Ron Gumz from Wachtel Tree Science Inc.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

What’s one decision you’ve made in the past year that has meaningfully improved your business – and why did it work?

We have recently upgraded several pieces of equipment, both to replace aging assets and to take advantage of advances in modern technology. These improvements allow us to utilize remote-controlled equipment, including our chipper, lift and stump grinder, significantly enhancing operator safety, usability and maneuverability.

To protect our investment in the new stump grinder, we also acquired a covered trailer for transportation and storage. The enclosed trailer keeps the grinder out of the harsh weather and corrosive road salt and helps extend its service life. It also ensures everything is kept in one location. This improves operational efficiency, reduces setup time and helps keep crews productive in the field.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

What’s working for you right now in hiring or retention?

We enhanced our onboarding process to create a stronger and more engaging experience for new hires. Now our focus has shifted to reviewing and standardizing job
descriptions across the organization. Updating these documents has helped improve clarity, alignment and expectations throughout the company.

We have also incorporated daily crew leader huddles into our morning routine. This brief meeting helps crew leaders stay informed about job schedules, equipment availability and overall operational priorities. These huddles improve communication, coordination and accountability across teams and are an effective forum for sharing updates on equipment status, personnel and any issues that impact the day’s work.

SAFETY AND TRAINING

What’s one change Wachtel Tree Science has made that actually improved safety behavior on your crews – and what made it stick?

We are reinvigorating our training program to provide a clear and structured development path from entry-level to advanced arborist positions. While we made progress toward creating a digital version of the program, much of our attention shifted to the technology itself rather than maintaining the hands-on, step-by-step training plans that support employee growth in the field.

To address this, we have renewed our focus on the foundational elements of learning and development to ensure that every team member understands what is required for success and has a meaningful career path to follow. This supports individual growth and strengthens our ability to develop skilled, confident and engaged arborists.

LOOKING AHEAD

What’s changing in the industry that more companies should be preparing to address?

The advances in technology inspire me to contemplate the opportunities and discoveries that may lie ahead. We are on the leading edge of understanding how emerging tools, particularly artificial intelligence, can improve our systems and decision-making while still maintaining the human expertise, judgment and personal connection that remain essential to our profession.

Drones have served as valuable tools for aerial inspections, job planning and marketing, providing perspectives that were once difficult or costly to obtain – though we’ve only begun to explore their full potential. The ability to remotely assess and monitor trees opens the door to new possibilities in plant health care, risk assessment, inventory management and even complex tree removals. As this technology advances, drones have the potential to become a part of how we deliver safe, efficient and innovative tree care services.

Ron Gumz is president of Wachtel Tree Science Inc., and a member of TCIA’s Board of Directors.