial landscape holding company, Five Seasons Property Management, Inc., continued to expand with five additional acquisitions and a start-up operation during the year. These companies work in 16 states

and have over 1,580 employees. We are excited about the industry and the management teams that run these operations.

Although we have had many challenges during the year, most of them have been overcome by hard work, persistence, talented personnel and doing the right thing at the right time. We thank you all for your participation in making 2016 another successful year. Best wishes to you, your family and friends for a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and New Year!

Scott M. Asplundh Chief Executive OfficerAsplundh Tree Expert Co.

Christopher B. Asplundh Chairman of the BoardAsplundh Tree Expert Co.

George E. Graham, Jr. PresidentAsplundh Tree Expert Co.

Steven G. Asplundh PresidentUtiliCon Solutions, Ltd.

Happy Holidays!

The Asplundh TREEHoliday 2016 1

W

G rowing up, I remember hearing my parents comment about how much faster time seemed to move as an adult than when you were young. At the time,

this didn’t make any sense to me, but I now understand their comments as I try to balance everything that goes on in life. 2016 flew by and here we are again, getting ready to welcome in a new year.

From a safety standpoint, it was another successful year. Our incidence rate was flat—neither better nor worse than the year before—but we were able to reduce our Days Away, Restricted Time (DART) rate by another 14%, and our Severity rate by an additional 35%. Our focus on reducing incidents from the most common types of events within our industry—struck-bys, falls from heights, motor vehicle incidents and electrical contacts—resulted in a 37% reduction in injuries related to these events.

I am happy to say that our people in the field have gotten better at conducting job briefings and using a STOP/Timeout when conditions do not feel right. They have also participated in the roll out of an updated version of our line clearance qualification standard (LCQS), which has gotten us up to speed with the most recent advances in arboriculture techniques. Our industry-leading training program is now available for employees via hard copy or in an electronic format for use on smart devices. It is supplemented with a series of just-in-time learning videos.

Our instructor-led advanced training classes in rigging and climbing techniques were again fully booked this year. These classes generated a 15% increase in the number of trainers who have received this advanced instruction and can now bring it to the employees in their regions.

The TapRooT® technique for root cause analysis was introduced in 2016. It is the formal incident investigation process we now use. We trained over 130 people using outside resources to help us implement it. In less than a year since it was first rolled out, we have already seen a 20% reduction in repeat incidents because it is helping us better understand where the gaps are in our processes. As a life-long process improvement guy, I am very excited about this. I know a focus on addressing these issues will help us prevent even more injuries in the future.

For the second year in a row, we achieved our safety goal on the Asplundh-Vegetation side of the business. I have been told that a back-to-back repeat has never been achieved before, but we are not done ...

As I look ahead, 2017 will be busy.

We will be introducing a formal training curriculum for both general forepersons (GFs) and regional safety superintendents (RSSs). If you want to do either of these jobs in the future, you will have to complete this training. We have already piloted the GF version and are in the process of making some revisions to what will be the final version.

For the RSS curriculum, we have partnered with the National Safety Council (NSC)—the nation’s leading safety advocate—to develop a course to train RSSs using some of their materials. I am pleased to report that Asplundh is the first company in the country who has been authorized by NSC as an outreach training center. We are working on certifying a number of our trainers before the end of 2016 so the new RSS course can start in the spring.

Starting in 2017, our corporate safety audit program is being stepped up, moving from auditing all of our regions once every 18 months to once every 12 months.

We will also continue to expand the use of SafetySuite, our online health and safety software application. By turning on additional user features, we are able to gather more complete information for our health and safety data management system.

I thank you for your contributions to our program this past year and for your uncompromising commitment to working safely. I hope that you will bring that same commitment to preserving your family’s health and safety as well.

Have a safe and happy holiday season and I look forward to more good things to come in 2017.

Bruce Mellott [email protected]

The Asplundh TREEHoliday 20162

SAFETY SUCCESS I S N O AC C I D E N T

by Bruce Mellott, Vice President Corp. Safety – Vegetation Operations


TRAINING AND SAFETY SUCCESSES

“SEAT BELTS AND CPR TRAINING SAVED MY LIFE”t On April 5, while on a family reunion/vacation in Palm Desert, California, retired Vice President Mick Kavran (center) suffered a full cardiac arrest while driving with his wife, Terrie (R) and son, Ken (L) as passengers. They ran off the highway into the desert and at one point, their large SUV flew 40 feet through the air. Thankfully, all were wearing seat belts and were not seriously injured in the auto incident. Ken and Terrie unbuckled their belts and were able to move Mick from the vehicle so that Ken could immediately start cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Since they could not quickly locate their cell phones, they told bystanders to contact 911 and Terrie was able to use the SUV’s OnStar system to get help. The OnStar operator assisted with counting compressions for Ken and directed paramedics to the scene. Ken performed CPR on Mick for approximately 10 to 15

minutes until paramedics arrived and then, it took three times for the defibrillator to start his heart!

Ken first received CPR/First Aid training and certification while working for Asplundh years ago and has continued his updates yearly since he works as a line foreperson for a contractor on Puget Sound Energy property in Washington. Mick has had a 100% recovery and is thankful for the quick and professional action taken by all parties, especially his son, wife, paramedics and medical staff at Desert Regional Medical Center. He also hopes his experience will serve as a clear reminder that seat belts and proper CPR/First Aid training really do save lives.

t For two days in August, Senior Corporate Safety Trainer Caesar Bustos (far R) led this lively group of safety trainers from the Barry Suddreth Region in an advanced climbing trainer course. Equipped with this advanced knowledge and experience, these safety trainers are helping to raise the safety and skill levels of their region’s climbers. Held at the Park Road Park in Charlotte, North Carolina, they all came down out of the trees for this group photo (L to R): Safety Training Superintendents Derek Abendroth, Terry Snow, Jim Cincotti, Keith Wilmoth, Jason Cooper and Marshal Thompson.

u After the advanced climbing trainer sessions, Regional Safety Superintendent

John McLamb (R) presented a Suddreth Region Challenge Coin to Senior Corporate Safety Trainer Caesar Bustos (L) for his exceptional service in supporting the region’s

safety training needs. John commented afterwards, “We have had Caesar come to our area before and we were glad to have him back. He is very skilled and passionate

about his work. What a top-notch, professional, well-prepared trainer!”

u In September, nearly 500 employees of Puget Sound Energy (PSE) participated in the utility’s annual Electric Operations Safety Days event at Lake Tapps, south of Seattle, Washington.

The weather was perfect for outdoor demonstrations and presentations covering topics such as traffic safety, flood hazards, load securement and animal control, to name a few. Regional Safety

Superintendent Tripp Good of the Shawn Shapiro Region is shown here concluding his presentation on chain saw chaps by actually sawing into a pair of chaps wrapped around wood logs. He was able to show how the chain gets caught up in the special filler fibers. He also demonstrated to the electrical

workers and others in attendance how chain saw chaps should fit and be worn properly to get the most protection from serious injuries. The information was well received by PSE employees, especially

those who occasionally need to operate a chain saw in storm conditions.


HURRICANE MATTHEW AND MORE STORMY TIMESI n addition to numerous summer

thunderstorms and tornados causing severe localized damage, the Atlantic

hurricane season was fairly active this year with two hurricanes—Hermine and Matthew—making landfall in the United States. In response, the Asplundh Storm Center in Willow Grove was activated to help coordinate the movement of tree crews and UtiliCon’s Storm Coordinator John McNamee managed the mobilization of line crews. Let’s take a brief look back at what Asplundh and UtiliCon did to help our customers restore power after the 2016 hurricanes.

Hurricane HermineAlthough Hurricane Matthew required

an overall larger and more prolonged response, the threat from Hermine, a Category 1 hurricane, was still serious and the resulting damage was significant. Utilities in Florida began requesting crews from Asplundh as early as August 26 and on September 2 Hurricane Hermine made landfall on the coast south of Tallahassee, the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Wilma in 2005. It soon degraded into a post-tropical cyclone and travelled up the East Coast, bringing wind and rain to many Labor Day celebrations.

At the peak of Asplundh’s storm response, over 800 tree workers and supervision had been sent to assist local crews cleaning up storm debris on the properties of six utilities from Florida to Massachusetts.

On the UtiliCon side, more than 430 line workers and supervision were on storm restoration duty for six utilities in Florida and the Northeast.

By September 6, all of the mobilized tree and line crews were released to return to their home utilities.

Hurricane MatthewA little over a month later, Florida

was on alert once again, this time for Hurricane Matthew, the first Category 5 Atlantic hurricane since Felix in 2007. The threat was extremely serious as it

u Corporate Safety Training Manager Tracy Hawks snapped this photo of a huge pine blown over onto Florida Power & Light lines near Flagler

Beach. He and most of the Corporate Safety Group were in the field monitoring and assisting with safety concerns throughout the Hurricane

Matthew response, from Florida to Virginia.

t While monitoring crews in the vicinity of Florence, South Carolina, Corporate EHS Project Specialist Adam Martin captured this scene of an Asplundh crew piecing back a toppled tree from a Duke Energy line. This was a common task in the aftermath of Matthew’s wind and torrential rain.

u Part of the Hurricane Matthew storm response was

hampered in the Carolinas by washed out roads and

culverts like this one. All of the heavy rain that fell inland during

the storm gradually made its way down to the coast, flooding rivers,

creeks and low lying areas all along the way.

became clear that Matthew had caused widespread destruction and more than 580 deaths in Haiti on October 4—and it was moving northward toward Florida! Several southeastern states declared a state of emergency in various counties and evacuations were ordered for many coastal areas.

Early requests for tree crews from various Florida utilities began to pour into the Asplundh Storm Center on October 4. Additional requests came in from Georgia and the Carolinas over the next three days, as crews travelled to the Southeast from as far west as Kansas and Oklahoma, and as far north as Wisconsin. At the peak of Asplundh’s storm response,

over 2,300 employees were mobilized to assist local crews working for nine utilities from Florida to North Carolina.

Skilled electrical workers and specialized equipment from UtiliCon’s subsidiaries were also in high demand. Hundreds of line workers, supervision and vehicles started driving on October 5 to the Southeast from as far away as Massachusetts and Illinois. At the height of UtiliCon’s storm response, approximately 1,200 employees from Asplundh Construction Corp., Utility Lines Construction Services, American Lighting and Signalization, and Grid One Solutions were working to help restore power on five utility systems from Florida to the Carolinas.


To help expedite the movement of “foreign” crews to work sites and track their locations, many of the storm-affected utilities used or were given access to AVMS Live.

