Davey Tree makes multiple promotions, including expanding residential/commercial operations
Erika Schoenberger:
The Davey Tree Expert Company — No. 2 on the 2024 LM150 list — promoted Erika Schoenberger to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.
“Erika brings a wealth of knowledge from a corporate governance perspective,” said Pat Covey, chairman, president and CEO of Davey Tree. “She has grown our in-house legal team’s size and capabilities, further developing the team as a crucial partner in strategic business initiatives and operations. Additionally, she has provided expert guidance on our legal and risk management practices.”
With more than 20 years of legal experience, Schoenberger joined Davey in 2018 as vice president and general counsel. She previously worked at the Oneida Group, based in Columbus, Ohio, where she held general counsel, corporate secretary and senior vice president positions. Schoenberger also led Oneida’s human resources and safety team and served as senior vice president of new business development. Prior to working with Oneida, Schoenberger was a partner at Frost Brown Todd, a national full-service law firm.
Schoenberger is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Wooster.
Thea Sears:
Davey Tree also promoted Thea Sears to senior vice president and controller. In her new role, Sears will continue to adapt the company’s operational and financial accounting functions to support Davey’s growth and business and government regulatory requirements.
“Under Thea’s leadership, Davey’s accounting functions have become more efficient through process improvements and subsequently enhanced our financial reporting,” Covey said. “Her team’s detailed information has provided key insights for our managers at every level on how their operations are performing.”
Sears joined Davey in 1993 and held a variety of roles in reporting and operations accounting. In 1995, she was promoted to supervisor of financial accounting, in 1998 to manager of financial accounting and in 2010 to assistant controller. In 2016, Sears was elected corporate controller and then promoted to vice president and controller in 2017. Sears also serves as an officer of the company.
Sears received her undergraduate degree in industrial management from the University of Akron and is a certified public accountant.
Dave Johnson:
Davey Tree recently expanded its Residential/Commercial (R/C) operations in Cleveland, Ohio, and Fort Collins, Colo., including the promotion of district managers Dave Johnston of the new South Fort Collins office and Eric Phillips of the new Northwest Cleveland office.
“Our R/C operations across the country continue to grow, and the Cleveland and Fort Collins markets have shown tremendous opportunities for expansion to service more clients,” said Jed Day, executive vice president and general manager, U.S. R/C operations. “I’m confident the addition of these new offices will amplify the Davey brand and continue to serve our clients with sustainable, proven solutions.”
“Dave has become very familiar with Fort Collins after attending college in the area and servicing Davey’s Fort Collins clients, so he’ll be a great manager for this expansion office,” said Andy Ferguson, vice president and operations manager, South Central operations, R/C services. “Dave has always shown exceptional client experience and goes above and beyond on the job, so the new team will have a great leader to rely on and look up to.”
Johnston joined Davey in 2021 as a sales and service coordinator for both the Fort Collins and North Denver R/C offices. In 2021, he was promoted to sales arborist for the Fort Collins office, then in 2022 to assistant district manager.
Johnston is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist, a Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) and a Qualified Supervisor with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Johnston is also a graduate of Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in forestry with a business concentration.
Eric Phillips
“Eric has been a strong leader in the Akron office, so promoting him to the district manager of our new Cleveland office will be a perfect fit for Eric, the team and the new client base,” said Scott Heim, vice president, Northeast operations, R/C services. “Eric has always exemplified Davey’s values, so I’m confident the new Northwest Cleveland team will learn a lot under Eric’s leadership and that he’ll lead the team to success.”
Phillips joined Davey in 2015 as a trimmer on the Bethel Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) project. Following his transfer to Akron R/C, he held a variety of field positions, and in 2019, he was promoted to sales arborist. Then, in 2021, he was promoted to assistant district manager.
Phillips is an ISA Certified Arborist and a TCIA CTSP. In 2018, he graduated from the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (D.I.T.S.), which is Davey’s flagship training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques. Phillips also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Heidelberg University.
WorkWave appoints Robbie Hobbs to chief product officer
WorkWave, a provider of software that help mobile service companies manage their business, appointed Robbie Hobbs as chief product officer, responsible for leading its product innovation strategy and ensuring a best-in-class approach to delivering software and solutions to its customers.
