TCIA Podcast

En el segundo episodio en español del podcast de TCIA, hablamos con el estimado Mauricio Gonzalez Muñoz tambien conocido como Mao Ropelombia, arborista, trabajador del cuidado de los árboles y escalador de competencia colombiano. Como Director de Formación e Instructor de arboricultura de la Escuela de Poda en Altura de La Casa del Arborista, y el único Embajador de habla hispana de Notch Equipment, tiene una perspectiva diversa, especial y mundial.Challenges and Accomplishments in Latin American Arboriculture with Mauricio Gonzalez MuñozIn the second Spanish-language episode of the TCIA podcast, we speak with the esteemed Mauricio Gonzalez Muñoz a.k.a Mao Ropelombia, a Colombian arborist, tree care worker, and competitive climber. As Director of Training and Arboriculture Instructor at La Casa del Arborista's High Pruning School, and Notch Equipment's only Spanish-speaking Ambassador, he has a diverse, special, and global perspective.

In this episode of the podcast, we talk with one of our past Marketing Excellence Award winners, Jeff Wilson, about how Ronin got started at  TCI EXPO and the importance of tradeshows in their marketing plan.Jeff is highly experienced with CPG, Retail, Semiconductor, Veterinary Hospital, and Product marketing communications. In addition to generating outstanding creativity, Jeff has deep expertise in business planning and analysis, new product or service development, team development, sales performance management, brand analysis, and future forecasting.   Jeff co-founded Deulofew Wilson Advertising, a specialty 4-A agency that provided marketing communication solutions to market challenges for multi-unit, small to mid-sized businesses. Deulofew Wilson was acquired by DDB Worldwide Group, where Jeff held senior creative and management positions. He developed integrated MarCom programs for accounts, including Weight Watchers, Michelin Tires, Olympus Camera, Tandy Corp, Sears, Computer City, IKEA, and The Incredible Universe.To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

On this episode of the podcast Jill Golden, Project Manager, Corporate Communications at The Davey Tree Expert Company, joins us to talk about Davey’s podcast and ongoing video series that led to them being selected as a winner of 2022 Marketing Excellence Awards.Jill Golden is a project manager in corporate communications for The Davey Tree Expert Company, an employee-owned corporation that provides tree, utility, lawn care and environmental consulting services in the green industry throughout the United States and Canada. Golden is a graduate of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She resides in Cleveland, Ohio, and can be reached at jill.golden@davey.com.To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

On this episode of the podcast Eric Petersen, President of Arborisk, joins us to talk about risk management, insurance, and what it means for your tree care business.After graduating with a Forestry degree from Univ. Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2003 and working as an arborist for a parks department, Eric joined his family’s insurance agency and began helping tree care companies grow and properly protect themselves. Seeing a need for a more specialized approach for the tree care industry, Eric and his team created the ArboRisk program around two basic principles:  1. To help every arborist get home safe each night. 2. To help tree care companies grow and professionalize.  Eric is a past president and recent recipient of the Wisconsin Arborist Association’s Honorary Life Membership Award as well as a member of TCIA, ISA and multiple ISA chapters.Check out the IndusTREE podcast here.To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

In this episode, we are joined by Korey Conry to talk about his experience as a trainer.Korey Conry is a Field Safety Supervisor/Trainer at Mountain F Enterprises and has been in the tree industry for over four years. He found his home in the safety and training department onboarding helping develop the safety culture with new hires. He is a certified arborist and qualified TRAQ through the ISA, California Flagger instructor, CPR/First Aid instructor, TCIA instructor, and OSHA Authorized Trainer. Korey has since November 2020 has been an instructor of a 5-week utility line clearance arborist class through Butte College. Korey has worked in wildland firefighting, as an emergency room technician, and has a love for the outdoors. When he is not working, you can find him sitting under a Blue Oak in Northern California turkey hunting or watching Star Wars/Harry Potter with his family on movie night To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

In this episode, we are joined by Katie Petrikas and Virginia Gregoire and talk about their involvement in TCIA's education space.Katie has been with TCIA for four years. She has worked in a variety of roles over that time, including member experience, where she developed a deep understanding of member needs and how to meet them. Katie leverages this knowledge to develop courses specifically tailored to the needs of the industry. Katie's educational background in graphic design and user experience and interface design allows her to create engaging and interactive materials that facilitate effective learning. Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time with her husband and their son, going for walks in the woods, and caring for her small forest of house plants.Currently, Virginia serves as the director of curriculum and course design at TCIA, where she leads a team of instructional developers and subject matter experts in developing and implementing programs that meet the evolving needs of students and employers. Virginia utilizes her expertise in the development of competency-based training programs and adult learning theory to offer a blended approach to employee development, combining online learning and on the job skills training. Her passion for education and commitment to excellence make her a highly respected leader in the field of curriculum and course design.  Most recently, she was the chief architect in designing a custom learning platform infrastructure which has modernized the educational landscape for the tree care industry. To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

