October 2025 Edition
Read a message from CEO Randolph Hoover, check out the MVV Recognition Program Quarterly Winners, and learn about our new blogs!
A Growing
A Message from Randolph Hoover
Hello and welcome, everyone. First, I am happy to share that Sterling Investment Partners has completed their first-ever continuation vehicle recapitalization of XKIG, which underscores the firm’s confidence in our performance and long-term potential. Thank you to every member of our team who has helped make XKIG—and all our subsidiaries—Kendall, River City, and Xylem—what they are today. You can read Sterling’s press release here.
As we continue to grow and strengthen our organization, I am pleased to bring Thomas Contracting into the XKIG group of companies. Founded in 2000 and based in Tennessee, Thomas Contracting is a respected provider of vegetation management and utility line clearance services across the Southeast. The company will operate across all XKIG subsidiaries in supporting the reliable delivery of energy to communities across the nation.
At XKIG, we pride ourselves on combining the expertise, resources, and relationships of our subsidiaries to deliver seamless, high-quality solutions to our customers. Through shared services in safety, HR, technology, marketing, and finance, we strengthen each brand’s ability to grow efficiently and focus on what they do best. Our integrated model also allows us to cross-sell complementary services, expanding our partnerships with utilities while ensuring consistent excellence at every touchpoint.
Thank you for your continued hard work and commitment to excellence. Together, we are shaping the future of infrastructure services and ensuring that the lights—and opportunities—stay on for the communities we serve.
If you haven’t already, please like and follow our XKIG pages here:
Blog: “Mr Hoover Goes to Washington"
At the end of September, our CEO, Randolph Hoover, represented our company and the broader vegetation management industry at the Tree Care Industry Association’s Legislative Day in Washington, D.C. Joining 40 other industry leaders, he met with members of Congress to advocate for key priorities shaping our work and the nation’s safety—including an OSHA standard specific to tree care, proactive wildfire risk reduction, invasive species control, and workforce development. His message was clear: our industry stands at the intersection of public safety, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure resilience. Together, we’re helping to protect people, power, and the planet.
Read more here: Mr. Hoover Goes to Washington - Xylem Tree Experts
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September GF Schools are Complete!
We wrapped two great GF School session with the following 22 attendees: Alex Smith, Kyle Ogle, Aaron Jones, Tanner Wheeldon, Joshua Morgan, Henry Rayo, Abraham Sanchez Navarrete, Carl Dixon, Dayner Velasquez, Alberto Ocampo, Shane Munroe, Gabriel Ruiz, Marcos Soriano, Henry Vasquez Melendez, Jose Maradiaga, Allen Weeks, Michael Ramsey, Reinaldo Vasquez, Brent Bauer, Zimri Munoz, Todd Tietge, and Josue Campos.
Mission Vision Values Employee Recognition Program Quarterly
Award Winners
After introducing the Mission, Vision, and Values Recognition Program in February, it’s now time to announce our first quarterly award winners! Team members were initially nominated by their Regional Managers. These nominations were then reviewed by an impartial panel of judges who selected an outstanding employee for each of our core values. Here are the winners!
Core Value Trust:
Derald Hankins
Kendall Region 4
"A man of his word, [people] personally call on him to complete a task and know it's done correctly. "
Core Value Transparency:
Matthew Lopez
Kendall Region 4
"He is always prepared and always continues to keep learning the job, he started as groundman and moved up fast."
Core Value Respect:
Charlie Jones
Kendall Region 4
"A long-time employee that other employees look up to, always willing to share his experience with others."
Core Value Unity:
Jesus Arreguin
Kendall Region 4
"Because he is always providing good climbers, the number one guy to lead crews to storm and bid prizes."
Between the Branches
Congrats to our Newly Licensed Commercial Drivers!
Congratulations to the employees who participated in our most recent training class in South Bend, IN, and to the following 5 team members who obtained their Commercial Driver’s License last month:
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Class A: Pintle Hook Restriction: Nathaniel Postelle, Michael Collins, Christopher Adkins
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Class B: Johnathan Warren, Kenley Hawkes
We applaud these employees for successfully completing the classroom session, field training course, and skills test to achieve these qualifications!
We are going to hold off on classes until the first of the year. For more information about the CDL program, contact Tim Haynes at thaynes@xylemtree.com.
Compliments for the Crew
Your crew working down Hwy 163 is doing amazing. They have been working hard for a few weeks clearing power line right of ways. And this is so important to our area as we get outages due to down trees constantly. I want to say thank you and great job. - Tawnie M., Riceville, TN
Compliments for the Crew
I want to brag on Erich Meeker regarding a landowner interaction we had earlier this week. Erich was spotting for the helicopter when an irate landowner came out of the tree line on a tractor at high speed, driving directly at him. He only had a couple of seconds to react but was able to radio the pilot to raise the saw up before having to move out of the way to avoid the tractor. His quick reaction helped avoid a more serious situation. Just wanted to pass this along. - Client in Texas
We Want to Hear from You!
Do you have suggested article ideas or pictures to share? Email us at marketinghelp@xkig.com!