Management Update

Management Changes in the Home Office and Field

Dennis Stapola, former risk/claims manager of the Corporate Insurance Dept., was promoted to Director of Risk Management in March. In this new position, Dennis is responsible for both the Corporate Safety Dept. and the Insurance Dept. in the Willow Grove Home Office.

Dennis came to Asplundh's Insurance Dept. in 1987 with 12 years of prior claims experience with major insurance companies in Philadelphia and New York. Over the past 15 years with Asplundh, he developed claims management policies and oversaw the servicing of the field's liability and workers' compensation claims. With the recent merger of the Insurance and Safety Depts., his responsibilities also include analyzing root causes of accidents, seeking creative solutions and exploring alternative safety practices. Dennis is recognized as an Associate in Risk Management by the Insurance Institute of America and he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from West Liberty State College in West Virginia.

Keith Erickson, former supervisor in Wisconsin, advanced to manager of Asplundh operations in Minnesota and parts of the Dakotas in January. He replaces Dale Enersen who has left the company to help his family's business in New Mexico. The Erickson Region is sponsored by Vice President Steven Asplundh.

A 20-year Asplundh veteran, Keith started out on a tree crew in Minnesota, following in the footsteps of his father, Paul, a retired Asplundh vice president. In 1988, he advanced to general foreman and in 1994, he was promoted to supervisor and transferred to Wisconsin. As a manager, Keith oversees Asplundh crews working on the properties of Xcel Energy, Connexus, Great River Energy and other cooperative and municipal utilities in Minnesota and the Dakotas. In recent years, Keith served on the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council and is currently a member of the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture, the International Society of Arboriculture and the Utility Arborist Association.

New Supervisors in the Field

Dan Duncan, former superintendent in Massachusetts and acting supervisor in Vermont, was promoted to supervisor under Vice President George Leszkowicz in March. The Leszkowicz Region is sponsored by Vice Presidents Chris Asplundh, Jr. and Keith Asplundh.

Dan started out on an Asplundh tree crew in his home state of Massachusetts in 1985 and by 1993, he had advanced to general foreman. Last year, Dan was promoted to superintendent and in January 2002 he was given the added responsibility of supervising Asplundh crews in Vermont. As a full-fledged supervisor, Dan is responsible for overseeing tree crews working on the properties of various utilities and municipalities in Vermont and parts of Massachusetts. A 1996 graduate of the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program, Dan is an ISA Certified Arborist and holds an arborist and spray license in Massachusetts. It seems the Duncan family has 'orange blood'-his father, Harold, is a retired vice president and his older brother, Jeff, is a supervisor in Kansas City.

Ed Gray, Jr., former general foreman in Arkansas, advanced to supervisor in Michigan under Manager Jeff Lynch in November 2001. The Lynch Region is sponsored by Vice President Keith Asplundh.

Ed joined Asplundh in January 1999 as a job planner in the Tom Gunning Region in Arkansas after more than 12 years as the owner/operator of a private tree service. He has also operated a steel fabrication plant and welding service. In May 2000, Ed advanced to general foreman and transferred to Michigan in October 2001. His supervisory responsibilities include overseeing Asplundh crews working on the properties of Consumers Energy and Great Lakes Energy in Michigan. Ed served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and received a degree in database management from the School of Computer Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a certified First Aid/CPR/AED instructor.

Doug Newton, Jr., former general foreman in North Carolina, was promoted in January to supervisor of crews under Manager Bob Atherton in South Carolina. Vice President Chris Asplundh, Jr. sponsors the Atherton Region.

Doug has worked in the utility line clearance and construction industry since 1980. Starting out on a tree crew, he had advanced to a supervisory position by 1988 when he first came to work for Asplundh in his home state of North Carolina. A few years later, Doug left the company to work as a lineman, installing overhead and underground lines and street lights. In 1997, he returned to Asplundh as a general foreman. As a supervisor, Doug oversees tree crews working on the properties of South Carolina Electric & Gas and various cooperatives in South Carolina. He is a 2001 graduate of the Asplundh Supervisory Training Program, a licensed herbicide applicator, a First Aid/CPR instructor and recently took the ISA Certified Arborist exam.

Bill Ross joined Asplundh in late February as an account manager in Southern California under Vice President Dave Stall. The Stall Region is sponsored by Vice President Matt Asplundh.

Bill brings to Asplundh almost 22 years of utility vegetation management experience with Southern California Edison Co. (SCE), plus six years of private tree service background. Starting out as a trimmer/climber with SCE in 1980, he advanced to line clearing inspector in 1990. In his most recent position with SCE, Bill managed all aspects of line clearance operations in the utility's Foothill Division Operations Center. As an Asplundh supervisor, he is responsible for overseeing tree crews working on the property of SCE, many of whom he already knows. Bill has taken various supervisory and management training courses over the years through SCE. He is an ISA Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist.