The ArborAWARDS™ recognize individuals, institutions, and companies that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to excellence, safety, and environmental stewardship.
In an industry where hazards are ever-present, it is vital to highlight and reward those who not only meet, but exceed industry standards, ensuring the safety of their employees and customers. By showcasing these accomplishments, we not only acknowledge their efforts, but also inspire others to adopt best practices and strive for excellence.
The awards ceremony occurred during the Welcome Reception at ArborEXPO ’25 on Thursday, March 27th.
The 2025 ArborAWARD winners are:
Robert Bartlett Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert Bartlett Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award: Recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry over their careers.
Winner: Dr. John Ball
Dr. Ball is a renowned expert in the tree care industry, serving as a Professor of Forestry at South Dakota State University (SDSU). He is also an Extension Forestry Specialist and Forest Health Specialist for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. With over four decades of experience, his work has shaped arboriculture education, tree worker safety, and forestry research.
Dr. Ball is a Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA), a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP), and a TCIA Qualified Trainer. His extensive contributions to tree worker safety include serving on the ANSI Safety Committee and conducting groundbreaking research into workplace injuries and fatalities in tree care.
A personal message from Sachin Mohan:
“Dr. Ball has been a speaker at every ArborEXPO. When I first reached out to invite him to our first show, his response was simply: ‘When do I show up?’ That speaks volumes about his dedication to this industry.”
Congratulations to Dr. John Ball
Service Tree Award
Service Tree: Acknowledges organizations for their community involvement, measured by the number of hours and financial commitment dedicated to community causes.
We have three winners.
1st Service Tree Award Winner: Bartlett Tree Experts
During 2024, more than 100,000 trees were distributed by Bartlett employees through the Bartlett Legacy Tree Program. Bartlett has distributed 775,000 tree seedlings. This reflects the Company’s commitment of 13,000 to 14,000 estimated hours and $2,394,823 in total dollars.
Congratulations to Bartlett Tree Experts!
2nd Service Tree Award Winner: Aspen Tree Experts
Aspen Tree Experts raised funds for their local ISA chapter and supported Saluting Branches to care for national cemeteries, paying tribute to our veterans. they also improved safety at Jackson Baptist Church by removing hazardous branches and contributed to the Monmouth County Historical Society by enhancing their landscape.
Congratulations to Aspen Tree Experts!
3rd Service Tree Award Winner: Wonderland Tree Care
The investment by Wonderland Tree Care in community service surpasses $50,000 annually, with their team contributing approximately 300 hours of service each year. For the ArborDay program alone, they invested $18,000 in specialized climbing equipment, materials, and sponsorship, with 175 dedicated overtime hours.
Congratulations to Wonderland Tree Care!
Safety Tree Award
Safety Tree: Honors organizations for their contributions to employee safety, measured by investments in safety, EMR, safety incentive investments, and hours dedicated to training.
We have two winners.
1st Safety Tree Award Winner: Treeworks, Ltd.
This award recognizes Treeworks, Ltd. for their innovative Precision Gap Angle Gauge, designed to accurately measure angles for steel sleeve installation on wood screw and machine rods in trees.
Congratulations to Treeworks, Ltd.
2nd Safety Tree Award Winner: Tracked Lifts
This award recognizes the role of Tracked Lifts the in developing the first fully insulated spider lifts over 70 feet—the Platform Basket 22.10 46kV and the Omme 2650 46kV. These cutting-edge machines are revolutionizing line clearance and arboriculture, offering a safer, more efficient solution for professionals working near high-voltage power lines.
Congratulations to Tracked Lifts.
Complex or Challenging Project Award
Complex or Challenging Project Award: Participants can submit video entries documenting interesting jobs, which will be showcased during the awards presentation events and ceremony. Each person or company is allowed to submit only one “Complex or Challenging Project Award” entry.
We have two winners.
1st Complex or Challenging Project Award Winner: Heli-Ax
Heli-Ax tackled a major project: the removal of 26 large EUCs in an extremely congested airspace. The team managed the temporary displacement of 61 homes for five days, all while working under a tight flight deadline. In the end, they not only met their goal but finished two days ahead of schedule without a single incident.
Congratulations to Heli-Ax
2nd Complex or Challenging Project Award Winner: Treeworks, Ltd.
Treeworks, Ltd.’s expertise was exemplified in a challenging project involving a cordon apple hedge in a formal English garden in Connecticut. After severe girdling by rabbits, Treeworks implemented a meticulous restoration process.
Congratulations to Treeworks, Ltd.
Safety Innovation Award
Safety Innovation: Awards individuals who innovate techniques that improve Arborist safety.
Safety Innovation Award Winner: Arbornote Software, Mr. Hank Ortiz
Arbornote’s innovative bi-lingual Job Safety Analysis form eliminates language barriers for both English and Spanish speakers. This form ensures that all workers can understand and follow safety protocols.
Congratulations to Arbornote Software, Mr. Hank Ortiz.
Equipment Innovation Award
Equipment Innovation: Acknowledges individuals for developing tools that enhance industry safety, quality, and productivity.
We have three winners.
1st Equipment Innovation Award Winner: Treeworks, Ltd. William De Vos
Faced with the need to precisely drill dead center through both front and back leaders – often over long distances and without a clean line of sight – they engineered a lightweight, and highly accurate drill guide allows for precise alignment in trees of all sizes, even accommodating drill bits up to 9 feet.
Congratulations to Treeworks, Ltd.
2nd Equipment Innovation Award Winner: Tracked Lifts – Miroslaw Hrycak
Mike is awarded for his groundbreaking development of the first fully insulated spider lifts over 70 feet—the Platform Basket 22.10 46 kilo volts and the Omme 2650 46 kilo volts. These lifts are compact, maneuverable, and fully insulated lifts that provide unmatched protection against electrical hazards, significantly enhancing worker safety in high-voltage environments.
Congratulations to Tracked Lifts – Miroslaw Hrycak.
3rd Equipment Innovation Award Winner: Stanley Tree Service – Mike Zuba
Mike developed two groundbreaking safety systems: the Elevator Warning Lights System, which uses rotating beacons to alert ground crews when the bucket is elevated, and the Cage Guard System, a physical and visual barrier that keeps operators safe while working on truck cages.