A Long Path Of DamageAfter pounding the Bahamas as a

Category 4 hurricane on October 6, Matthew paralleled Florida’s eastern coastline, remaining just offshore. Although Florida avoided a direct hit, coastal and inland communities still suffered damage from winds over 80 mph, heavy rain and storm surge. Over one million customers in the state lost power during and after the hurricane.

Gradually weakening as it moved along the coast of Georgia, Matthew made a final landfall on October 8 as a Category 1 hurricane about 50 miles south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Over 1.5 million outages were reported throughout North and South Carolina due to the winds and torrential rains. In fact, the rain that fell further inland caused widespread and deadly flooding in the Carolinas and Virginia, and made traveling to some storm-affected areas very complicated.

As storm restoration work was completed in Florida, many mobilized crews were reassigned to utilities in the Carolinas. By October 15, the majority of crews were released to return to their home utilities, but some continued storm clean up work for another four days.

AppreciationWith the power restored, e-mails

and letters of appreciation came to the Asplundh Home Office from children and adults alike.

From Hammah Ashtam at the David Hinson Middle School in Daytona, Florida:

...You were spotted in the Daytona area and were a big help to our community. You helped people receive power quickly by clearing trees for power companies. Thank you again for helping our community clean up after Hurricane Matthew.

In an e-mail from Rick Wolsifer:

Just wanted to say a big thanks to you guys! I live in Rincon, Georgia and see a lot of [your] trucks from Indiana! I really appreciate your support to help us out down here!

u While waiting for their next assignment in a Florence, South Carolina staging area, General

Foreperson David Cook (far L) and Journeyman Paul Putman (in the cab) from the Barry Suddreth

Region, as well as ECI QA/Safety Auditor Will Tucker (far R), received special custom-designed goodie bags of treats. These three young angels

on the step delivered them to show their support of the work the crews were doing to help Duke

Energy restore power after Hurricane Matthew.

u Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) paid a visit to a staging area in Daytona and made a point to seek out

the crews of our Utility Lines Construction Services (dba Musgrove Construction) subsidiary assisting

Florida Power & Light with the storm restoration work. He wanted to show his appreciation for Musgrove’s storm response in the state capitol of Tallahassee a

few weeks previous when Hurricane Hermine caused numerous outages. Theron Purvis (L), an RSS at the

time, was happy to shake the governor’s hand on behalf of Musgrove.

t While up in the air cutting storm-damaged limbs away from power lines in Vero Beach, Florida, Foreperson William Ledoux of the Ron Hallock Region provided a patriotic service by untangling the shredded remains of an American flag that had inadvertently been left up during Hurricane Matthew. Treasure Coast Community Health, where the flagpole stands, was very appreciative of his assistance.

t General Foreperson J.J. Brown of the Bobby King Region in Kentucky shared one of the colorfully hand drawn thank-you notes he received from a little girl and her two smaller brothers in Juno Beach, Florida. He said it made him feel great about being there with his crews to help restore power for Florida Power & Light.

In an e-mail from Anthony Orlando in Wilmington, North Carolina:

The whole crew who came to our house was courteous, professional and cognizant. I wanted to tell the appropriate person that they have excellent employees and that I am thankful for the people who helped aide restoration of utilities to victims of Hurricane Matthew. While it was a bad experience losing power, it was a pleasant experience encountering the crew who restored power to our house and those around us.

In an e-mail from Heather Hefner living at Lake Royale in North Carolina:

... we lost power for four days from Hurricane Matthew. I have a newborn and toddler so it was tough, although we’re thankful we didn’t have flooding or any damage. We saw some of your trucks drive by our house and I just wanted to say thank you for helping to restore our power!


SALUTINGBRANCHESThe second annual Saluting Branches: Arborists

United for Veteran Remembrance took place on September 21 in 34 veteran cemeteries across

27 states. The non-profit organization reported over 1,400 volunteers donated arboriculture services in the one-day event.

The photos on this page are from five different national cemeteries where Asplundh-equipped crews pitched in to prune, restore, remove and plant trees. They took pride in helping to make the final resting places of our nation’s service men and women safe and beautiful for their families and loved ones to visit. Many of our employees said it was a humbling experience to see the sheer number of grave sites and realize the tremendous sacrifice that is represented by them.

Many thanks to the Asplundh managers and customers who supported their employees in this volunteer endeavor. We look forward to seeing more involvement at the third annual Saluting Branches event on September 20, 2017.

p Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery, Texas—Vice President Jerry Kensinger, a Marine Corps veteran, and RSS Jeff Pettis, an Air Force veteran, joined with the seven employees (pictured above in hi-vis green) to prune and shape numerous trees for this Saluting Branches event location. The employees who devoted a day of work to honor veterans were Anthony Hernandez, Martin Hernandez, Dagoberto Miranda, Eric Ojeda, Rosali Rios, Mario Rosas and Alberto Torres, Sr., as well as Jerry and Jeff.

t Little Rock National Cemetery, Arkansas— A group of 12 employees from the Utah Villines Region contributed their utility vegetation

management expertise to help improve the beauty and safety of the cemetery for the many families that come to visit the graves of loved ones who served our country in the military. Led by General Foreperson James Booher, the employees involved at this location were Jose Alvarez, Hunter Courson, Edwin Garcia, Craig Hart, Francisco Jaimes, Pablo Martinez, Solomon Meza, Nick Pflasterer, Pascual Ramos, Jose Rodriguez and Calvin Williams.

p New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery—At the Saluting Branches event in Boscawen, Vice President Gary Shelto, Supervisor Paul Arno, RSS Romeo Bilodeau and General Foreperson Peter Powers joined with Chris Adler, Ryan Harris, Dale Hovey, Cameron LePage, Bill McKinstry, Derek Martin, Eric Prescott and Kai Snyder to remove trees and prune as needed. Their work was in conjunction with Unitil and Eversource Energy. It was an especially moving experience for Peter, an Army veteran, whose younger brother, Sean, is buried in this cemetery.

t Culpeper National Cemetery, Virginia—Supervisor Pat O’Connor of the Larry Kirk Region was proud of his team of highly skilled workers who donated a day of tree maintenance

work in honor of those who served and sacrificed for our freedom. They were James Eastridge, William Miller, Raymond Ruff, Daniel Sexton and Robert Stevens, who all work on Appalachian Power Co. property.

t Tahoma National Cemetery, Washington—With Mt. Rainier glowing in the early morning sun, one of two Asplundh trucks from the Shawn Shapiro Region stands ready to work on trees surrounding the many grave stones in this national veterans cemetery in Kent. The employees who participated in this rewarding work were Foreperson Steve Thompson, Journeyman Don Nelson, Jr. and Apprentice Jayden Olson.

MERIT AWARDS


u On September 28 in Somers Point, New Jersey, Foreperson Chris Hall

(third from L) was presented with an Asplundh Silver Merit Award by

Sponsor/Executive Vice President Gregg Asplundh (center) for his

outstanding efforts to stop traffic and warn away pedestrians who

were in close proximity to a downed Atlantic City Electric line which then

ignited a gas line. Vice President Steve Miller (second from L) also presented him with an Exceptional Safety Performance coin. Joining in the

recognition ceremony were Supervisor Dom DeRosa (third from R), Atlantic City Electric Forester Joseph Griebau (second from R), Supervisor of Forestry Operations PHI Distribution

Dan Landry (far R) and Groundperson Dave Keiser (far L).

A splundh is proud to recognize four employees whose quick thinking, as well as proper use

of their safety and rescue skills and tools, recently earned them Silver Merit Awards.

Post-storm Rescue Of A Telecommunications Worker

On March 15, after a storm event that affected the Puget Sound Energy system, Foreperson James Corey, Trimmer Joe Barcellos and Groundperson Wayne Barr of the Shawn Shapiro Region were dispatched to Silverdale, Washington to clear a downed tree.

While assessing the work site, they encountered a man working for a cable TV/internet/phone company, investigating downed communications service. The Asplundh crew had not completed their assessment, so they directed the worker to leave the area until it was secure. Disregarding their advice, he entered the area. Moments later, Joe heard an electrical sound and turned to see the man engulfed in flames as a result of direct contact with a downed electric line. He yelled to his coworkers to advise them of the situation.

Immediately, James called 911 and then directed the crew to get their insulated poles and hook. He quickly assembled the rescue device, told his coworkers to tell his wife and family that he loved them, and then proceeded to move close enough to successfully drag the victim away from the wires. James had to use his hands to put out the flames and once the emergency responders arrived, the crew was able to move the man from the hazardous area so he could be transported to the hospital.

At the Seattle Burn Unit of Harborview Hospital, the victim was treated for severe burns and his arm was amputated. He and his family have expressed their gratefulness to the crew for saving his life and we are grateful for their quick, well-calculated actions that did not cause further injury to themselves or others. They were nominated for a Washington Labor and Industries Governor’s Lifesaving Award and received it in late September. Well done!

Preventing Injuries At A Gas Main Explosion

On August 11, Foreperson Chris Hall of the Steve Miller Region in New Jersey was driving an Asplundh bucket truck back to his job site in Egg Harbor Township. In the distance, he noticed a puff of smoke and thought it might be a car fire. As Chris got nearer, he noticed a downed wire on the road surface and people starting to come out of the doctors’ offices where the power was out. Immediately, he put on his flashers, grabbed his PPE and tried to stop traffic. Vehicles were still trying to pass him and were dangerously close to the line, so he moved the truck to block the lanes.

Chris soon realized that the Atlantic City Electric wire was actually in contact

with the guard rail and quickly called 911. He began yelling to the people nearby to warn them of the electric hazard when all of a sudden he heard a whoosh and an eight-inch gas line near the guard rail exploded. Thankfully, none of the bystanders or Chris were injured and within minutes, police and a fire department personnel arrived to take control of the scene.

As a 19-year veteran of the Germania Volunteer Fire Department in Galloway Township, New Jersey, Chris knows a thing or two about fighting fires. However, he was not equipped to deal with flames shooting 20 feet or more into the air. Fortunately, Chris kept his wits about him and made sure that no one, including himself, was injured in this dangerous incident. Great job!

t After receiving recognition at the Washington State Governor’s Conference on September 29 at the Spokane Convention Center, Foreperson James Corey (third from L), Trimmer Joe Barcellos (center) and Groundperson Wayne Barr (third from R) were also presented with Asplundh Silver Merit Awards for their efforts to rescue a telecommunications

company worker from direct contact with a live downed wire on March 15. Joining in presenting the honors were Sponsor/Vice President Jim Hines (far L), Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Manager Contract Management Beth Rogers (second from L), PSE Director, Contracts and Supply Chain Wayne Gould (second from R) and Manager Shawn Shapiro (far R).


RETIREES HONORED

Congratulations and best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement to all the retirees listed here!

