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From the Treetop: Terry McGonegle

By Terry McGonegle, SVP/CFO

September 30, 2011, marked the 10th year of Wright Tree Service being an employee owned company. Soon after being diagnosed with cancer, John R. Wright asked us to help him establish a plan to ensure the continued success of Wright Tree Service and its employees. After a great deal of research, on August 8, 2002, the final Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) agreement was signed and made effective that fiscal year. John passed away less than three months later.

I believe we have proven that employee ownership was the best way to continue John’s legacy. In 2001, Wright Tree Service had about 1200 employees working in 12 states. Today, the Wright Service Corp. family of four companies employs more than 2600 and operates in 28 states. Family remains our foundation, safety continues to be our highest concern, and the integrity that defined John’s way of doing business keeps on.

Each and every employee should look back on the last ten years with pride. Our management staff has taken John Wright’s vision and developed a plan for growth and success. But it is the employees in the field and office who execute this plan every day and have made our companies’ achievements possible.

As far as the future is concerned, the sky is the limit. If every one of us continues to take care of our customers and ourselves as well as we have in the past, success is certain.

John would be proud. You should be proud also.