This year at TCI EXPO, taking place November 7-9 in Baltimore, Maryland, attendees with an All-Access Pass will have exclusive access to engaging and educational Main Stage Sessions. These sessions will feature speakers offering fresh perspectives and invaluable insights tailored to tree care professionals. Here’s a glimpse of the topics they’ll be covering.

David Marks will talk about how, with the right methods, any sized tree can be successfully moved, including by barge! Photo courtesy of David Marks.

“A Look at Longevity Through the Lens of Adversity” with Brick Reilly

Brick Reilly knows adversity isn’t something you want to volunteer for, but if you face it and accept the challenge, you will walk away having learned something and likely become a better version of yourself. “Adversity is a catalyst,” says Reilly. “I’m a firm believer it’s shaped me to be a better man.”

Brick Reilly

Reilly will share his personal journey and insights on overcoming challenges in life and in the tree care profession, hoping to encourage others to view challenges not as setbacks but as opportunities for personal growth.

Diagnosed as profoundly deaf at the age of 2, Reilly had to overcome adversity at many turns throughout his life. He started in the tree care industry two decades ago and, despite many challenges, has carved out a niche for himself. He is currently the Department of Public Works supervisor for Millburn Township, New Jersey. He also owns his own tree care company, Arbarian Tree Care, and is a competitive tree climber who passionately cares about the preservation of old-growth trees.

He recently started a new podcast, “The Aging Arborist,” which he co-hosts with Paul Biester, CEO of Tree Awareness, to create deeper conversations and to build deeper relationships with people in the tree care community about life, family values and the importance of authenticity and community. The podcast reflects on the intersection of work, personal life and growth in the tree care profession and beyond. You also can find his reflections on his thriving Instagram community, @jaggedbrickclimber.

With the assistance of a cochlear implant, he can hear, but without it, he is profoundly deaf. Reilly recently faced one of the most challenging years of his life as his wife battled stage-four breast cancer. He was the caregiver for his wife and kids while balancing work, his wife’s chemotherapy treatments and the plethora of sports games for his kids. Thankfully, the treatment was 100% successful.

Reilly likes to find solutions to life’s challenges. As an arborist, he ran a successful business, but his business partner was worried that it was difficult to connect with each other at certain points. So together they invented vibrating units in their helmets, allowing them to communicate at all points. He still uses those helmets today.

The goal of this session is not to teach attendees how to improve tree care techniques, compete better in business or make a million dollars a year. Instead, he wants people to give others space to prioritize self-reflection and personal growth, which he believes will organically lead to success in other aspects of life.

Reilly’s session will take place on Thursday, November 7, from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. in rooms 308-309. Participants can earn one CTSP CEU and one ISA CEU.

David Marks

“A Deep-Rooted Passion for Tree Transplanting” with David Marks

David Marks, vice president of Environmental Design Inc., has a lofty mission to increase the survival rate of transplanted trees and dispel the old myths that survival rates are significantly reduced when trees are moved. For 43 years, he’s been involved in almost every aspect of tree transplanting, and he’s excited to share what he’s learned at TCI EXPO ’24.

“Many tree care professionals, especially those unfamiliar with advanced techniques, believe a transplanted tree has only a 50/50 chance of survival,” says Marks. He’ll share his expertise on transplanting large and even giant trees, some weighing up to 1.6 million pounds, and will discuss a surprising fact: “Most people have no idea you can move trees with a 99% survival rate. Many have a tainted view, because transplanting is often done improperly or cheaply, leading to poor results.”

Marks is passionate about educating tree care professionals and the public on proper transplanting techniques, emphasizing that with the right methods, any sized tree can be successfully moved. “I want people to know they have an option instead of cutting down trees. You can move a large tree and have it thrive and relocate successfully,” he says. “Proper education and investment in the right tools lead to better outcomes for trees, clients and the environment.”

Environmental Design Inc. has been at the forefront of innovation in tree transplanting for decades, holding several patented technologies revolutionizing the field. One standout technology is the “Arborlift,” a trademarked process that moves trees using proprietary, inflatable pneumatic air bladders. The process is designed to significantly improve survival rates, allowing the safe transplantation of huge trees up to 10 feet in diameter.

“We can move a tree with a 60-foot-diameter root ball that weighs 1.5 million pounds, a 100,000-pound lifting platform and 50,000 pounds of the tree – 1.65 million pounds total – and have it survive,” says Marks, highlighting the scale and capability of their equipment.

He is excited to share his passion at TCI EXPO ’24, hoping his insights will inspire a shift toward more sustainable and effective tree transplanting and implementation of proper tree care practices.

This session will take place Friday, November 8, from 8 – 9 a.m. in rooms 308-309. Attendees can earn one ISA CEU.

Dr. John Ball

“From Standards to Safety: Navigating the New Z133” with Tim Walsh, CTSP, and Dr. John Ball, BCMA, CTSP

Tim Walsh, CTSP, vice president of safety and training at the Townsend Company LLC, has attended TCI EXPO since 1996. This year, Walsh and Dr. John Ball, BCMA, CTSP, from South Dakota State University, will be featured on the Main Stage to share their collective wisdom on some of the most significant parts of the newly released 2025 revision to the Z133 tree care standard.

“We wanted to talk about Z133, because it’s probably the single-most important topic in the industry right now. There are many different facets of safety, and the consensus is that the Z133 addresses all of them,” Walsh says. “It can be confusing, and we want to make sure professionals are up to date on all the changes.” Walsh has been involved with the Z133 revisions since 2001.

The 2025 revision of the Z133 standards introduces several important updates. One of the most notable is the reclassification of qualifications related to electrical hazards. The 2017 revision introduced a third qualification level, “incidental,” a term that created confusion among companies and professionals. The 2025 standards discuss four levels of electrical qualification to provide more specificity on the qualifications and training required to work safely near power lines.

Tim Walsh

Walsh and Ball will address the key changes, explain the rationale behind them and answer questions from the audience. They encourage people to bring their questions and anticipate a highly interactive Q&A session, where participants will benefit from the collective knowledge of other industry professionals in the room.

Whether you’re new to the Z133 standards or have been following their evolution for years, this session promises to be an invaluable opportunity to deepen your understanding of these critical safety guidelines that affect every aspect of arboriculture.

This session will take place Saturday, November 9, from 8 – 9 a.m. in rooms 308-309. Participants can earn one CTSP CEU and one ISA CEU.

Tracey Miller is TCIA’s marketing content manager based at TCIA’s headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire.

For more information about TCI EXPO education sessions, and to register, visit expo.tcia.org.