Alvin AevermannCrew Leader, IllinoisFirst employed October 1999 Retired June 2016

Roland Baker, Sr.Asplundh Construction Corp.Foreperson, MinnesotaFirst employed May 2014Retired May 2016

David BertinoCrew Leader, TennesseeFirst employed November 1999Retired June 2016

Al BienemannForeperson, WisconsinFirst employed March 2005Retired July 2016

David BostickWork Planner, OhioFirst employed September 2002Retired May 2016

Harold BoydWork Planner, North CarolinaFirst employed October 1993 (plus 12 years with Wilson Tree Co.) Retired April 2016

Luis CasanasJourneyman, FloridaFirst employed July 2009Retired June 2016

Dennis Paul CordleWork Planner, OhioFirst employed August 1999Retired June 2016

Dossie DavisForeperson, North CarolinaFirst employed July 1969Retired August 2016

Sammy DavisALS of North CarolinaGroundperson, North CarolinaFirst employed June 2012Retired July 2016

Richard Davison, Jr.Trimmer, New YorkFirst employed March 1999Retired June 2016

Jose ElizondoTrimmer, PennsylvaniaFirst employed January 2008Retired June 2016

Mettie GaineyGrid One SolutionsMeter Reader, South CarolinaFirst employed May 2012Retired August 2016

Tom GunsenhouserForeperson, PennsylvaniaFirst employed December 1989Retired July 2016

Charles HattenRailroad DivisionGeneral Foreperson, West VirginiaFirst employed April 1994Retired April 2016

Janice Mary HayesGrid One SolutionsScheduler, MarylandFirst employed June 2003Retired April 2016

Edilberto HernandezTrimmer, New JerseyFirst employed April 2000Retired August 2016

Kenneth HerroldForeperson, PennsylvaniaFirst employed February 1978Retired August 2016

William JarviTrimmer, MichiganFirst employed October 2010Retired July 2016

Mateo JavierJourneyman, FloridaFirst employed December 1999Retired August 2016

Joan KyleCorp. Data Input OperatorWillow Grove, PennsylvaniaFirst employed July 1996Retired July 2016

Rickey LeeUtility Lines Construction ServicesEquip. Operator, AlabamaFirst employed November 2003Retired October 2016

Don LocklearForeperson, North CarolinaFirst employed December 1968Retired August 2016

Francisco LunaTrimmer, FloridaFirst employed February 2012Retired July 2016

James MarshallUtility Lines Construction ServicesOperator/EMJ Tech, MichiganFirst employed May 2007Retired July 2016

Frank OrlandiUtility Lines Construction ServicesRelay Technician, MichiganFirst employed March 2004Retired June 2016

Wilfredo PadillaTrimmer, New YorkFirst employed January 2007Retired August 2016

Daniel PartinForeperson, FloridaFirst employed May 1994Retired August 2016

Donald RobinsonUtility Lines Construction ServicesCable Technician, MichiganFirst employed September 2003Retired February 2016

Dagoberto Rodriguez-LaraTrimmer, IllinoisFirst employed November 2008Retired July 2016

Jay ScherbarthTrimmer, WisconsinFirst employed November 1975Retired July 2016

Thomas ScottUtility Lines Construction ServicesEquip. Operator, South CarolinaFirst employed October 2012Retired June 2016

Michael William ScrogerTrimmer, New YorkFirst employed July 2007Retired August 2016

Warren ShaedleIT Applications SupervisorWillow Grove, PennsylvaniaFirst employed October 2006Retired September 2016

Gary SmithUtility Lines Construction ServicesForeperson, FloridaFirst employed September 2011Retired October 2016

William SpearApprentice, PennsylvaniaFirst employed August 2013Retired August 2016

Craig StumpfCrew Leader, IllinoisFirst employed October 1999Retired May 2016

Gilbert SwartzTrimmer, MichiganFirst employed March 1994Retired June 2016

Raul TovarTrimmer, IllinoisFirst employed April 1996Retired April 2016

Eddie VillinesForeperson, ArkansasFirst employed March 2013Retired September 2016

Douglas VineyardCrew Leader, New JerseyFirst employed July 1999Retired August 2016

Ronald WalkerGroundperson, North CarolinaFirst employed December 1999Retired September 2016

Thomas WestfallForeperson, OhioFirst employed September 1976Retired June 2016

Oscar YbarraForeperson, TexasFirst employed September 1975Retired July 2016

t Still smiling after 49 years is Foreperson Walt Wyckoff (R) who received a plaque and handshake of appreciation from Vice President Larry Gauger (L) on October 7 after a special lunch in his honor. Walt has worked his entire Asplundh career on the PECO system in southeastern Pennsylvania. He got his start on an Asplundh crew in 1967 and rose through the ranks to become a foreperson on climbing crews and later bucket crews. In recent years, Walt took on the role of work

planning and notification. His retirement plans include spending more time with his wife and grandchildren, as well as fishing. In the Gauger Region’s quarterly newsletter, Larry wrote, “We were blessed to have Walt as part of the Region’s family and we wish him a safe and happy retirement. He will be missed!”

t At a quarterly general foreperson meeting in Snoqualmie, Washington, General Foreperson Kipp Dennis (center) was not only presented with a specially-engraved watch in appreciation of his 30 years of dedicated service, he

was also congratulated by Manager Shawn Shapiro (L) and Sponsor/Vice President Jim Hines (R) on his retirement as of October 1. A retirement reception with many of his coworkers was also held in his honor on September 26. Kipp got his start with Asplundh in the Midwest in 1986 and he was promoted to general foreperson in Illinois in 1994. He transferred to the Pacific Northwest in 1999 where he worked on the properties of Puget Sound Energy, Tacoma Power, Seattle City Light and since 2009, Avista Utilities in the eastern part of Washington. Kipp and his wife, Stacie, have moved to Belize in Central America where they are enjoying retirement in the tropical climate. We wish them good health and happiness!


AN EVERYDAY GUIDE TO BUSINESS ETHICS

In order for the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. and its subsidiaries to achieve operating and financial goals, it is essential that all company directors, officers and

employees conduct business within the framework of the law and in accordance with good business ethics.

Asplundh is committed to compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Various business ethics issues are addressed in our General Business Policies and each year, we like to highlight some specific points that may not be clear in other company manuals.

u All employees should avoid any activity, investment or interest that might reflect unfavorably upon the integrity of themselves or Asplundh. While on the job, employees have the duty to act in the best interest of the company.

u Customer entertainment and gifts should be reasonable and kept within the customers’ codes of conduct. Asplundh employees and immediate family may not accept gifts or favors of any significant value from any supplier or customer.

u Employees may not financially influence anyone in either the private or government sector. Personal contributions by employees to political parties or candidates are permitted, however corporate funds or resources may not be given to any political party or candidate for political office.

u Each employee has an individual responsibility to safeguard confidential information that has been obtained on the job. Confidential information includes: proposed or advance plans, service contracts, construction of facilities, earnings, dividends, personal information on other employees, managerial or organizational changes, and customer information.

u All internal reports, statements, records and business transactions handled by Asplundh employees should be prepared honestly and with care, and should present an accurate and complete picture of the facts.

The spirit and intent of these policies are fully supported by Asplundh’s Board of Directors and corporate management. Any violation of these policies will lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

If any employee is unsure whether certain conduct is illegal, unethical or a violation of these policies, he or she should seek guidance from a supervisor. If the question cannot be adequately answered, it should be referred to the Corporate Compliance Department or Legal Department. These departments are also responsible for investigating suspected violations of these policies.

Asplundh’s Board of Directors, officers, corporate management and all employees are bound by these policies for the greater good of the company. Please respect these policies and let them guide you in your day-to-day activities.


MANAGEMENTUPDATENEWMANAGERSINTHEFIELDANDHOMEOFFICE

David Simmons, former supervisor in North Carolina, advanced to region manager of Asplundh operations in parts of Virginia and North Carolina in June. Executive Vice President Gregg Asplundh sponsors the Simmons Region.

Born in North Carolina, David got his start on an Asplundh tree crew there in 1993. He gained line clearance experience and added

greater responsibility over the next 11 years and in 2004, he was promoted to general foreperson. David advanced to supervisor in the Barry Suddreth Region in April 2014 and now his responsibilities as a manager include overseeing Asplundh tree crews on the properties of Dominion Virginia Power and several rural electric cooperatives. David served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves and is a 2004 graduate of the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program.

Mike Freidel, Fleet Systems and Maintenance Manager in the Willow Grove Home Office, joined Asplundh in September under UtiliCon’s Fleet Services Director Jim Fiant. Executive Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr. sponsors the Fleet Services Department.

Mike brings to Asplundh over 30 years of experience in fleet and supply chain

management, as well as project management. Most recently he served as the director of strategic fleet operations for Aramark’s world headquarters in Philadelphia. At Asplundh, Mike is responsible for the implementation of the new FleetWave® fleet management system and overseeing the company’s Call-In Service. A certified Project Management Professional, he holds a bachelor’s degree in business accounting from Rutgers University and an MBA from Rowan University, both in his home state of New Jersey.

Matt Nolan, Corporate Controller, joined the Asplundh Home Office staff in June. He reports to Secretary-Treasurer Brian Bauer.

Matt brings to the corporation over 18 years of experience in accounting and financial reporting for various energy companies in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Starting out as an internal auditor, he advanced into positions of greater

financial and management responsibilities, most recently serving as an interim corporate controller for Chesapeake Utilities in Delaware. In his position as Asplundh’s corporate controller, Matt is responsible for managing the performance of the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Field and Financial Reporting, Tax and Overhead functions, as well as the finance operations of our Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Michael Johnson, former district area manager for Utility Lines Construction Services, Inc. (ULCS) in Delaware, was promoted to manager in August. He reports to ULCS Line-of-Business Lead and Vice President Joe Garvey. UtiliCon Senior Vice President Greg Holman sponsors the new Johnson Region of ULCS.

With ten years of prior construction experience, Michael joined UtiliCon’s corporate team in April 2013 as a project manager. He transferred into ULCS in October 2014 with his promotion to district area manager and now as a manager, he is responsible for overseeing line construction and maintenance crews working on the properties of various utilities in parts of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

Anthony Reale joined the Home Office staff in Willow Grove as the Manager of Internal Audit and Due Diligence in August. He reports to Corporate Controller Matt Nolan.

Anthony came aboard with over six years of experience in internal audit and financial reporting for both publicly and privately held companies in various industries. He is a Certified

Public Accountant and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business. With his experience in reviewing accounting processes and internal controls, Anthony is responsible for auditing our decentralized subsidiaries, assisting external auditors with field work, recommending process improvements and assisting with due diligence work on potential acquisition companies. He also performs special analysis projects as requested by the company presidents and CEO.

