TCI Magazine Audio Edition

BY TAMSIN VENN

Rare is the employer who does everything he or she can to help an employee secure their next job. But that was the case with Daniel Miraval, BCMA, and Brianna White, ISA Certified Arborist, co-owners of Emerald Tree Care LLC, a 14-year TCIA member company in Roselle, Illinois, when they sent Anthony Santisi, who had been with them for three years, off to his new job at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

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BY PETER GERSTENBERGER

The Tree Care Industry Association in August welcomed George Strout as its Strout will lead TCIA’s efforts to mobilize tree care professionals across the country in support of smart policy and industry advancement. With more than a decade of experience in grassroots organizing, legislative strategy and PAC (political action committee) engagement, Strout brings a deep understanding of how to activate stakeholders and influence decision-makers. 

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REVIEWED BY STEVEN F. PREGLER

These two books were written by Linda Chalker-Scott, former urban horticulture extension specialist and a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Washington State University

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BY BAILEY GRAVES

In July 2025, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced it reinstated and updated self-audit programs run by its agencies, including the reimplementation of the Wage and Hour Division’s Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) Program and expansions to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s On-Site Consultation and Voluntary Protection Programs. The efforts to update some programs follow legislation introduced earlier this year intended to codify Voluntary Protection Programs into law.

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BY AUSTIN BONNEMA

As a TCIA Board member and a long-time industry participant, I’ve seen plenty of challenges come and go, but few have been as persistent and unpredictable as tariffs. For those of us involved in equipment manufacturing or purchasing, the ongoing shifts in global trade policy are more than headlines – they’re real issues that affect our businesses and bottom lines

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BY BRIAN FAIN, P&C, L&H

Day in and day out, I have conversations with many of my clients expressing their frustrations on how to hire and retain reliable, qualified employees. I am sure you will agree that this is one of the more, if not the most, difficult aspects of your business. 

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BY KATE ZABRISKIE 

Ever had that moment when a project seemed crystal clear during a meeting, only to find out weeks later that everyone had completely different interpretations? It’s like playing a grown-up version of the game “telephone,” where what starts as “We need this done by the end of the week” ends up as “We’ll get to it when we can.”

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BY BETHANY KEMPPAINEN, CTSP

Arboriculture often requires physically and mentally demanding effort, constant attention to risk, complex logistics and care for challenging clientele.

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BY DAVID M. ANDERSON

For many years, shears have been the popular choice for trimming shrubs. Whether performed by a homeowner, a landscaper or an arborist, shearing is faster and easier, and it seems like the logical choice. The problem with electric shears is, if they are used too often or too aggressively, they can harm plants. 

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BY TIM WALSH, CTSP

In the tree care industry, safety is everything. From the moment a chain saw roars to life or a climber ascends into the canopy, risk is ever present. For decades, safety programs have focused on controlling that risk through policies, checklists and training modules.

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BY ANDY JONES, CTSP

Every September, tree care professionals across the country load up their gear, shut down their regular schedules and head to a national or state veterans cemetery – not for work, but to serve. It’s called Saluting Branches, and it’s become the largest single-day volunteer event in the arboriculture industry.

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BY TIM BARTELT

TCI EXPO is a great opportunity to peruse exhibitors’ booths and check out their latest equipment innovations or earn CEUs in educational seminars. It also is a great opportunity to demo equipment, get hands-on experience or learn a new, practical skill under the tutelage of top experts in their field. In this article, we’ll highlight three of the latter opportunities available on the show floor and in the Demo Dome, the former football stadium turned arborist playground, during TCI EXPO ’25, November 6-8, in St. Louis, Missouri.

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BY BETHANY LENEHAN 

Selecting the right hand-fed woodchipper can make a significant difference in the efficiency, safety and overall success of your tree care operation. With the wide range of chipper models, configurations and features available today, understanding how different components impact performance can help professionals make informed decisions.

