It Starts With Safety

By Chris Lorenz, Division Supervisor

Last year, Senior Safety Lead Brandon Magee and I attended the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperative’s (AIEC) 24th annual Lineman’s Safety Rodeo. During the event, AIEC approached us and asked whether we had any interest in partnering with them to teach at their Utility Line Clearance School (ULCS) the following year.

This piqued my interest and after further discussions with AIEC and Wright Tree Service (WTS) leadership, I decided to volunteer at the event the following May. Safety Supervisor Travis Farling, Senior Safety Lead Evan Beck, and Safety Supervisor Philip Ruiz all decided to contribute their time and talents as well.

Volunteers split into pairs and taught daily courses to participants about topics ranging from tree risk assessment to proper pruning to chainsaw safety. I made sure to emphasize the importance of safety as a component of every topic. In my eyes, safety is the name of the game. It’s in every message I give to my crews, and I took the same approach with ULCS participants. Safety is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.

It was amazing to see eager professionals taking the training seriously and wanting to make connections outside of their company. I have encountered a few participants at industry events since, and it’s great to see where they are now in their careers.

I plan to continue to volunteer at the ULCS in the future and recommend this opportunity to others who want to get involved. Working with program participants reminded me of my early days in the industry - and how much safety standards have changed since then. I am thankful WTS supports this type of volunteer work. It is important to me to give back to my community and to our industry.

Commemorating 90 years

By Wade Myers, President

As you know, 2023 is our 90th year in business. I have seen and experienced a lot of changes over my 36 years, and I have heard countless stories recounting the changes in the industry before my time.

Starting out as a one-man crew with the help of his family, John L. Wright established how this company would operate – with integrity and family values. These principles still guide us today as we continue to grow our business across North America. I still feel as though we are a family, and our focus on this value helps us make sure everyone is working safely.

With nearly 6,000 employees working in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, we’ve grown to be one of the largest vegetation management companies in the utility industry. I often wonder what John L. Wright would think of his company now. I feel he would be proud of what he started and the family of employees that are working here today. His son, John R. Wright, knew where the company was heading and helped WTS transition to the employee-owned company that we are today. I believe even he would be impressed with the growth we have made and the services we now provide our customers.

Personally, I am most proud of the lives we affect every day. We make positive contributions to the communities that we work in, even when folks don’t know that we are doing it. As I sit here and write this article, our crews continue to work hard across North America, including our storm restoration teams. I can’t thank our employees enough for traveling and sacrificing time with their families to go help the communities impacted by the storms.

Storm response is urgent and unpredictable work that we take on in addition to our active projects. We also have tremendous pride in the regular contract work done across all regions, through all seasons. By doing even our most routine tasks safely and efficiently, we help prevent the loss of power, reduce the potential for fires, and help maintain reliable power for our utility clients' customers.

As I look back on the last 36 years, I continue to be thankful to be a part of this family and this journey. I am excited to see what opportunities lie ahead for WTS.

Because of You

This is a very special and exciting year for WTS as we celebrate 90 years in business. Throughout 2023, we have been celebrating and recognizing our employees, as we wouldn’t be anywhere without our strong workforce. In April, each employee received a special-edition 90th anniversary hat with a throwback logo. WTS employees also participated in a three-month recognition program. This program encouraged all employees to acknowledge their peers, supervisors, mentors, mentees, etc., for exuding a WTS core value. Safety, Family, Stewardship, Excellence and Integrity are the five WTS values that shape the company into what it is today. The program was a huge success with 219 submissions. The top value chosen was Excellence. To encourage participation, every employee nominated (along with the nominee) was entered in a drawing to win a limitededition Stanley thermos. Twenty winners were selected at random and awarded the prize. Employees are also able to purchase special 90th Anniversary merchandise throughout the year.

Thank you to each and every WTS employee for their dedication to this company! We look forward to the next 90 years to come.

Our Mission

» To enable gas and electric utilities to provide reliable service to their customers by ensuring that transmission and distribution lines are clear of vegetation.

» To provide attractive value appreciation to our employee owners.

» To provide team members with an environment that enables them to achieve their personal and professional goals.

» To make a positive difference in the communities we serve.

Our Vision

» WTS will continue to be recognized by utilities as providers of the highest levels of quality, service, responsiveness, reliability and value.

Our Values

» SAFETY – It is everyone’s responsibility; we each own it.

» FAMILY – Our foundation is based on teamwork and inclusion.

» STEWARDSHIP – We are dedicated to environmental sustainability.

» EXCELLENCE – We exceed client expectations through resourcefulness and innovation.

» INTEGRITY – We abide by the highest ethical standards.

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