Peter Kwasnjuk joined the Willow Grove Home Office staff in September as the Human Resources Field Personnel Manager. He reports to HR Personnel Director Sallie Theis under Corporate Administration Manager Greg Staton.

Peter brings to the corporation nine years of active duty service in the U.S. Air Force, plus ten years in the Air Force Reserves, as well as five

years of business consulting experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Temple University in Philadelphia and earned associate’s degrees in human resources management and criminal justice from the Community College of the Air Force. Peter is currently responsible for coordinating and leading the General Foreperson Training Program and other management training courses, as well as supporting professional development and advancement of employees in the field.


NEWSUPERVISORSINTHEFIELD

Randy Stiles joined the Home Office staff in Willow Grove in September as the Corporate Safety Director. He reports directly to Vice President of Corporate Safety-Vegetation Operations Bruce Mellott.

Randy joined the company with over 24 years of experience as an environmental safety and health (EHS) professional in a variety of

industries in New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina and his home state of Pennsylvania. Most recently he was the corporate EHS specialist for a manufacturer of premium steel products. Randy is now responsible for directing a team of EHS specialists who provide assistance, such as consulting, investigation and training, to assigned regional managers and safety superintendents. He earned a bachelor’s degree in safety science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a Certified Safety Professional.

Beau Taylor, a new region manager for Asplundh Construction Corp. (ACC) in the Midwest, started with the company in early October. UtiliCon Senior Vice President Greg Holman sponsors the Taylor Region of ACC.

Born and raised in Michigan, Beau brings to ACC over 13 years of experience in various

Mark Williams, former regional safety superintendent, was promoted to manager of Asplundh operations in parts of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky in July. Executive Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr. sponsors his region.

Originally from Michigan, Mark first came to work for Asplundh in 1994 and became a general foreperson in Indiana and Ohio eight years later. In 2012, he transferred to

Tennessee and advanced to supervisor there, but he decided to return to southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana where he worked as a regional safety superintendent from October 2014 until his promotion to manager. He is now responsible for overseeing Asplundh operations on the properties of various investor-owned, cooperative, municipal and telecommunications accounts in southern Indiana, southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. Mark is a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional and a member of the ISA and TCIA.

management and consulting positions in the United States and central Asia. Most recently he served as director of the City of Detroit’s municipal electric utility. Beau’s responsibilities now include overseeing ACC’s line construction and maintenance operations for various electric utilities throughout the Midwest. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Michigan State University and holds an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Donnie Branum rejoined Asplundh in June and is working as a supervisor under Manager Mark Williams in southwestern Ohio. Executive Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr. sponsors the Mark Williams Region.

Born and raised in northern Kentucky, Donnie first came to work on an Asplundh

Rob Benda, former general foreperson in Iowa, was promoted to supervisor in July under Manager Joe Sterbenz. Executive Vice President Gregg Asplundh sponsors the Sterbenz Region.

Rob started out on an Asplundh tree crew in his home state of Iowa in 2010. Prior to joining Asplundh, he had worked in tracking and trapping pests like emerald ash borer and

walnut twig beetle for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Rob advanced to general foreperson in 2012 and as a supervisor, he is now responsible for overseeing Asplundh crews working on the MidAmerican Energy system in the state of Iowa. An ISA Certified Arborist since 2013, Rob is a graduate of the September 2014 General Foreperson Training Program.

tree crew in Ohio in 1985. He advanced to general foreperson 12 years later. In 2010, Donnie went to work for another line clearance contractor where he gained additional management experience until this past June when he returned to work for Asplundh. His supervisory responsibilities now include overseeing crews working on the properties of various investor-owned, cooperative, municipal and telecommunications accounts in southwestern Ohio.

Joe Sutton, former general foreperson in northern Indiana, was promoted to supervisor there in August under Manager Stephen Williams. Executive Vice President Gregg Asplundh sponsors the Stephen Williams Region.

Joe first came to work on an Asplundh tree crew in his home state of Indiana in September 1987. He took a short leave, but came back to stay

in July 1988. Joe advanced through the ranks to general foreperson in 2000 and now as a supervisor, he is responsible for overseeing Asplundh tree crews working on the properties of Indiana Michigan Power and Heartland Rural Electric Membership Corp. in northern Indiana. An April 2004 graduate of the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program, Joe is a certified CPR instructor and is currently preparing to take the ISA Certified Arborist exam.

From an e-mail to Vice President Gary Shelto regarding Foreperson Kyle Shadd and Groundperson James Goodman’s work on Unitil property in Massachusetts:

“... They have been tasked lately with some very difficult, sensitive removals, as well as a huge influx of customer calls [for] trim services. ... I would like to take this time and also say ‘keep up the great work’ to all of the crews working Fitchburg to limit lawn damage and conquer the large tasks at hand while getting a lot of progress! I think this is the most crews we have had outside of storms in Fitchburg history!”

Dave Clapham, Forestry Supervisor, Unitil

From an e-mail to Vice President Ray Schneider concerning the work of General Foreperson Ken Smith and Crews for DTE Energy:

“... I just wanted to pass along my thanks and compliments to Ken Smith and his crews for the work they performed at my house in Bloomfield Hills. Our trees were being burned by exposed DTE wires. ... Ken was very thorough in explaining everything and the crew was very nice and respectful of our property. Please let all know we were very pleased and will contact Asplundh for any future tree removal needs.”

Jeff and Judy Wellman

BRITISH COLUMBIAGeneral Foreperson Steve Later, Foreperson Jho Basset and CUA Jake Put, for their professionalism while working with outside contractors to perform removals along cliff faces and steep terrain on the Sunshine Coast,BCHydro

General Foreperson Steve Later, Foreperson Luke Schram and Crew Member Barry Langley, for their quick response and excellent coordination with a line crew to remove a high-risk tree which, if it had failed, would have caused a significant outage in the Port Alice area,BCHydro

COLORADOJames Benton and Jarrett August,Grand Valley Power

Brian Brewer and Trimmer Charles Turner,Black Hills Energy

General Foreperson Frank Calhoun, Jr., and Crews,Loveland Water and Power

Aaron Goad, Trimmers Cody Felmlee and Mike Palmerino, and Groundperson Dylan Carothers,Black Hills Energy

Dan Leger and Crew,White River Electric

Trimmer Toby McLeod and Apprentice Michael Boxler,Yampa Valley Electric Association

General Foreperson Shaun Rapp and Crews,Yampa Valley Electric Association

Renato Ruiz, Trimmer Renato Ruiz, Jr. and Work Planner Mike Bunker,Mountain Parks Electric

Ben Zegarelli and Crew,Black Hills Energy

CONNECTICUTNathan Caron, Trimmer Tom Slater and Work Planner Ricardo Cruz,Eversource Energy

Paul Clement and Mike McCrewell, and Crews,Eversource Energy

Joshua Docherty and Groundpersons Devon Anderson and Christopher Barrere,Eversource Energy

DELAWAREJulio Rodriguez and Crew,Delmarva Power

FLORIDAJames Agerton and Journeyman Orrin Weiss, Gulf Power

Patrick Wilson and Crew,Gulf Power

IDAHONick Myers, Apprentice Leonard Woolsey and Groundperson Joe Stokes,Avista Utilities

Mark Palaniuk and Jamie Thomas, and Groundperson Connor Seymour,Northern Lights

IOWAChris Brown and Trimmer Nick Gilchrist, for buying gas for a woman who forgot her purse at home,MidAmerican Energy

Jose Chavez and Trimmer Richard Straw,MidAmerican Energy

Victor Fuentes and Blake Meister, and Journeyman Cory DeZena,MidAmerican Energy

General Foreperson Tom Jensen, Foreperson Jared Camden and Trimmer Melvin Nolan,MidAmerican Energy

Nathan Johnson and Trimmer Jason Coleman,MidAmerican Energy

General Foreperson Mick Linxwiler, Foreperson Guillermo Flores, Trimmer Austin Sink and Groundperson Isaac Villarreal,MidAmerican Energy

Jake McDonald and Trimmer John Foster,MidAmerican Energy

General Foreperson Jason Waugh, Trimmer Erik Calderon and Journeyman Chad Idso,MidAmerican Energy

General Foreperson Jason Waugh, Forepersons Kelvin Cooper and Victor Fuentes, and Trimmers Tim Graff and Shawn Muncy,MidAmerican Energy

KANSASGeneral Foreperson John Wright, Foreperson Jonny Brown and Crew,Westar Energy

MARYLANDULCS General Forepersons Matthew Mabe and Chris Shorb, and Crews,Baltimore Gas & Electric

MASSACHUSETTSJay Freeman and Kyle Shadd, and Crews,Unitil

Kyle Shadd and Groundperson James Goodman,Unitil

MICHIGANGeneral Foreperson Ken Smith and Crew,DTE Energy


OrchidsLetters and telephone calls were received complimenting the following forepersons and their crews working on the property of the utility or organization listed below the employees’ names. This listing covers all Orchids that were received in the Corporate Communications Department between June 18 and October 31, 2016. For their outstanding job performance or special volunteer efforts, we say ...

Thank you and congratulations!

From an e-mail to Manager Jeff Vining about the work of Superintendent Temo Lopez, Foreperson Travis Hettinger and Groundperson Robert Whitaker for NV Energy in Nevada:

“... I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was working with your tree trimming team. I contacted NV Energy about a potential tree problem. ... The tree trimming crew phoned before they came to the house, arrived on time and did a great job. I would particularly like to draw your attention to the Asplundh team under Travis and the outstanding job they did.”

Richard Gent

From an e-mail to NYSEG Lead Analyst Vegetation Manager Jeffrey Bell, regarding Foreperson Eric Thoman from the Michael Zehler Region:

“... I want you to know that Eric ... came to my home ... and made an unpleasant situation pleasant. He acknowledged my concerns over the tree debris that was visible on my property. He listened to me. He presented himself as a genuinely concerned individual and he offered a mutually acceptable solution. ... Good public relations is not easy for some individuals, but Eric definitely could teach the course. ... Considering my frustration level at the time, this was a major WIN-WIN situation.”

Lavonne M. Winans


Orchids – June 18 through October 31, 2016

MINNESOTAMike Adams and Trimmer Logan Anderson,Connexus Energy

Trent Houk and Trimmer Shea Stewart,Sioux Valley Energy

General Foreperson Ethan Roffman, Foreperson Ben Colbenson and Trimmers Elliott Glam and Justin Schmitz,Tri-County Electric Co-op.

