News
From the Treetop: Jerry Black
By Jerry Black, Regional Manager
I’m quickly approaching two decades working for our company, and I would like to use this opportunity to reflect on a concept I care deeply about: diversity of ideas. Whether you have been with us for a week or 30 years, we can all agree that our company has experienced multiple positive changes in the last few years. One of those changes is related to the diversity of backgrounds and ideas now shaping the future of our company at all levels and the industry in general.
When someone mentions the word diversity, the thought that often comes to mind is related to race or creed. At work, I focus on interpreting diversity as our ability to listen and act based on ideas provided by all employees, independent of background, role or tenure.
As a regional manager for Wright Tree Service, I work with a team of almost 800 employees who are providing services to our clients in five states. We have experienced stability and success, fueled primarily by a robust safety culture. This culture is in large part the result of understanding that a team of this size and geographic dispersion can only function if our employees feel that their ideas can drive change and influence our policies. If a new employee feels empowered to share their ideas about safety, methods or policies in the manner that I would as a manager, the result is a much stronger culture. As a company that offers a financial stake in the company through our profit sharing plan called the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, a culture driven towards our continued success benefits employees not only through a positive work environment, but in a sharing of the rewards of the hard work they put in.
To wrap up my message, I leave you with a challenge: our company has provided me with the opportunity to work in an environment where my ideas are heard and valued; I hope you feel the same way. If you play a role where you can help provide the same opportunity to others, I challenge you to do it every day; it makes us a better and stronger company.
