May 2025 Edition
Check out how the inaugural GF school went, where you can find us on social media, the latest IT training, and how a crew in North Carolina not only helped repair a woman's deck but also saved her life!
Empowering Our Frontline: The New GF School Leads the Way
The Learning and Development team has officially launched a new leadership initiative: the General Foreperson (GF) School. The inaugural session took place in Norfolk, VA, bringing together 25 enthusiastic participants, including GFs and supervisors, for an immersive four-day experience. With the support of 20 corporate team members who spoke and helped facilitate activities, the event was a resounding success.
Throughout the week, attendees explored critical topics such as hiring best practices, compliance, coaching, safety protocols, and operational technology. They also had the opportunity to tour our Norfolk office and engage with teams from Business Development, Finance, HR, IT, Legal, Marketing, and Resource Readiness—broadening their understanding of how all departments contribute to our mission.
Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive. One participant shared their appreciation for the experience and the work of Joy Lacher, Assistant Director of Learning & Development, and her team, writing “Thank you so much for all of your diligence and expertise! You have made this a very entertaining and interactive week. A lot of information was covered, and your planning and precision allowed it to all be presented in a successful manner. This was great for an inaugural week!”
We’re proud of this new chapter in professional development and look forward to future sessions that continue to support and strengthen the leadership of our GFs.
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Celebrating Arbor Day
at Wakefield!
Happy Arbor Day! Our Norfolk Corporate Team had the pleasure of joining the incredible staff at the Wakefield Fleet and Logistics facility for our third annual celebration. Julie Orton, Corporate Fleet Controller, led a tour of the depot, highlighting the Care Center and Shop Division. The Direction of Supply Chain, John Shannon, provided an inside look at the warehouse and walked the group through the supply work order and fulfillment process. The day concluded with the planting of a commemorative Armstrong Gold Maple tree—our way of honoring Arbor Day and growing our future together!
Stay Connected!
Don’t miss out on company updates, event highlights, staff kudos, and stories from the field —follow us on social media! Like, share, and stay in the loop with everything happening across our teams.
Boost Your Tech Skills with Quarterly “Know-How” IT Trainings
All computer and tablet users are required to participate in quarterly “Know-How” IT training sessions. Each training covers key IT topics that keep you up to speed with the latest tools and best practices. Plus, by participating in KnowBe4 cybersecurity training, you're helping to build a workplace culture focused on awareness and proactive online safety.
This quarter's training focuses on Multi-factor Authentication and Creating Strong Passwords. You’ll need to complete training by May 30. Look for an email from “KnowBe4” with instructions.
Between the Branches
Congrats to our Newly Licensed Commercial Drivers!
Congratulations to the employees who participated in our most recent training classes in Union, IL and to the following eight team members who obtained their Commercial Driver’s License last month:
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Class A: Pintle Hook Restriction: Christopher Snodgrass, Kenneth Savoie
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Class A: Bryan Velasquez, Nelson Velasquez
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Class B: Lewis Edmonds, Michael Ottinger, John Golden, Trevor Singleton
We applaud these eight employees for successfully completing the classroom session, field training course, and skills test to achieve these qualifications!
Our next training sessions will be held in Somerset, KY on May 23-24, Hamlet, NC on May 30-31, Mt. Jackson, VA on June 13-14, Myrtle Beach, SC on June 20-21, MD on July 11-12. For more information about the CDL program, contact Tim Haynes at thaynes@xylemtree.com.
Crew Helps Elderly Lady
During a recent job in North Carolina, our crew (pictured from left to right: GF Martin Rivera, Foreperson Maykel Martin Perez, Foreperson Jose Laureano, Foreperson Angel Quinones, and Assistant GF/Pre-Planner Awilda Rivera) pulled up to a house to begin working and an elderly woman came out of the house to see what was happening and ended up falling through her wooden deck with her leg dangling through the hole. Without hesitation, Jose Laureano and Maykel Perez rushed to help, ensuring she was safe and comfortable until EMS arrived.
Thanks to their quick response – and the support of the rest of the team - she received care and was later taken to the hospital as a precaution. The crew went a step further, pooling funds to repair the damaged deck.
This unexpected moment reminded us why awareness, compassion, and teamwork matter every day. We're proud of our team’s swift action and grateful they were there when it counted.
Compliments for the Crew
A customer called to commend our crew (Michael Hampton, Fallon Rowe, Josh Elder, Devonta Poteat, and Casey Thrailkill) for work they did on the trees on his property. He said they worked extremely hard and have done a fantastic job all over his neighborhood.
Compliments for the Crew
A homeowner called in from Elizabeth, NC to say what a great job John Lawson's crews did and how professional the crew was.
Compliments for the Crew
A homeowner called in from Little River, SC and stated he was impressed with the great attitude of the crews (Josh Floyd's crews) working in his neighborhood. He walks the neighborhood daily and our guys always have a great attitude and a smile on their face.
We Want to Hear from You!
Do you have suggested article ideas or pictures to share? Email us at marketinghelp@xylemtree.com!