HMIWORLDHQ - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- MCA, ISA / NextGenArborist / Tree Crew
Introducing Josie Ammons, our newest #NextGenArborist and official 2022 summer intern. Josie is a rising senior at Norfolk County Agricultural High School and calls Wellesley home. We had the great fortune of meeting Josie at a school career day, and were immediately impressed by her communication skills and interest in learning more about arboriculture "on the job". Her focus at The Aggie is "urban forestry" and she has loved it from the moment she heard about this career option as a freshman.
Her favorite part of arboriculture is climbing and pruning but admits that climbing is both "a little scary and fun" at the same time. We can certainly understand that as many of the trees we climb can reach 100 feet! But what a view when you get there....especially in the summer, which is her favorite time to be aloft.
In her spare time, Josie loves to get on the soccer field. But her interests don't stop there. She loves to read, listen to country music, find some good Mexican food.....and never says "no" to spending time in her favorite vacation spot of Stowe, VT.
Job Titles:
- Lead Administrator "That Friendly Voice
Steve (Verno) heads up our Operations Team, which makes him a master of multitasking. He was the first new employee of Harrison McPhee, Inc., joining us amid the snowiest winter on record. We're glad he could see through the snowflakes to the adventures that awaited. Since his arrival, he has been an integral part of our evolution and remains a cornerstone of our company culture. But just when we thought we couldn't get any luckier, Leslie Vernon (Steve's lovely wife) brought her niche design talents within reach. Thanks to LVDesignhouse.com our trucks were branded and on the road in no time!
Steve enjoys reading, road cycling, camping and hiking with his family. He has ridden up Mt. Washington 3 times on his road bike and just complete a 100 mile bike race! When a 12 hour day at work just isn't enough to tire him out, he'll often commute on his road bike and squeeze in a lively game of soccer with his boys before bedtime. His current favorite author is John Krakauer.
Cathy has worked in the horticulture field for 38 years...beginning at the age of 1, of course! She was the "voice" of Harrison & Associates since its inception 17 years ago and we couldn't be luckier to have her continue in that role for us. Her childhood nickname was Chatty Cathy and that makes complete sense given that her favorite part of the job is client interaction! Well, we certainly have no plans of slowing her down.
In addition to her incredible talents as our Director of Client Care, Cathy is an outdoor enthusiast who spends her free time biking, camping, kayaking, and scuba diving. she is a season ticket holder to the Providence Performing Arts Center, and when forced to entertain herself inside, you'll find her reading a good book, making elaborate quilts or playing with her three grandchildren.
Henry Davis was a highly respected professional arborist in the Boston area and beyond. He was a renaissance man in business and in how he perfected both the art and science of modern arboriculture. His innovative approach, treatments, and professionalism were unrivaled in his day.
Jen began her career in the horticulture industry 31 years ago. As a student at Franklin & Marshall College, she was pursing a path in entrepreneurship and live event production when she was hired as a summer intern for the Pennsylvania Nurserymen's Association, working on their annual summer trade show. This opportunity led to a full time position serving the New England horticultural industry, and several years (not to mention details) later, she and Scott married....he living the life of an arborist, and she an association event manager in the same field.
While taking a hiatus from the green industry to grow their family, Jen launched her own event production company and served on the board of the International Special Events Society-NE Chapter. There she nurtured her passion for doing business differently...drawing on the significance of creating meaningful experiences, and the unparalleled contribution they make to a business' success. It is this philosophy that drives her actions as co-owner of the company. Fostering a positive culture in the workplace, and creating spaces that delight our clients is her measure of true success. This might explain her slighty unconventional team meetings, laced with a precise balance of generative collaboration, skill development, and meaningful fun!
Oh...and while any loyal wife would embrace the duties that come with owning a family business, Jen did also reprise her role as a trade show coordinator in the green industry. And though her skills as an arborist are still limited to chopping wood (her favorite workout, by the way), she seems to have cobbled together that unique career she set her sites on so many years ago!
John is a classic example of the term "Industrial Athlete". A recent college graduate, John lead his UVM Catamount rugby team to an impressive number of victories as Flanker, Lock, and 8-man. He's now a winner on our team as our newest arborist trainee and all around great guy. He's never missed a day of asking what else he can do to help before he wraps up...now that's impressive!
