Arborjet promoted Doug McPherson to quality and compliance manager.
On top of his current responsibilities, which include the creation and registration of product labels, overseeing the product development process, maintaining regulatory compliance of all products, and technical support, McPherson will now be managing Arborjet’s ISO implementation and evaluating processes and products according to ISO standards.
McPherson is a graduate of James Madison University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in ecology and environmental science. He began working at Arborjet in early 2013 and has held a variety of roles in several different departments, including research and development. He earned his master’s from Northeastern University in project management with a concentration in managing technical projects, while simultaneously working at Arborjet.
Ruppert Landscape promoted Patty Pescrille to regional business development manager in the Maryland region, a recently created position in the company’s landscape management division.
Pescrille has more than 20 years of combined experience in business development, property management and landscaping. She began her professional career as operations manager for a reputable Baltimore property management firm before joining the landscape industry as an area manager and sales manager with another leading industry organization.
She joined Ruppert in 2008 and has supported many Maryland branches in a business development capacity during her tenure, including Frederick, Laytonsville, Baltimore and White Marsh. She has also been instrumental in helping to build a customer base in the Delmarva market. That branch of the company has recently opened a new location and has been recognized on three occasions for million-dollar sales years. Pescrille was honored with the company’s Branch Impact Award for her dedication and contributions to the Baltimore branch in both 2009 and 2017.
As regional business development manager, Pescrille is responsible for the oversight of a specific portfolio of customers in the Maryland region. In addition, she assists with the onboarding, training and mentoring of new business development managers in the region.
SavATree named Carmine Schiavone to succeed Daniel van Starrenburg, the company’s long-serving CEO.
Van Starrenburg will continue with SavATree as executive chairman, overseeing the company’s strategic direction and acquisitions program.
Schiavone spent four years in senior leadership positions at Johnson Controls, most recently as general manager and vice president of Fire Protection Solutions & Services. Prior to Johnson Controls, Schiavone spent 16 years at Tyco, where he took on increasing responsibility as vice president, general manager and acting COO across various business units.
Van Starrenburg began his career as a certified arborist in Bedford Hills, N.Y., purchasing SavATree in 1985 when it was a well-respected local business. Through organic growth and 27 acquisitions completed under van Starrenburg’s leadership, SavATree has become the third-largest company in the U.S. tree care industry, with 39 branches operating in 18 states.
TreeTown USA promoted Bud Summers to COO.
Reporting directly to CEO Jonathan Saperstein in the newly created position, Summers’ primary focus in the new role will be to continue the alignment of all 15 growing facilities.
“With bringing all of our operations under one leader, we will align all of our operations into one cohesive unit,” Saperstein said. “As a company brought together through acquisitions, this next step capitalizes on all of the knowledge base of our combined company.”
Summers was previously senior vice president of Southwest operations for TreeTown. Before joining TreeTown USA, he spent more than 30 years in several executive positions with Hines Growers, and Color Spot Nurseries in California, Texas, Arizona and Oregon, where he provided the day-to-day leadership and management required to effectively grow the organization and ensure financial strength and operating efficiency. He holds a master’s and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Maryland.
The Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Aaron Garver to district manager, South Baltimore residential/commercial (R/C) office.
Garver started at Davey in 2005 as a tree trimmer in Davey’s South Baltimore R/C office. In his 15-year career with Davey, Garver has held several client service and sales related positions, including tree care foreman, sales and service technician and sales arborist.
Garver is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where he attained a bachelor’s degree in forest science. He is a 2006 graduate of the Davey Institute of Horticultural Sciences and the 2007 Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (DITS), Davey’s flagship training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques. He also earned the DITS Golden Oak Award, presented to one student each year who accumulated the highest amount of points on all assignments throughout the month-long program.
Garver is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist, Tree Risk Assessment Qualified, a Tree Care Industry Association Certified Treecare Safety Professional and a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert.
Profile Products hired Brad Garrison as the western regional sales manager for sports, golf and landscape. He will focus on growing sales, building awareness and strengthening customer relationships in those markets.
Garrison comes to Profile with nearly 20 years of experience in sports, golf and landscape management. Prior to working for Profile, he worked at AgriVision Farm Management as the director of special projects and at Texas Industries, Inc. working in the golf and sports field industry.
“As Brad’s career experience proves, he is an exceptional sales manager and we are grateful to have him on the Profile team,” said Joe Betulius, vice president of sports, golf and landscape. “His strong knowledge of the industry will fit right in with our team of experts.”
Garrison earned his bachelor’s degree in landscape management from Mississippi State University.
Stephen Ozarski has joined Team Turf, an Erie, Pa.-based pest and lawn care company, as a branch manager. Ozarski will manage the company’s Pittsburgh, Pa., and New Castle, Pa., branches.
Ozarski has more than 20 years of experience in the lawn care industry, opening several franchises in a previous post.
La Crosse Seed added Donna Wilson as turf sales specialist to expand its distribution of turf seed and related products in the upper Midwest.
Wilson has assumed the new role, focused on building and supporting relationships with professional turf customers including landscape and construction companies, municipalities, schools and more.
Prior to this role, Wilson worked seven years for Heritage Seed Company, as well as previous positions with Land O’ Lakes and Olds Seed Company. La Crosse Seed acquired the inventory and brands of Heritage Seed Company in December 2018, after which Wilson helped transition past Heritage customers.