NEVADASuperintendent Temo Lopez, Foreperson Travis Hettinger and Groundperson Robert Whitaker, NV Energy

NEW HAMPSHIREKeith Duncan, for patiently explaining line clearance work to a homeowner in the Dunbarton area,Eversource Energy

General Foreperson Jeff Fellows, Foreperson Dillon Murray, Work Planner Jim Galford and Groundperson Thomas Lester,Eversource Energy

Travis Johnson and Work Planner Jim Galford,Eversource Energy

Chris Ring and Groundpersons Brent Beland and Chris Libby,Eversource Energy

General Foreperson Scott Robitaille, Foreperson James Degroat and Groundpersons Keisean Degroat and Brett Wallingford, for providing tree care services at the York

County Shelter to make the property safe for its residents,Volunteer Work

NEW YORKGeneral Foreperson Jeff Kuhn and Crew,PSEG Long Island

Asplundh Brush Control General Foreperson Michael Terry, Foreperson Wayne LaFlesh and Trimmer Mark LaFlesh, for installing a sun screen at the Malone AMVETS Slow Pitch Softball League field,Volunteer Work

Eric Thoman, for his outstanding customer service skills while discussing line clearance work with a homeowner in the Deposit area,NYSEG

NORTH CAROLINAJourneymen Jose Aguilar and Jason Whittenburg,Rutherford EMC

Brian Beck and Wesley Coe, Apprentices David Anderson and Brandon Phillips, and Groundpersons Brendin Baity and Paul Peele,Duke Energy

Josh Broome and Journeymen Michael Hunnicutt and Robert Kirkland,City of Gastonia

William Buchanan, Brian Holcombe, William Robertson and Crispin Serrano, Groundperson Eric Johnson and Flagger Daniel Berry,Duke Energy Progress

General Foreperson Jeremy Chambers, Foreperson Bryan Worley, Trimmers Josh Dailey and Bobby Seitler, and Groundpersons Jesse Gibson and Chris Morris,Duke Energy

Wesley Coe and Journeyman Bobby Finley,Duke Energy (two letters were received)

General Foreperson Ronnie Guin and Crew, for carefully and respectfully pruning a tree that was planted as a memorial to a fallen soldier,Wake Electric

Journeyman Charles Lail and Work Planner Jason Dugan,Duke Energy

General Foreperson Benny Lovelace, Forepersons Bryan Robinson, Grant Robinson, John Robinson, Ronald Robinson, Vernon Robinson and Vernon Robinson, Jr., Trimmer Brandon Sneed, Journeymen Quinton Hutchinson and Terry Robinson, and Groundperson Colby Yanez,Duke Energy

General Foreperson Leon Miller, Forepersons Edgardo Hernandez and Pedro Rodriguez, Trimmers Chris Finley, William Leon, Derrick Redice and Kelvin Spratt, and Groundperson Jerrand Burris, Duke Energy

General Foreperson Mike Nichols, Forepersons Aaron Palmer, William Stafford, Floyd Tate and

William Toney, Trimmer Dylan Towery, Journeyman Jordan Gorman and Groundpersons Chris Burrell, William Dalton and Claude Vickers,Duke Energy (two letters were received)

Willie Richardson and Apprentice Samuel Little, Duke Energy

William Seay, Jr., Journeyman Eddie Burgess and Groundperson Lonnie Randall,Duke Energy (two e-mails were received)

General Foreperson Bryan Slagle, Forepersons John Milligan and William Seay, Jr., Journeyman Eddie Burgess, Apprentice Howard Taylor, Jr. and Work Planner Adam Stewart, Jr.,Duke Energy

OHIOSteve Bailey and Jerry Jenkins, Trimmer Paul Drobina and Journeymen Billy Taylor and Derek Wilson,AEP Ohio

Julian Chavez, Journeyman Donald Spellman and Groundperson Kyle Miller,City of Columbus

Brandon Cummings, and Levi Hall, Trimmer John Disbennett and Groundperson Richard Martin,AEP Ohio

Phil Evans, Chris Hoffer, Justin Jardine and Chase Loughman, Trimmer Dakota Vorys, Journeymen

From an e-mail to AEP concerning the work of Scott Bailey Region Superintendent Shannon Moore and Crews in Oklahoma:

“On June 7-8, two crews from Asplundh Tree Expert Co. removed an American Elm tree from under and adjacent to the Public Service Co. of Oklahoma power lines in my backyard. ... Both crews were prompt both mornings and steadily worked on the cutting and removal for two days in the heat (90 degrees) and high humidity. ... These guys are an asset to the Tulsa Asplundh business. I recommend them for any tough job Asplundh may be called to do. Nice job!”

Eddie D. Gruben

From an e-mail to Pee Dee Electric Cooperative about Foreperson Ernest Johnson and Trimmers Brice McFadden and Randy Hardin of the Doug Smith Region in South Carolina:

“... Just a quick note to express my appreciation for the great job that your tree trimming team did on our street this week. ... Not only do they do great work with the trimming (Randy is a pro with that bucket lift!), but they really clean up well after their work, too. I don’t know if you recognize your employees who are doing a great job in some way there, but I thought I’d pass along my appreciation for these guys.”

Jon Crowe



Dale Baker and Jarod Vorys, and Groundperson Dan Kopp, for helping to get the car of an elderly woman to a nearby gas station after it ran out of gas, while a police officer gave the woman a ride,AEP Ohio

Adam Firth, Seth Miracle and Terry Sterner, and Journeyman Manuel Lemus,AEP Ohio

General Foreperson Elijah Gilliam, Forepersons Brian Bloomfield, Bryan Cooper, Brock Lohr, James Mullins, Jimmy Nickler, Tim Pace, Chris Shaw and Nate Shepherd, Trimmers Dave Mullins and Chad Warris, Journeymen Tim Evans, Chris Kuhn and Gregg Miller, Work Planner Mike Hoover and Groundperson James A. Mullins, for their professionalism during line clearance work at a property that required the presence of law enforcement to complete the work, AEP Ohio

Cody Massie, Trimmer Dave Gray and Groundperson Jason Leeth,AEP Ohio

General Foreperson Luis Paez and Crews,Duke Energy

OKLAHOMASuperintendent Shannon Moore, Forepersons Elian Hurtado and Jose Sandoval, and Apprentices Randy Cook, Jeremy Ragsdale, Braden Slape and Brady Smith, Public Service Co. of Oklahoma

PENNSYLVANIASupervisor Matt Lewis and Crews, for their work in removing approximately 20 high-risk trees near roadways in Limerick Township,PECO

SOUTH CAROLINAErnest Johnson and Trimmers Randy Hardin and Brice McFadden,Pee Dee Electric Cooperative

General Foreperson Kelly Mitchell, Forepersons James Ausburn, Roger Craven, Ricky Howard, Stephen Moss, Steven Parnell, James Smith and Joshua Stockton, Journeymen Dylan Jefferson, Dustin Rogers and Tyler Sutherland, Apprentices Charles Davis and Joshua Golden, and Groundpersons John Little, Bruce Magner and Jordan Smith, Laurens Electric Cooperative

Mike Nichols and Crew,Duke Energy

General Foreperson Mike Nichols and Crews, for their excellent work in the Landrum area,Duke Energy

General Foreperson Kenny West, Apprentice Shawn Robinson and Work Planner Nick Nichols,Duke Energy

General Foreperson Robbie Wood and Crews,Duke Energy

TENNESSEEJustin Buttry, Trimmers Morgan Johnson and Andy Riner, and Journeyman

Samuel Cobb, for respectfully stopping work and bowing their heads while a funeral procession moved through their work zone,Holston Electric Cooperative

TEXASGeneral Foreperson Marlos Canales and Crews,Oncor Electric Delivery

Fidel Garcia, Robert Lopez and Gilberto Tovar, and Trimmer Beltran Arrellano,for coming to the aid of a woman whose arm became stuck in an electric gate, and staying to translate between the woman and emergency responders,Pedernales Electric Cooperative

General Foreperson Jaime Lagunas, Forepersons Fernando Nieves and Ramon Oyola, and Journeymen Thomas Coughmm, Gustavo Mondragon and Esteban Navarro, CenterPoint Energy

VERMONTJosiah Milardo and Groundperson Domenick Hoover,Green Mountain Power

VIRGINIACorey Chandler and Groundperson Jeremy Viers, Appalachian Power Co.

Allen Rankin and Brandon Smith, and Crews,Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative

WASHINGTONCorey Blanchard and Apprentice Charles Jenkins,Snohomish County PUD

Jim Horrocks, Trimmer Cody Nicholson and Apprentice Jared Bangs,Avista Utilities

Trimmer Mike Maybin and Apprentice Dan Green,Puget Sound Energy

Jimmie Meadows and Jeff Petroskie, and Apprentice Ben Stewart,Puget Sound Energy

WEST VIRGINIAGeneral Foreperson Ben Sosa and Crews,West Penn Power

WISCONSINBobby Beaster and Trimmers Austin Neis and Ben Witkowski,We Energies

Tom Bianchi and Trimmer Jacobus Kraft,Cedarburg Water & Light (two letters were received)

Permitter Jeff Fabian and Crews,We Energies

Brandon Kerwin, Trimmers Jamar Cooley and Andy Paikowski, and Coordinator Scott Trepanier,We Energies

Dustin Knutowski and Jim White, and Trimmers Cody Bateman, Victor Juneau, Randy Miller and Cody Ottson, We Energies

Kenny Turnquist, Trimmers Phillip Pope and Sid Yera, and Permitters Jason Cawley and Paul Wilgreen, We Energies

From an e-mail to Manager Joe Sterbenz about the storm restoration efforts of Supervisor Rob Benda, General Forepersons Mike Cook, Mick Linxwiler, Duane Sunberg, Jason Waugh and Crews in Iowa:

“... The storm was not predicted and obtaining line resources became challenging due to it being Father’s Day weekend. ... Crews were safe and focused on the task at hand. There were no reported issues of line crews being held up waiting for trees to be addressed. ... Please extend my thanks to all of the crews who sacrificed their weekend plans to help take care of our customers.”

Jason Ewers, Manager, Vegetation and Contract Management, MidAmerican Energy

From an e-mail to Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB)concerning the storm restoration efforts of APL Power Services crews from the Danny Stanley Region in Tennessee:

“I worked with Chad Grider, Ernie Stinnett, Jr. and Ryan Treece ... doing restoration work on Saturday. This crew was one of the best [I’ve] ever worked with. ... They were very professional, worked hard, and did (without complaint) what was needed. They were also very courteous, patient and respectful. I would highly recommend these men if the opportunity ever arises for them to work on the EPB system. They are a credit to their company and profession.”

