The Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference continued its momentum at TCI EXPO 2022 with a full day of education, breakout sessions, and networking. The symposium is an important workshop to many within the tree care industry as it works to provide targeted and relevant information to attendees that are interested in improving personally and professionally.

Through the generosity of the event sponsors, Bartlett Tree Experts, Davey Tree, and Rainbow Ecoscience, two attendees received merit scholarships to be used towards attendance and travel expenses. The 2022 Women in Tree Care Scholarship recipients were Chandra Brown of CM Tree Service in Billings, Montana and Mandy Hall of Top Tier Trees in Atlanta, Georgia. In their scholarship application, both Chandra and Mandy spoke of their interest in gaining more insight from the workshop and desire to stay connected with the Women in Tree Care network after the event in an effort to share knowledge, experiences, everyday challenges, and offer solutions.

Mandy Hall: President at Top Tier Trees

Mandy Hall, President at Top Tier Trees.

In her role as President at Top Tier Trees, Mandy is responsible for managing the managers at the company and does so through weekly meetings to discuss all aspects of the business, inclusive of general operations, financials, sales, business development, and marketing. Mandy shared, “Setting the cultural tone, big-picture direction and achievable, yet measurable goals is something I’m doing in every meeting and conversation throughout my work week”. One of the reasons she was interested in attending the Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference was, “Getting a glimpse into how others are leading their business, in any aspect of the business, might lend some perspective on how we might achieve our goals”. Collaborating with others and gaining new perspectives are central to the Women in Tree Care initiative.

Mandy shared that the Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference was, “…one of the most fulfilling days of EXPO for me. Not only did I connect with other influential women in the industry, who will likely be lifelong friends, but I gained so much perspective on the global issues we all face and champion in our respective markets. This group will be a tight-knit group of women who lean on one another and cheer for one another for years to come and I’m honored to be a part of it”. Making lasting connections is an aspect of the Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference that contributes to the personal and professional development of attendees.

Chandra Brown, Office Manager at CM Tree Service.

Chandra Brown: Office Manager at CM Tree Service

The Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference attracts a variety of attendees for different reasons, whether they work in the field or in the office. One reason the symposium is beneficial for attendees is professional development. Chandra says, “The Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference experience came at the perfect time for me in my career. It is easy to feel like an outsider in this industry and imposter syndrome is a real thing we have to work through. Hearing from so many women who have been a part of the industry for years helps to give me confidence to learn more and continue to pursue advancement. The breakout sessions were gold. To talk about issues and hear from others on how they overcome and work through them was extremely valuable”.

As the Office Manager at CM Tree Service, Chandra works to help bring efficiency and organization to the business. Since June of 2021, Chandra has accomplished so much in her role and has implemented accounting policies and systems, scheduling procedures, established an estimating schedule, and implemented an HR department. Chandra applied for the Women in Tree Care Scholarship as a way to contribute back to the company and demonstrate that she is in a unique position on the team as she strives to help make their work as successful as possible.

A Final Note

The Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference is made possible through the generosity of the event sponsors, Bartlett Tree Experts, Davey Tree, and Rainbow Ecoscience. As we look forward to continuing the success and momentum of this wonderful workshop, please contact TCIA’s Manager of Workforce Recruitment & Retention, Erin Demers, for more information on upcoming events and how to get or stay involved!