REPUTATION continued

Watching these employees grow and change and find passion in our work has been an amazing blessing for me. It makes me want to do better every day so I can lead them in the right direction. I can’t wait to share all the success stories in the years ahead. I will forever appreciate that Wright Tree Service supported me in starting this program.”

Cassie Weston, General Foreperson, who was integral in starting the Second Chance Program at WTS

My name is Matthew. Coming from years in prison, running the streets when I was not incarcerated, a life of shame and no hope. I’ve been with Wright Tree Service for just over a year and a half. I owe Wright Tree Service everything. They gave me a chance to change, and they gave me a career.

I started out on house arrest and my house arrest officer is who told me about the job fair from a flyer Cassie had dropped off to them. I was hired on that night as a groundworker. My first day on the job, I saw hope for my life and what I needed to succeed and fix my life. I am now a crew leader and really close to being all the way out of the court system, which I have been in since I was 14 years old.

My future goal is to transfer to a traveling crew in about a year or so, get a few more years of experience and hopefully become a general foreperson and keep learning and moving up until I retire. Before I close, I would like to say that I hope Wright Tree Service implements the Second Chance Program in other areas because this program can completely transform lives, just like it has mine.” Matthew

Wright Tree Service is a place of growth. The Second Chance Program gives someone who is looking for a new start, a chance to have a meaningful career with benefits and training.” Charles

Youth Interaction

Area 31 Career Fair

WTS attended the Area 31 Career Fair in Indianapolis, Indiana. This career fair allowed high school students to learn more about what WTS does in the vegetation management industry. Students were able to ask questions about what it would be like to work for WTS.

Girl Scouts Camp Tree Planting

Former WTS Work Planner planted a tree for the Girl Scouts at Camp Sycamore Valley and talked with the girl scouts about tree identification and planting considerations.

4-H Academy

Former WTS Work Planner talked at the 4-H academy. The former Work Planner talked about WTS career opportunities, tree identification and taught them how to measure DBH. 4-H Academy is a program at Purdue University specifically designed to offer hands-on, exciting opportunities to learn about a diverse selection of subjects and careers.

Purdue Forestry & Natural Resource (FNR) Summer Practicum

WTS was represented at the Purdue FNR Summer Practicum urban forestry course. A WTS employee was able to chat with students about careers at WTS, along with helping students climb a tree for the first time. Purdue FNS is one of the nation’s leading natural resource programs with world-class expertise in forestry, wildlife, fisheries & aquatic sciences, natural resources social science, and interdisciplinary ecology is helping solve some of the most important natural resource problems around the globe.

Community Engagement Goals

Contribution: Increase opportunities for WTS and employees to partake in volunteer efforts to support the communities we live and work in.

Youth Interaction: Track and increase opportunities to discuss the vegetation management industry with the next generation of the workforce.

Contribution: Establish tracking of total in-kind contributions made by fiscal year for WTS.

Community Engagement: Continue to grow the Second Chance Program.

Youth Interaction: Expand outreach, recruitment and training for young people across division territories with a focus on reaching underrepresented demographics.

2022 Accomplished Goals