In this episode, we celebrate Women in Tree Care Month with Amy Tetreault and talk about her new role as Executive Vice President of TCIA.The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) is a trade association of 2,300 tree care firms and affiliated companies worldwide on a mission to advance tree care businesses by developing standards of tree care practice, safety programs, and continuing education that promotes the safe and appropriate practice of tree care. In this newly formed role, Amy is responsible for helping TCIA teams translate strategy into actionable steps for growth, as well as implementing organization-wide goal setting, company operations, and employee productivity. She has served in roles of increasing responsibility and authority within the corporate engagement, development, and marketing teams. During her tenure at TCIA, Tetreault also helped launch the Women in Tree Care initiative (now headed up by TCIA’s own Erin Demers). To learn more and to get involved with the TCIAF, please visit them at tcia.org.To learn more and to register for EAW, visit us at eaw.tcia.org.

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Kristoffer Rasmussen, CTSP, QCL, Manager of Urban Forestry for the City of Dallas, to discuss the benefits the blended learning model of education that TCIA is utilizing.

En este episodio del TCIA Podcast, nos acompañan Daniel Aburto de Bartlett Tree Experts y Robin Kennedy de TCIA para hablar sobre la importancia de la educación.Daniel Aburto ha trabajado en la industria verde desde 2005. Ha trabajado en Bartlett como Groundsman/Operador de suelo por 2 años, Climber/Trepador por 2 años, Foreman/Jefe de cuadrilla por 3 años, PHC Specialist por 6 años y durante estos mismos 6 años fue miembro del Comité de seguridad de la oficina de Raleigh NC. Actualmente trabaja como coordinador de seguridad, reclutamiento y capacitacion de Bartlett en Mexico ya 5 años ahora, Conductor LCC (CDL), con licencia de Aplicación de pesticida de Carolina del Norte, con certificacion de Arbolista, Tree Worker, CTSP, QCL, OSHA 10 y 30 hrs.Su inspiración y motivo para salir adelante y buscar oportunidades y aprovecharlas es su familia: su madre, su esposa y sus hijas.On this episode of the TCIA Podcast, we are joined by Daniel Aburto of Bartlett Tree Experts, and Robin Kennedy of TCIA, to discuss the importance of education. TCIA is making this episode exclusively in Spanish to celebrate Spanish heritage month.Daniel Aburto has worked in the tree care industry since 2005. He has worked with Bartlett as a Groundsman for 2 years, Climber for 2 years, Crew Leader for 3 years, and PHC Specialist for 6 years. During those same years, he was a member of the Security Committee in the Raleigh, NC office. He has been working as Safety, Recruiting and Training Coordinator for Bartlett in Mexico for the last 5 years. He is a certified CDL Driver, licensed in North Carolina for Pesticide Application, Certified Arborist, Tree Worker, CTSP, QCL, OSHA 10 and 30 hrs. His inspiration and reason for striving and seeking opportunities and taking advantage of them are his family: his mother, his wife and his daughters.

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Doug Cowles, President/CEO of HMI, to discuss storm work and what it takes to do it.Doug has been HMI’s President/CEO since 2004 and has been responsible for establishing the company’s information systems, business development, and fulfillment strategies. In his role, he has also been directly involved in the assignment, review, and estimating of thousands of claims involving damaged plant material. Before joining HMI, he held executive-level positions in various industry sectors, including financial services, manufacturing, and emerging technology. His previous roles developed the strategic planning, critical thinking, and leadership skills that have enabled his success at HMI. He graduated from Purdue University where he received a B.S. in Agricultural Economics.Learn more about TCI EXPO by visiting us at EXPO.TCIA.ORG

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Peter Gerstenberger, Senior Vice President of Industry Support at TCIA, to discuss how he came to join TCIA, his work on TCI EXPO, and much more.Learn more about TCI EXPO by visiting us at EXPO.TCIA.ORG

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jeff Blackman, Program Manager of Eyedent Insurance Services LLC., to discuss the benefits insurance brings to a tree care company.ArborMAX is the only insurance company endorsed by TCIA. The advice in this podcast is applicable to all tree care companies looking at any insurance provider.To learn more about ArborMAX visit them here.

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by August Hoppe, President of Hoppe Tree Service, to discuss the benefits to workforce development and retention that an apprenticeship program can bring.August is a 3rd generation arborist and President of Hoppe Tree Service.  A 21 year TCIA member company working out of the Milwaukee area.  He is a past President of the Wisconsin Arborist Association, currently Senior Director of the TCIA, and the Co-Chair of the WI Arborist Apprenticeship Advisory Committee.  He lives and breathes Apprenticeship.  When he is not working he loves to bike, kayak, or do just about anything outdoors. 

