Karl Warnke, chairman and CEO of The Davey Tree Expert Co., plans to retire as CEO on July 21 after 37 years of service with the company. Patrick Covey, current president and COO, will assume the CEO role upon Warnke’s retirement. Warnke will continue serving the company as chairman. Under Warnke’s leadership, the company’s annual revenue grew from $308 million in 1999 to a forecasted $900 million in 2017. The company is on a path to reach $1 billion in annual revenue by 2019. During that same period, the company added 3,200 employees, made 68 acquisitions and grew to become the 13th largest employee-owned firm in the U.S. Warnke got his start in the West Cleveland Residential/Commercial office in 1980 as a spray/feed technician. He was elected CEO in 2007 and named chairman in 2009. He holds a bachelor’s in agriculture from Ohio State University School of Horticulture and is a graduate of the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business executive program.
The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) and Project EverGreen named Frank Wong, Ph.D., senior affairs consultant for Bayer CropScience, as the recipient of the 2017 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year Award. The award, which recognizes individuals in the green industry for outstanding communications efforts regarding environmental issues, was presented during TOCA’s annual conference in Tampa. Wong has worked for Bayer since 2011 and has extensive experience in both research and field settings. He’s the former editor-in-chief of Plant Disease Management Reports. He holds a bachelor’s in biochemistry from the University of California and a Ph.D. in plant pathology and horticulture from Cornell University.
Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Adam Passo to district manager of the Milwaukee Residential/Commercial office. Passo started with Davey in 2005 as trimmer trainee in the Northwest Residential/Commercial office. After holding a variety of positions, he was promoted to assistant district manager in 2016. He has an associate’s degree in urban forestry from Mid-State Technical College.
Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) appointed Casey Reynolds, Ph.D., to the position of executive director. Reynolds most recently served as assistant professor and turfgrass extension specialist at Texas A&M, where he created and edited the program’s website. Reynolds holds a bachelor’s in crop science, a master’s in crop science and business management and a Ph.D. in crop science, all from North Carolina State University.
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association hired Alexander Gettler as executive director. Gettler previously managed local and national trade associations, such as the National Fire Sprinkler Association. He has also taught various courses in employee benefits at New York University and other colleges. He has a bachelor’s from Cornell University and an MBA in economics from New York University.
Greenup hired Jennifer Manley as director of operations. Manley most recently served Taylor Morrison, a home building company, as a sales manager overseeing numerous sales teams in the Houston area.
United Turf Alliance appointed George Furrer as CEO. Furrer is a 30-year industry veteran. He’s served in management positions on both the distribution and the manufacturing levels of the turf and ornamental industry.
United Turf Alliance also appointed Aaron Goy to the newly created position of director of sales and marketing.
SipcamRotam hired Michael Maravich as vice president of specialty business. Maravich replaces George Furrer, who was named CEO of United Turf Alliance. Maravich most recently served as director of strategic sourcing and category management for Primera. He is a graduate of the turfgrass management program at Ohio State University.