“Our mission at WorkWave is to deliver innovative software and fintech solutions to companies that keep the world safe, clean and beautiful, so we are excited to welcome Robbie Hobbs to the team to enable us to realize this mission,” said WorkWave CEO Kevin Kemmerer. “Under Hobbs’s leadership, we look forward to deepening our product functionality, increasing our investment in data analytics and AI and providing our customers with industry-leading technology.”
Hobbs is a seasoned technology and product executive with more than 20 years of experience in R&D, engineering and product management across aerospace, energy and commercial real estate. According to the company, his career comprises his passion for solving customers’ business challenges as well as leveraging technology, data and automation to drive meaningful impact at scale.
“As chief product officer, my focus is on ensuring that WorkWave continues to deliver products that don’t just meet customer needs, but actively drive their success and grow their business,” said Hobbs. “WorkWave has a unique opportunity to redefine how mobile service companies operate — helping them improve efficiency, enhance service quality and grow with confidence. I’m excited to work alongside our customers to build intuitive, high-impact solutions that simplify operations and unlock new value through AI, automation, fintech and data-driven insights.”
Born and raised in Australia, Hobbs has lived, studied and worked across four continents. He holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He is currently based in Atlanta, Ga.
RC Mowers hires new autonomous engineering director
RC Mowers, a manufacturer of robotic and autonomous mowers, recently hired Richard Lukas, Ph.D. Lukas is a 25-year engineering veteran with experience in robotics, autonomy and machine learning, and he has joined the growing company as its new autonomous engineering director.
“It is our goal to remain on the cutting edge of innovative landscaping solutions,” said RC Mowers co-founder and CEO Michael Brandt. “Richard’s presence will be particularly beneficial as we continually work to advance autonomous technology and refine our products for landscaping professionals around the world. His background in autonomous driving and proven success as an engineer make him the perfect candidate to solidify RC Mowers’ position at the forefront of robotic and autonomous mowing.”
According to the company, Lukas’ previous experience developing AI-controlled power tools and autonomous vehicles gives him a unique perspective on how RC Mowers can expand its global offerings by helping commercial landscaping companies scale their businesses using integrated autonomous or robotic mowers.
“RC Mowers is driving innovation in the autonomous landscaping industry, setting new benchmarks that redefine the business of mowing,” Lukas said. “I’m eager to apply my experience in developing groundbreaking solutions that address the real-world challenges landscaping contractors face today, particularly with labor shortages. Autonomous mowers help contractors reduce their labor needs while providing them with an opportunity to grow distinctive revenue streams.”
Lukas also has experience leading engineering teams from ideation to market launch, providing process-driven technical guidance to meet target deliverable timetables. In addition to his leadership roles, he was also crucial in the development of the first electronic onboard recorder for commercial trucking and a first-of-its-kind autonomous robotic truck for use by the U.S. military, according to the company.
Lukas is also an active member of Wisconsin’s higher education community. As an adjunct professor and lecturer at Milwaukee School of Engineering, Lukas aims to help shape the future of engineering by sharing industry insights with the next generation of engineers.
Kubota promotes Stephen Barcuch to executive director of sales
Kubota Tractor Corporation promoted Stephen Barcuch to executive director of sales, responsible for managing the company’s annual sales plan and dealer development organization. Barcuch has been with the company for 12 years and most recently served as senior director of Kubota’s Central Division, further building on his career in both field and corporate roles for Kubota, including product marketing director for compact, utility and ag products, as well as serving as a Kubota district manager. His promotion took effect Feb. 17, 2025.
“I am thrilled to announce this promotion because Steve’s diverse experience makes him the perfect choice to lead Kubota’s divisional sales teams and dealer development efforts,” said Alex Woods, senior vice president, sales, supply chain and product support. “Steve has consistently demonstrated dedication and leadership in his various positions at Kubota, and his commitment to our company’s values has greatly contributed to our success. I’m confident that in his new role, he will continue to inspire those around him and drive his teams confidently into the future.”
Before joining Kubota, Barcuch held sales and product management positions with AGCO Corporation for 16 years. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing at American Intercontinental University, and he earned the Roberto C. Goizueta Leadership Certificate from Emory Executive Education.
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