On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by fellow podcasters Joe Aiken and Korey Lofy to discuss finding your niche in the industry.Joe and Korey are hosts of the Discovering Forestry Podcast.  Joe & Korey combine over 60 years of industry knowledge and experience and discuss some of the trends, concerns, and opportunities in the fields of forestry and arboriculture weekly on their show.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Jason Showers, Director of Tree Care Products at Morbark, and discuss corporate membership with TCIA and how they fit in the tree care ecosystem.Jason describes himself as a "fixer" - someone who enjoys taking on projects requiring intense focus, attention to detail and quickly learning the subject to become the subject matter expert. His process involves looking at everything from a jobs perspective, systematically breaking down the process, making a plan, and implementing the solution - all with the firm belief there are multiple solutions to every problem. The core of Jason's experience is in product management/development, design/process improvement, and sales management. Currently, Jason is the Corporate Member representative on the TCIA Board of Directors.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Jeff Inman and discuss what kind of person should get into tree care.Jeff Inman is a thinker, an arborist, and a climber to his core. More importantly, though, he is husband to Kelsey and father to Cedar and Lucille. He works for Truetimber Arborists based out of Richmond, VA as the Risk Manager and Truetimber Academy Director. Jeff's passion for tree climbing has allowed for a wild ride over the last decade. He has been making sawdust professionally since 2011 but discovered tree climbing competitions in 2013 which triggered a real passion to combine technical climbing with his quiet, yet competitive nature. He holds various certifications through the ISA and TCIA, most notably Climber Specialist, Certified Arborist, TRAQ, and CTSP. His passion in this industry has always been centered around climbing, learning, teaching, and growth.  Our sponsor for this episode is PlanIt Geo.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Aiden O'Brien, Director of the Tree Care Industry Association Foundation, and dive deeper into the Foundation's mission as well as how he hopes to support the industry going forward.Aiden is the Director of the TCIA Foundation. Previously, he was TCIA's Advocacy and Standards Manager, managing TCIA's advocacy program and the A300 Standards committee. Aiden is excited to bring his experience in advocacy to a new challenge with the TCIA Foundation. He is eager to help grow the Foundation by increasing safety in the tree care industry through free workshops and other related programs.Our sponsor for this episode is PlanIt Geo.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Corey Parsons, President of Rogue Tree Solutions and John Lewis, Manager of Member Engagement for the Midwest Region, and discuss why company culture is a company wide phenomena.Arboriculture has been a part of Corey's life since he was a little boy. His entire family has been rooted into the industry for many years. Corey followed his father's, uncles' and brothers' footsteps working for the largest utility line clearance company in the world and he realized that his future without a doubt would be in the Arboriculture industry. Corey is a Certified Arborist, receiving the proper licensing through the State of Ohio for Commercial herbicide application. He became very strong in proper safety practices to comply with OSHA rules and regulations, operations, bidding, recruiting/hiring and most importantly – learning how to become a strong leader. Being a Certified Arborist and a board member of the Ohio Chapter ISA gives him the knowledge and expertise to educate customers, municipalities, and fellow town members.Our sponsor for this episode is PlanIt Geo.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Joe Cordova and Matt Gleason of ArborForce and discuss why education and safety go hand in hand.Joe Cordova is the owner of ArborForce. He has been working in commercial forestry for 20 years.  In April of 2008, he went out on his own with the launch of ArborForce.  ArborForce will celebrate its 14th anniversary on April 16, 2022.  From a single-person company back then they have grown to a “family” team 29 people strong.  Joe is an ISA certified arborist and licensed as a commercial applicator through the Department of Agriculture, as well as holding many other licenses and certifications.Matt Gleason, Is a project manager and safety coordinator at ArborForce. He has been working in commercial forestry for 4.5 years and has been in the industry for 6 years. Matt is an ISA Certified Arborist and holds a Class A CDL and other certs through the TCIA. Matt is married to his wife Samantha and they have a newborn baby girl! You can follow him on Instagram here.You can check out the ArborForce Instagram page here.Our sponsor for this episode is PlanIt Geo.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Carolina Paredes of Beast Coast Tree Climbers and discuss why self-care is an absolute must in tree care.Carolina Paredes is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador. She holds certifications in Life, Nutrition, Health, and Fitness Coaching and owns Healthy Strong and Happy AF. She also owns Beast Coast Tree Climbers with her husband Almon Cox, and is working steadily towards her Arborist certification. Part of her life mission is to help people care about the way they feel and help people take better care of themselves so that they can be healthier, stronger, and happier. She is a happiness Specialist and loves to help people realize their potential for joy and love. She loves her life, her family, her work, her doggie, and loves to jump out of planes. She is a licensed skydiver and member of the United States Parachute Association.To learn more and to find all of the handouts, please visit our website.Our sponsor for this episode is PlanIt Geo.