William Young, Engineering Technician II, EPB



STORM WORK

June 2016

Supervisor Rob Benda, General Forepersons Mike Cook, Mick Linxwiler, Duane Sundberg and Jason Waugh, and Crews, for their safe and quick response following unexpected heavy thunderstorms with strong winds on June 17 that knocked down trees and limbs through the Sioux City area,MidAmerican Energy (IA)

General Foreperson Randy McClure and Crews, for their excellent help during the microburst restoration efforts in the Lowry City area,Kansas City Power & Light (MO)

George Burks and Journeyman Kiante Hall, for their hard work to support the restoration efforts following severe thunderstorms,Appalachian Power Co. (WV)

General Foreperson James Williams and Crews, for their quick response to a nighttime call for assistance following heavy thunderstorms, and also for their safe and diligent work during the restoration,Gainesville Regional Utilities (FL)

July 2016

Supervisor Scott Richter, General Forepersons Chris Conger, Mike Friese, Kevin Richter and Ryan Stobb, Forepersons Oscar Laguna-Barbosa, Patrick Martinez, Agustin Nunez and Matt Richter, and Trimmers Mauricio Avalos-Flores and

Luis Castanon-Hernandez, for working safely despite difficult conditions following a series of storms that delivered high winds and heavy rain to the Cedar Rapids area, knocking down trees and limbs on July 6,Alliant Energy (IA and WI)

General Foreperson Heath York, Forepersons Stephen Bruce, Garrett Gabel, John Harmon, Travis Karr, Eric Labbee, Kevin McKellips, Charles Shoemake, Ellis Turnbough and Ben Widener, Trimmer Coty Stites, Equipment Operator Oliver Davis, and Groundpersons Robert Schreiber and Michael Spencer, for their skill and expertise removing downed limbs and trees from power lines and for guiding visiting linemen around the area following severe thunderstorms,Crawford Electric Cooperative (MO)

General Forepersons Joel Cook and Jake Treamer, Assistant General Foreperson Joshua Bilodeau, and Crews, for their efficient response in Plaistow following a fast-moving line of microbursts, Unitil (NH)

General Forepersons Bobby Hawkins, Greg Holbrook and Robbie Wood, and Crews, for their hard work, in hot and humid conditions, during the storm restoration work in the Wilkesboro area following a heavy thunderstorm with high winds,Duke Energy (NC)

General Foreperson Martin Roberts and Crews, for clearing debris from power lines following heavy winds that knocked out power to over 18,000 homes,Blue Ridge EMC (NC)

General Foreperson Earle Hall and Crews, for their outstanding efforts during the storm restoration work following a severe summer storm in the Canton area,AEP Ohio (OH)

APL Power Services Foreperson Lineman Chad Grider, Journeyman Lineman Ryan Treece and Lineman Apprentice Ernie Stinnett, Jr., for their professional, hard work during the storm restoration efforts in the Chattanooga area following severe thunderstorms,Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (TN)

General Foreperson Mike Friese, Forepersons Doug Behm, Jordan Born, Nick Bradfish, Paul Brownfield, Fulton Friese, Matt Hill, Todd Palbrach and Mark Roll, Trimmers Bryan Behm, Kevin Braaksma, Mike Conley and Tanner Krueger, for their excellent assistance, in tough conditions, following heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Madison area,Madison Gas and Electric (WI)

September 2016

General Foreperson Michael Carden and Crews (AL), for their outstanding work ethic and skill during the Hurricane Hermine restoration

in the Gainesville area,Gainesville Regional Utilities (FL)

Executive Vice President Matt Asplundh, Vice President Ronnie Collins, Manager Ron Hallock, Supervisors Jermaine Bennett, David Craddock, David Hawley, Greg Pearson and Kenneth Wyatt, their General Forepersons and Crews, for their dedication, tremendous support, flexibility and professional response during the Hurricane Hermine restoration efforts,Florida Power & Light

October 2016

General Foreperson Nick Wladyka, Foreperson William Ledoux and Groundperson Jose Ledoux, for untangling and retrieving the remains of an American flag that had accidentally been left on a flag pole during Hurricane Matthew,Vero Beach Municipal Utilities (FL)

General Foreperson Mark Moody and Crews, for their outstanding work and excellent daily pre-job safety briefings, as well as communicating with approximately 100 other members of the Hurricane Matthew storm team,Duke Energy (NC)

General Foreperson Kenny West and Crew, for their attention to SafeProduction® during the Hurricane Matthew restoration in the Hartsville and Bishopville areas,Duke Energy (SC)

SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES

July – December 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996

Ira AdamsLead ForepersonNorth Carolina

40YEARS

Buddy BakerSupervisor

West Virginia

Steve DeaconSupervisorGeorgia

Keith EricksonVice President

Minnesota

David BaumgartnerTrimmerMichigan

Mike ZehlerVice President

New York


Doug SmithVice PresidentNorth Carolina

35YEARS

Charles HaleForepersonMaryland

Greg BatchelorVice President

ArborMetric SolutionsMontana

John MitchellGeneral Foreperson

Oklahoma

Danny PleasantForeperson

North Carolina

Gary BennettBusiness Analyst

Fleet ServicesWillow Grove

Dennis KelleherForepersonWashington


30YEARSThomas Bauman

ForepersonWisconsin

Kyle BaurGeneral Foreperson

Missouri

John BeckerForeperson

Missouri

Les ColbyForepersonTennessee

Bill CostelloPre-PlannerNew York

Lorie DavisOffice Manager

Wisconsin

Craig HeltonCoordinator

Alabama

William HollandForeperson

North Carolina

Willard HugginsForeperson Lineman

ULCSAlabama

Scott LambrechtDirector

Supply Chain ManagementWillow Grove

Steve LaterGeneral Foreperson

Asplundh Canada ULCBritish Columbia, Canada

Danny LesterWork Planner

Kentucky

Sue MannManager

Accounts PayableWillow Grove

Eline NoelGeneral Foreperson

Florida

James RichterGeneral Foreperson

Wisconsin

Paul Salansky, Jr.General Foreperson

Asplundh ConstructionPennsylvania

Jeffery StuettgenForepersonWisconsin

Steven SwartzellGeneral Foreperson

Indiana

Pat TaylorForepersonLouisiana

Ralph TerpstraGeneral Foreperson


Arthur Ward, Jr.Work Planner

Ohio

Gina WeikelRemarketing Admin. Asst.

Fleet ServicesWillow Grove

Gerrit WestendorpCrew Member


25YEARSMatt Asplundh

Executive Vice PresidentWillow Grove

Charles BarrowGeneral Foreperson

Massachusetts

Don BehlingSupervisorNew York

Clyde Bowen, Jr.General Foreperson

Kentucky

Eric BradshawSuperintendent

Missouri

Gregory CantrellGeneral Foreperson

West Virginia

Robert CoffmanManager

Oklahoma

Bobby ConderGeneral Foreperson

Kentucky

Kathy CottrellPermissions Person

West Virginia

James CraneGeneral Foreperson

North Carolina

Timothy DosterJourneyman

North Carolina

Eugene FordTrimmer

New York

Brian GribbinsForepersonNew York

Gary HedrickPermissions Person

West Virginia

Stephen HenryOperating Engineer

Asplundh ConstructionNew York

Thomas HornerGeneral Foreperson

North Carolina

Charlie HoustonPatroller

ArborMetrics SolutionsCalifornia

Tom KostenbaderManagerMaine

Doug LandisSuperintendent

Pennsylvania

Allen LashleyForepersonWisconsin

Sean MacpheeSupervisor

New Hampshire

Alfred MartinezGeneral Foreperson

Arizona

Kenny MeltonSupervisor

North Carolina

Lee OldhamForeperson


James RathjenForepersonNew York

Roben RudichukForeperson


Brian SchoonoverForeperson

West Virginia

Russell StadlerForepersonWisconsin

Sallie TheisDirector

HR-PersonnelWillow Grove

Terry TriplettSupervisor

North Carolina

Gary VaughnForeperson

South Carolina

Bruce WentworthForepersonPennsylvania

David WhiteGeneral Foreperson

Maine

Kenneth WhittGeneral Foreperson

South Carolina

Darrell WilliamsGeneral Foreperson

RailroadNorth Carolina


20YEARSJohn Baker

Assistant ManagerCustomer & Field Liaison

Willow Grove

Stephen BakerSupervisorKentucky

Michael BeamanTrimmerMissouri

Timothy BogardusForeperson

Missouri

David BuschGeneral Foreperson

Florida

Robert Butler, Jr.Journeyman

Virginia

Rodney CampbellForepersonNebraska

Jerry Cochran, Jr.General Foreperson

Virginia

Timothy CollinsPermissions Person

North Carolina

Jerry CottrillPermissions Person

West Virginia

Clyde DavisSupervisorMichigan

James Dixon, Jr.General Foreperson

Texas

Lee EppersonGeneral Foreperson

ULCSAlabama

Hector GarciaGeneral Foreperson

Arizona

James GardinerForepersonLouisiana

Tim GardnerSupervisor

ULCSAlabama

Richard GordinRSS

Texas

John Halsey, Jr.General Foreperson

Delaware

Thomas HargisGroundperson

Missouri

David HawleySupervisor

Florida

Binh HoangSupervisor

ALSFlorida

David HolderGeneral Foreperson

Michigan

Michael HurstForeperson

Kansas

Floyd Johnson, Sr.TrimmerFlorida

Leroy JohnsonForepersonTennessee

Greg LasotaForeperson


Kenneth LenkerCrew LeaderNew Jersey

Michael MeadorSupervisor

Virginia

Kevin MoshierTrimmer

New York

Betsy PetchInput Operator

PayrollWillow Grove

Raymond PhelpsForepersonLouisiana

Michael ReelForeperson

Virginia

Laura RodriguezOffice Manager

Texas

Joseph RopiakForeperson

Michigan

Sean RussellForeperson


Christopher SetlockRSS

New York

Daniel SloanForeperson

Alabama

Kathy SmithsonRSS


Christopher TaylorTrimmerAlabama

Ronald TuckerGeneral Foreperson

New Jersey

Alfredo VadoForeperson

Florida

Jeff ViningManagerArizona

Phyllis ViscoAdministrative Asst.Technical Services

Willow Grove

William WaltersForepersonTennessee

Darin WarrenForepersonLouisiana

Rick WilliamsSupervisor

Asplundh Canada ULCNova Scotia, Canada

Dean WilmesForeperson

Missouri

Tim WolteringGeneral Foreperson

Iowa

INMEMORIAM

Robin Logston, retired mail clerk in the Willow Grove Home Office, passed away on October 23 at the age of 67. She worked her entire Asplundh career in the Mailing Department and was always a positive, friendly and helpful person. Robin joined the company on December 4, 2000 and retired on May 20, 2016. She is survived by her daughters, Jennifer Cohen (Adam) and Melissa Logston; grandchildren Rylee, Jayden and Hunter; siblings Kerry Nuss (Connie) and Melody Gresh (Steve) and many other loving family members, friends and coworkers. We extend our sympathy to Robin’s loved ones. She will be happily remembered by all.