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BY TIM BARTELT 
With its strong focus on the customer, safety and training, BIK Boom Trucks has become a household name for trucks and knuckle-
boom cranes in the tree care industry. 

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BY DUSTIN MEYERS, TRAQ

The following was originally submitted as a letter to the TCI Magazine editor.

I have dedicated my professional life to tree care. For more than 20 years as a TCIA member and an ISA TRAQ arborist, I have watched this industry evolve from ropes and bucket trucks to knuckle-boom cranes, tracked lifts and highly mechanized, safety-first operations.

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BY TRACEY MILLER

Each year, TCI EXPO grows, evolves and delivers new opportunities for tree care professionals to learn, connect and discover the tools and strategies they need to succeed. Whether you’re coming to explore equipment, build your network or sharpen your business skills, this year’s event has been designed with one goal in mind: to help you maximize your time and walk away with real value for your company and career.

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BY MICHAEL J. RAUPP, PH.D., AND PAULA M. SHREWSBURY, PH.D.

At TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland, we conducted a Pre-Conference workshop entitled Plant Health Care Pathways. This tripartite workshop included sessions on honing diagnostic and management skills, tree nutrition and soil management and pruning by the ANSI 300 standard. 

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BY JONATHAN TANK, CTSP

In any competitive field, success often is attributed to a company’s technical skills, efficiency and bottom-line profits. There are endless books about success in business, including different strategies and approaches for how to improve and grow. Marketing is important, as well as fiscal responsibility. However, after 25 years in this industry, one thing has stood out to me as a key difference between success and failure – how leadership within a company invests in its people to help long-term success. 

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BY BAILEY GRAVES

Over this summer, federal policy developments have emerged related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) work, workforce development and employer-sponsored immigration. TCIA’s government-relations team has tracked the following notable actions and events that will shape the policy agenda through the fall.

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BY ERIC CAMPBELL

Since 2015, Saluting Branches has grown from a one-time civic project of Rainbow Treecare of Minnetonka, Minnesota, to a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) 
non-profit with a singular mission: “We honor American service men and women by organizing volunteer tree and landscape care for the property dedicated to our veterans.

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BY DAVID M. ANDERSON, CTSP

As a hard-core, self-proclaimed tree nerd, I love to talk, read and write about all aspects of tree care. I guess you may be guilty of the same obsession if you are reading this. Unfortunately, most people aren’t. Most of my friends, family and random strangers have had to tell me to shut the “heck” up when I go off on “tree tangents.” 

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BY Eric Petersen

In case you are unfamiliar, TCIA’s Board of Directors is responsible for setting the strategic direction and overall performance of the organization. Our responsibilities include establishing our vision, formulating policy, providing strategic planning and ensuring strong financial oversight.

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BY TYLER LYON, CTSP, ASP; and CHRIS SPRAGUE, MEng, CTSP, ASP 

In 1986, millions of people witnessed the Challenger space-shuttle explosion that tragically killed seven astronauts, including a civilian teacher on board for the Teacher in Space initiative. Investigations revealed the explosion was caused by the failure of a large O-ring designed to seal a fuselage joint in the rocket booster. 

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BY TAMSIN VENN

Out in the 150-mile stretch between Duluth and Twin Cities, Minnesota, Brandon Pankey, owner of Blue Pine Works LLC, a two-year TCIA member company, has honed a respected reputation for tree work by having an emphasis on safety.

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BY HOWARD GAFFIN, BCMA, RCA

A cold wind blew outside. Holed up in my toasty office, I was contemplating how grateful I was to no longer have to endure the agony associated with getting the feeling back in my numb digits so I could work the climbing rope and resume the task at hand on a sub-freezing day.

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BY EDWARD MORROW

It’s one thing to project the financial results you want. It’s something else to do the right things to produce those results. And it’s a whole other process to become the person who can make it all happen.