It's common to be quite tired at the end of a long, physical day at HMI, but it takes more than that to wear John out. He's always up for a good hike or cycle....and if he can find himself a mountain, you will likely catch him rock climbing up or snowboarding down!
Interesting fact? A few years ago, John learned that the Heimlich maneuver does indeed work on dogs, when he rescued his labrador, Max, who was chocking on some kibble.....a true hero to both of his dogs (Max and Boo) who are undoubtably in good hands!
Juan Carlos recently joined our team, coming from a landscape construction background. He has a thirst for learning and is actively engaged in our Arborist Apprentice program. When he's not outside creating beautiful landscapes, Juan Carlos can be found spending time with his family, playing soccer, and tinkering with computers. He is so talented with computers, in fact, that he even assembled his own! 12 Years of experience, Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) In addition to Juan's talents in horticulture, he is also a great filmmaker! He was inspired by the culture here at HMI and wanted to spread the word. He made the following video to make a positive connection with our clients and future workforce. Check it out here or in our Career Page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyDRjh12Rk8
So if you're ever looking for some creative input, Karen's your gal! Her passion for a plethora of interests can keep you in conversation for hours - and clearly results in the amazing designs we see her bring to life. Gardening will always be at the top of her to-do list, but Karen can also be found spinning fiber from her own Angora rabbits into yarn, raising prize winning "show chickens", and has just taken up "mushrooming"! This all takes places in her family home, built by her husband and father-in-law, which she now lovinglingly shares with her oldest son Matt, his wife Adi, and their sons, Owen and Brody. 38 Years of experience, Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional (MCLP)
Paul is a veteran to the tree business, with 20+ years of climbing under his, uh "saddle". But don't let that tough guy exterior fool you...Paul is a wiz at plant identification and has a particular knack for fine gardening and landscape design. He worked side by side with Bob Harrison since the inception of Harrison & Associates, and we are thrilled that we all have a chance to join forces.
When the weather is nice, his Harley Davidson is the only way to travel. He dreams of visiting New Zealand someday. When he goes, we'll have to have that bike waiting for him when he gets off of the plane!
Steve (Verno) heads up our Plant Health Care division, which makes him a master of multitasking. He was the first new employee of Harrison McPhee, Inc., joining us amid the snowiest winter on record. We're glad he could see through the snowflakes to the adventures that awaited. Since his arrival, he has been an integral part of our evolution and remains a cornerstone of our company culture. But just when we thought we couldn't get any luckier, Leslie Vernon (Steve's lovely wife) brought her niche design talents within reach. Thanks to LVDesignhouse.com our trucks were branded and on the road in no time!
Steve enjoys reading, road cycling, camping and hiking with his family. He has ridden up Mt. Washington 3 times on his road bike and just complete a 100 mile bike race! When a 12 hour day at work just isn't enough to tire him out, he'll often commute on his road bike and squeeze in a lively game of soccer with his boys before bedtime. His current favorite author is John Krakauer.
So if you're ever looking for some creative input, Karen's your gal! Her passion for a plethora of interests can keep you in conversation for hours - and clearly results in the amazing designs we see her bring to life.
Gardening will always be at the top of her to-do list, but Karen can also be found spinning fiber from her own Angora rabbits into yarn, raising prize winning "show chickens", and has just taken up "mushrooming"! This all takes places in her family home, built by her husband and father-in-law, which she now lovinglingly shares with her oldest son Matt, his wife Adi, and their sons, Owen and Brody.
Teri is living proof of the phrase "when one door closes, another is waiting to be opened". When our dear bookkeeper, Penny, retired, we were charged with finding the right candidate for her successor. The stars must have been aligned because Teri graced our presence at just the right time. She has swiftly embraced the title of Office Manager and is a dynamic contributor to all aspects of office efficiency. Maybe it's the classic rock that radiates from her computer - or maybe it's her self-titled obsession with personal finance, that keeps her energy up. But whatever it is, Teri always has something to contribute to the office activity. And if you really want to engage in some lively conversation, just bring up the topic of sports! She and her family love to watch and attend pro games. She would be hard pressed to pick a favorite sport but I think she would admit to the Red Sox being her favorite team.