CREWS & NEWS


SPECIALEVENTS

t Touch-A-Truck Helps A Good Cause—Last year, the City of Eden, North Carolina’s Touch-A-Truck day was such a success that they made it an annual event. Held this year on August 20, General Foreperson Mike Somers once again volunteered his time and was joined by Barry Suddreth Region coworkers Foreperson Jay Lipford and Work Planner Michael Justice. The trio displayed a “paddlefoot” and answered questions from the curious about the awesome off-road low ground pressure aerial lift. Admission to the Touch-A-Truck event is a non-perishable food item for

the Kids Backpack Food Program, which benefits underprivileged children in the area.

t New Zealand Foreperson Represents Asplundh At ITCC—Stef White, a foreperson for Asplundh New Zealand under Managing Director Kevin Burt, competed in the International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC) in San Antonio, Texas on April 1-3, 2016. As the 2015 New Zealand Female National Champion, Stef put her skills to the test against 18 other competitors and finished eighth overall. That’s an excellent showing against the best climbers in the world! Stef’s day job doing private work, quotes and handling street tree, reserves and storm damage work for the Queenstown Lakes

District Council definitely helps keep her competition skills sharp. Since April, Stef has gone on to compete in both the New Zealand National Tree Climbing Championship (shown above) and the Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship, both in November. Be sure to keep an eye out for her!

u Hayden Region Employee Places At

TTCC—“Practice, put in the hard work and success will

follow,” is a motto that Safety Trainer Coty Thieme (R) lives

by, and no doubt, it helped him earn placed finishes at the 2016 Tennessee Tree Climbing

Championship (TTCC). Held on October 1 in Nashville, Coty first competed in five

preliminary events. He earned a second place overall finish,

qualifying him for a spot in the Masters’ Challenge, in which he finished third. Coty works

out of eastern Tennessee and uses his climbing knowledge

to help his coworkers become better and safer climbers.

p Asplundh “Electrified” The Crowds At TdT Finale— On Saturday, October 15, the STIHL Tour des Trees (TdT) concluded at Latta Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. The participants of the weeklong TdT pedaled approximately 610 miles on their bicycles throughout the Carolinas to raise funds to support the TREE Fund’s urban tree research and education initiatives. Foreperson Justin Lambert and Safety Training Superintendents Alex Truitt and Keith Wilmoth from the Barry Suddreth Region were on hand at the finish line not only to welcome the riders, but to provide an educational experience with the Volts Wagon. Folks were able to hop aboard our electrical hazards training trailer to see a live-line demonstration of the potential dangers that high-voltage power lines pose to workers in the utility line clearance and construction fields.


30-YEARWATCHES

p Director of UtiliCon Fleet Services Jim Fiant (L) gave Remarketing Administrative Assistant Gina Weikel (R, June 1986) a hearty handshake of appreciation along with a specially-engraved watch to mark her 30 th anniversary with the company. Gina works out of the Home Office in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

p Vice President Brian Fuge (R) recognized RSS Greg Hallstein (L, June 1986) for 30 years of dedicated service with a specially-engraved watch. Greg works hard to ensure the SafeProduction® of crews in the Long Island, New York area.

p Foreperson David Karikas (center, June 1986) received a visit from Vice President Brian Fuge (R) and Supervisor John Devlin (L) who presented him with a specially-engraved watch for 30 years of loyal service to Asplundh. David oversees a crew on PSEG-LI property on Long Island, New York.

p Work Planner Art Ward (L, August 1986) was treated to lunch by Manager Keith Confere as part of a celebration of his 30 years of excellent service. AEP Area Forester Sarah Powell (R) and General Foreperson Jake Wilson (not shown) were also on hand as Keith presented Art with a specially-engraved watch.

p At a departmental luncheon held in his honor, Director of Supply Chain Management Scott Lambrecht (R, August 1986) was presented with a specially-engraved watch by Chief Procurement Officer Ken Chan (L) in appreciation of his 30 years of outstanding service to the company.

p Vice President Ray Schneider (R) paid a visit to Foreperson Steve Cordes (L, March 1985) at his pullout to thank him for 30 years of service and commitment to Asplundh and to present him with a specially-engraved watch. Steve oversees a crew on ITC Michigan property.

p During a visit to the Home Office in September, Vice President Remo Maddalozzo (R, February 1984) received a specially-engraved watch and a handshake of thanks from Chairman of the Board Chris Asplundh, Sr. (L) in recognition of his 30 years of dedicated service. Remo manages Asplundh Canada ULC operations in the province of British Columbia.

p Office Manager Lorie Davis (center, July 1986) was congratulated by (L to R) Vice President Joe Schneider, Supervisors Jesse Long and Bob Kubacki, RSS Brian Richter and Supervisor Dean Delsman for providing 30 years of exceptional service to Asplundh. To mark the occasion, Lorie was treated to lunch at her favorite sushi restaurant and presented with a specially-engraved watch. Lorie provides administrative support to crews working in Wisconsin and parts of Michigan.

p With a handshake of appreciation for 30 years of excellent service to Asplundh, Vice President Doug Smith (R) presented Foreperson Albert Hill (L, July 1986) with a specially-engraved watch to mark this career milestone. Albert oversees a crew for the City of Kinston in North Carolina.


ONTHEJOB

p Texas Crew Rescues Trapped Woman—On October 19, (L to R) Foreperson Robert Lopez, Trimmer Beltran Arrellano and Forepersons Gilberto Tovar and Fidel Garcia from the Gene Blount Region helped rescue a woman whose arm was trapped in an automatic gate. The crew was clearing a right-of-way for Pedernales Electric Cooperative near Kendalia, Texas when they heard a woman’s screams coming from a house across the highway. They went to investigate and found the woman, who was with a relative and another person. 911 had been called, but the woman’s arm was purple and she was in excruciating pain. The crew helped to calm her down and gave her some water before attempting to pry the gate open, to no avail. Then, with assistance from the Blanco County Deputy Sheriff who had arrived on the scene, they used the hydraulic jack from their truck to lift the gate off its hinges and finally free the woman, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Thanks to the awareness and quick thinking of this crew, a worse tragedy was avoided.

p Bison: Nature’s Original ROW Mower—Last summer, Foreperson Kevin Brown and Trimmer George Chavez from the Shawn Shapiro Region were working in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming mowing along a Northwestern Energy right-of-way (ROW) when their work site was visited by a rather sizeable American bison. Kevin and George stopped work and remained a safe distance away until the bison moved along. Coincidentally, the bison is an herbivore, and its diet consists of eating a variety of grasses. Perhaps the bison was checking out Kevin and George’s mower, which is kind of like the man-made, mechanical, speedy version of a bison.

t Asplundh and Gulf Power Have The “Rx” For Invasive Species—The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance’s (CBA) Habitat Rx program provides homeowners in the Florida Panhandle, who are accepted into the program, with invasive species removal services. This past October, the CBA reached out to Gulf Power Line Clearing Specialist Buck Lowery and the Rickey Bailey Region of Asplundh to help with three invasive tree removals. Foreperson James Agerton (L) and Journeyman Orrin Weiss (not pictured)

safely removed this 55-foot tall, 18-inch DBH Chinese Tallow in Ft. Walton Beach that was entwined with Gulf Power facilities.

u North Carolina Crew Receives High Praise—In August, Foreperson Nathan Royal (R) and Trimmer Dillon Latham (L) from the Barry

Suddreth Region removed a 60-foot, 36-inch diameter storm damaged maple tree from the property of a EnergyUnited customer in Moravian Falls, North

Carolina. The customer was so impressed with the crew’s hard work that he contacted EnergyUnited Director of Maintenance Services Jimmy Brown.

Jimmy shared the customer’s compliment with our crew, as well as with EnergyUnited ROW Coordinator Jamie Miller (center) and System Forester

Steve McCorkle (not shown), who direct this crew. It goes to show that every job gives us the opportunity to shine for our customers and our company.

p Crane Helps Crew Safely Remove High-Risk Trees—General Foreperson Chad Metsala, Foreperson Dennis Campbell and Trimmer Courtney Ott from the Keith Erickson Region were tasked with the removal of two high-risk trees from the backyard of an Xcel Energy customer in Minneapolis. The 60-foot ash trees were diseased and threatening nearby Xcel Energy power lines. The backyard was so small that there wasn’t enough space to put branches or debris, so Asplundh and Xcel Energy came up with a plan to protect the home and power facilities. During a planned outage, the trees were removed whole, one at a time, using the crane to support each tree as it was cut at the ground. Each tree was then lifted over the home and loaded on to a flatbed truck. The half-day job was completed according to plan—safely and efficiently.


TRAININGTIMES

p July GFTP—The General Foreperson Training Program was held on July 11-14 at the Home Office in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Led by HR Personnel Director Sallie Theis, the participants were (back row, L to R): Chuck Cunningham, Willow Grove; John Thompson, Michigan; Danny Aldridge, Georgia; Duwane Engler, Colorado; and Scotty Rogers, Alabama. In the middle row were (L to R): Matt Gibson, Kentucky; Alberto Torres, Jr., Texas; Dixon Layton, Utah; Francisco Chavez, Illinois; Krouc Noble, Kentucky; and Ron Carpenter, Oregon. In the front row were (L to R): Dan Stevey, West Virginia; Jose Lopez, New Jersey; Byron Sowers, Michigan; Wesley Mitchell, Tennessee; Tom Jarvis, Ohio; and Daniel Sexton, Virginia.

p August GFTP—On August 8-11, another group of employees took part in a General Foreperson Training Program. The attendees were (front row, L to R): Terry Snow, North Carolina; Michael Walden, North Carolina; Chris Garza, Ohio; Randy Austin, Indiana; Michael Hope, Tennessee; Josh Maclam, ArborMetrics Solutions, California; Michael McCrum, West Virginia; and Jacob Haughey, ArborMetrics Solutions, Florida. Standing in the back row were (L to R): Travis West, North Carolina; Adam Martin, Willow Grove; Ellis Cronin, Ohio; Zach Oblisk, Ohio; Billy Settle, Colorado; Paul Prosser, Ohio; Chad Shelton, Virginia; Michael Pugh, West Virginia; and Joe Mako, Michigan.

p October UGFTP—On October 3-6, the UtiliCon General Foreperson Training Program was held at the Home Office in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Cohosted by HR Personnel Director Sallie Theis and Field Personnel Manager Peter Kwasnjuk, the participants were (front row, L to R): Wallace Grant, GOS, Maryland; Nick Cook, ULCS, Virginia; Eric Williams, ACC, Massachusetts; Rex Speer, ULCS, North Carolina; Cliff Dobson, ALS, Florida; Ron Parker, ULCS, Michigan; and Robert Burton, ULCS, Virginia. In the middle row were (L to R): Chris Stewart, ULCS, Iowa; Jared Truxillo, ULCS, Florida; Matt Moore, ACC, California; Ed Toy, GOS, Pennsylvania; Ian Buschbom, ULCS, Iowa; and Rob Jernigan, ACC, California. In the back row were (L to R): Tim McDaniel, ULCS, North Carolina; Michel Clermont, ALS, Florida; David Bernard, ULCS, Louisiana; Jason Pappas, ULCS, North Carolina; and Keon Sloan, ALS, Virginia.