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BY PETER FELIX

It is with profound sadness that we say farewell to Jon H. Hickey, who passed away peacefully on July 9, 2025, at the age of 88. Jon, a resident of North Massapequa, New York, was not only a legendary arborist but also a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor and friend. His life was a testament to passion, integrity and a genuine love for trees and people.

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BY TCHUKKI ANDERSEN, BCMA, CTSP

If you’re looking to save your strength and move smoother on your next climb, Dekota Wall wants you to know how the Petzl Knee Loop can do that for you.

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BY HEATHER DIRKSEN

As tree care companies look to deepen client relationships and diversify their revenue streams, one opportunity continues to stand out – launching a plant-health-care (PHC) program. Yet, for many business owners and managers, the idea of starting a new service line – especially one that requires technical knowledge, licensing and client education – can feel overwhelming.

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BY TIM BARTELT

Ricky Folse, founder of Veteran Tree Care, a second-year TCIA member company based in Houma, Louisiana, is a man on a mission, and that mission is to help both men and women. Military veteran men and women, to be more precise. Even though Folse was unable to complete the requisite military time commitment, he considers himself an “extreme veteran-activist” and has dedicated his adult life, and the entire business model of Veteran Tree Care, to the employment of and advocacy for veterans. 

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BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN

Strengthening the green industry was the driving force behind last year’s merger of SingleOps, Landscape Management Network (LMN) and Greenius, says Steve Samuels, the merged company’s senior account executive. The former GM/CFO of multiple businesses, including landscape and arborist companies, had served with SingleOps for four years before the merger went through October 31, 2024. 

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BY KELSEY GRUENWOLDT

In tree care, it’s easy to get consumed by the urgency of the day – storm calls, high-risk removals, employee situations, scheduling pivots, equipment issues. But if you want a sustainable company – one that thrives even when you step back – big-picture thinking must be woven into your daily execution.

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BY MARIE HAWKINS

This column was written in response to the article “Insurance Pruning: Cut Risks, Not Canopies,” by Jim Kasper in the July 2025 issue of TCI Magazine.

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BY KATHY GLASSEY

Let’s face it, when most people think of plant health care, they think about solving a customer’s problems and getting rid of the pests causing the problems. What they don’t think about – until the moment of truth arrives – is what to do with that half-empty jug of pesticide living rent free in the shop.

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BY BAILEY GRAVES

On June 12, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14308, “Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response.” The order cites the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires as an example of the need for faster and more effective response and coordination.

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BY ELIZABETH RODEWALD, CTSP

As the tree care industry continues to evolve, professionals are constantly seeking opportunities to grow their skills, network with peers and stay on the cutting edge of technology. Enter TCI EXPO ’25, returning bigger, bolder and more exciting than ever. 

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BY CHARLES KEMPER, CTSP

For decades, gas-powered tools have defined the daily operations of professional tree care – bringing with them the unmistakable exhaust, engine maintenance and fuel handling that come with traditional equipment. But the industry is evolving. Concerns over worker safety, rising fuel costs, noise and increasing equipment maintenance are driving momentum toward battery-powered alternatives.

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BY JENNIFER MCPHEE

In the tree care industry, we often talk about building strong crews. But what if we thought of our entire company like a championship sports team? That’s the mindset we embraced this past year, inspired by Jack Stack’s book, “The Great Game of Business,” which outlines his economic engagement model, formerly referred to as open book management.”

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BY DANIEL KALLAI

While in some areas of the country power companies are hardening their systems against high winds and torrential rains, here on the West Coast we have the additional hazard of fire. Power companies are employing thousands of hands in the effort to prevent fires from igniting, especially from trees contacting power lines. I’ve met tree workers who’ve traveled across the United States to assist in this effort. 

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BY AARON SCHAUER, CTSP, WITH ERIC PETERSEN

This is the second installment of a two-part article. Part 1 looked at the benefits of being a subcontractor and working with subcontractors (TCI Magazine, June 2025). Part 2 looks at how to become and operate as a subcontractor

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