p June GFTP—HR Personnel Director Sallie Theis led the General Foreperson Training Program on June 13-16. Held in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, the graduates were (front row, L to R): Luke Brogia, Ohio; Roger Bailey, Kentucky; Jamie Keys, Arkansas; Harry Walker, North Carolina; Scott Hodge, Georgia; Gary Jacques, Virginia; Justin Luck, Ohio; and Mike Pennington, North Carolina. Standing in the back row were (L to R): Brian Morin, Wisconsin; Kevin Bonham, Missouri; Hank Kay, Connecticut; Temo Lopez, Nevada; Steve Ringo, Indiana; Ken Smith, Michigan; Doug Royal, Kentucky; and Owen Montgomery, Kentucky.

p September GFTP—HR Personnel Director Sallie Theis was joined by our new Field Personnel Manager Peter Kwasnjuk in leading the General Foreperson Training Program. Held in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania on September 12-16, the graduates were (back row, L to R): Randy Emanuel, North Carolina; Dustin Parsons, Ohio; Tom Jensen, Iowa; Luis Rodriguez, Connecticut; David Viers, Virginia; Joey King, North Carolina; and Garrett Harvell, North Carolina. Standing in the back row were (L to R): Kevin Hines, West Virginia; Greg Bailey, Tennessee; Bob DeCampli, West Virginia; Adrian Oliver, Kansas; Eric Allen, Ohio; Chuck Willobee, Michigan; and Michael Risinger, Colorado. Not pictured: Randy Stiles, Willow Grove.

p WVU Field Day—On June 15 in Morgantown, West Virginia, MonPower Forester Matt Cummons and folks from AEP Ohio joined Asplundh Manager Mike Wolford, Supervisors John Belton and David Robinson, General Forepersons Greg Jones and Richard Varner, Foreperson Richard Wilhelm and Journeyman Brad Lipscomb at West Virginia University’s (WVU) Forest Resource Management field day. It was a great opportunity for the students to learn about integrated vegetation management tools and techniques, and for the seasoned industry veterans to give back knowledge and support to the next generation of foresters.


t Home Office Employees Of The Month—Each month, the Home Office in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania recognizes an employee who has gone above and beyond to provide outstanding support to our field and internal operations. Here is the latest group of hard-working employees to receive this distinction (L to R): Jonelle Sumpter of Customer & Field Liaison was honored in August; Alison Quirk of Information Technology was named our September winner; Jennifer Focht of Information Technology was recognized in October; and Tom Sawka of Central Records became the latest recipient of the award in November. Congratulations to all of our winners and keep up the excellent work!

HOMEOFFICEHONORS

t We’re not sure when exactly David and Marie Craddock knew that their son, David Craddock, Jr. (L) was going to follow in his father’s footsteps and work for Asplundh, but we have a feeling that this 1991 photo of then three-year-old David, Jr. may have been a big hint. Both father and son work in the Ronnie Collins Region of northeast Florida on Florida Power & Light property. David, Sr. is a supervisor and David, Jr. is a general foreperson.

FAMILYALBUM

p In his spare time, Groundperson Joe Stokes (far R) has a very interesting side job as a hunting guide for an outfitting company. He has guided countless clients on black bear and mountain lion hunts, but the photo above shows a hunt Joe led in January 2014 for a very special client—multi-platinum recording artist Kid Rock (second from R). The group hunted behind Joe’s hounds and harvested this 160-lb. Tom mountain lion in the Sandpoint, Idaho area. When not guiding hunts or training his hounds, Joe works on Avista Utilities property in the Shawn Shapiro Region.

WILDLIFECORNERu Now that winter is upon

us, here’s a look back to the warm breezes and extra daylight of summer, courtesy of General Foreperson Dan

Griffiths. After work one day in August, Dan and

his son, Deeghan, 5, went fishing at the family pond and caught this beautiful

8-lb., 23" largemouth bass. Big sis Rileigh, 17, was also on hand and captured this

great shot of their catch. Dan works in the Mike

Zehler Region in New York on the properties of Niagara

Mohawk and NYSEG.

p General Foreperson Robert LeBlanc (L), welcomed his son, Robert’s (R), first child, Forrest Robert, on August 27. Measuring 20-1/2" long and weighing 7 lbs., 7 oz., it didn’t take long for “Maw Maw” Elizabeth (center) to get the chance to hold her great-grandson in her arms. It also provided the opportunity for this wonderful family photo of four generations of LeBlancs, which will no doubt be a treasured memory. Proud grandfather Robert works in the Gene Hayden Region, overseeing crews on Jackson Energy Authority and Dickson Electric System properties in Tennessee.

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Shoot Out 2016


2ND PRIZE – Terry SnowSiloam, North Carolina

1ST PRIZE – Jim Spicer Ocean Springs, Mississippi

HONORABLE MENTION – Michael Matzen Middleburg, Florida

3RD PRIZE – Nathaniel Cotton Ipswich, Massachusetts

While patrolling a Singing River Electric Power Association line in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, the early morning sun shines through tall pines and a cool, light fog.

Members of the Barry Suddreth Region’s safety trainer team weren’t ‘just hanging around’ in an elm tree in Charlotte. They were learning advanced climbing techniques to help the region’s crews climb trees more safely and efficiently.

An Asplundh crew from the Ralph Guadagno Region, working for Peabody Municipal Light, carefully cuts and lowers limbs prior to the removal of a towering white pine next to a 23kV riser pole in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. A small army of excavator booms is silhouetted by the early

summer sunrise where an American Lighting and Signalization crew installs high mast lights for the Florida DOT in Jacksonville.

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Congratulations to the talented winners of the Corporate Communications Department’s

annual photo contest, Shoot Out 2016, on display below. This year there were 81 camera-happy Asplundh employees, family members and customers from around the world who sent in over 290 entries.

Please join us in thanking the following judges for taking on the challenging, but rewarding task of carefully reviewing and

then selecting their top four entries in the Nature and Work-Related categories. Our judges were President George Graham, Jr., and Gabriella Ataman and Brian Loper from Hanlon Creative in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania.

Each work-related entry was inspected for safety prior to judging by Manager of Corporate Training for Vegetation Safety Tracy Hawks and Senior EHS Specialist Mark Foster. Their work is appreciated!

Be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s Shoot Out and Wall Calendar deadlines and you could win a share of the $1,050 prize money!

Please e-mail your best Work-Related and Nature photos (up to 10 entries total) to: [email protected]. Remember, no negatives and please send high resolution images.Wall Calendar Deadline: August 4, 2017Shoot Out Deadline: October 27, 2017

2ND PRIZE – Ann Dinsmore Weare, New Hampshire

1ST PRIZE – Wayne ClarkEdmonton, Alberta, Canada

HONORABLE MENTION – Zach Wiley Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

3RD PRIZE – Rick Sankolewicz Elverson, Pennsylvania

In the hazy mist of a late autumn afternoon, a collection of abandoned barns and outbuildings stand stoically in the rolling prairie of southern Alberta. Wayne took this photo for his sister-in-law who collects barn photos in all seasons.

On a warm August night, stars reflect off the calm ocean waters of Western Bay in Bar Harbor, Maine. The Milky Way, the edge of the galaxy in which our planet and solar system are located, hovers in the upper left.

As the morning mist rises from McWain Pond in Waterford, Maine, brilliant autumn leaves and a light blue sky offer a colorful contrast to the dark tree bark in the foreground.

A well-groomed trail winds its way through lush, green ferns, moss and trees along Sweet Creek, west of Eugene, Oregon. Zach photographed a wide range of natural scenery last May as he traveled for three weeks across country, exploring many parks and trails along the way.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSoutheastern, PA

Permit # 8099

International Headquarters708 Blair Mill RoadWillow Grove, PA 19090www.asplundh.com

CO-OPCORNEROklahoma Electric Cooperative

(OEC), the largest electric distribution cooperative in the

state, serves more than 50,000 meters located in seven counties. OEC has over 5,000 line miles that run through flat rangeland in the western portion to hilly, forested areas in the eastern portion. Asplundh Manager Robert Coffman is proud of his crews working on the OEC system, helping to serve the utility’s vegetation management needs for over 20 years now.

OEC’s main office is located in the city of Norman, which is home to the National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma. In this part of the United States, weather events such as tornadoes and ice storms are relatively common, adding to the challenge of maintaining reliable power.

“I will never forget the ice storm of 2010,” says OEC Vegetation Manager Joe Torres, who has worked for the co-op for 14 years. “I was a lineman at the time. Trees were down everywhere. I drove over a hill and saw a bunch of Asplundh trucks coming. It was a big relief.”

Since 2015, Mr. Torres has managed and audited the vegetation management program which includes two in-house crews, a forester/coordinator and 15 Asplundh crews with standard and specialized equipment to get the job done safely and efficiently. Mr. Torres is pleased with the crews’ performance and remarked, “Anything we need, Asplundh can get it!”

u Asplundh Manager Robert Coffman (far L) recently paid a visit to the

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) Corporate Office in Norman to meet

up with OEC Vegetation Manager Joe Torres (second from R). Joining

with them for a photo were (L to R): OEC Forester Shain Brown, General

Foreperson Donnie Wright, Supervisor Ivan Zavala and General Foreperson

John Mitchell.

u To help keep the OEC off-road rights-of-way clear, Asplundh has three

highly efficient side trimmer and mower teams working under General Foreperson Donnie Wright. Shown here is one of the two large Kershaw Sky Trim machines on

the contract, accompanied by Geo-Boy brush cutter tractors. A smaller Loftness Kwik-Trim side trimmer and a Terex skid

steer mower are often used where access is tight or for ticket work.

t Working along an OEC three-phase 29.5kV line, Foreperson Jesus Zavala-Callente of the Robert Coffman Region uses a 60-70 foot bucket to prune limbs away from a sycamore tree prior to removing it. Assisting with set-up and chipping were Foreperson Bernard Powell and crew. They are two of the 12 crews under General Foreperson John Mitchell that primarily focus on roadside vegetation management, but they also handle ticket requests and work orders to support OEC line projects.

Documents

Holiday 2016 THE ASPLUNDH TREE 2016 THE ASPLUNDH TREE. AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL EMPLOYEES It is the policy of our Company and all of its subsidiaries and management to