Derek Furry, Bartlett Tree Experts

In this program we will take a look at three areas that helped us get to where we are as arborists today, whatever our role may be. And consider how we can be involved in the growth that occurs when we engage in relationships across the spectrum of experience and expertise in our field.

  1. Who helped us get to where we are? (A mentor or someone we leaned on for advice on either casual or more formal arrangements)
  2. How did/do they build us up, hold us accountable and encourage us to push past our comfort zones.
  3. What opportunities do we have to do this for the next generation of arborists on our team and throughout the industry.

Many times, the newest person on the team (or new to the particular role they are now in) are in a state of either conscious or unconscious incompetencies and can easily become overwhelmed and discouraged. By establishing partnerships in a mentoring program, more advanced professionals can be there to help answer questions, listen to venting or be key connectors to specialists within our field so these folks can work toward getting to the next step and creating a solid foundation from which to build on. More often than not, the “mentor” is doing as much learning as the “mentee” and both sides of the relationship benefit from the experience.

Biography

Furry, Derek – Bartlett Tree Experts
After completing the Penn State Mont Alto Forestry program, Derek joined Bartlett Tree Experts in 2011. From his start in the Nantucket, Massachusetts office, Derek’s career progressed. He has held positions including crew leader, plant health care specialist, and local office safety coordinator prior to becoming an arborist representative.

An ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, Derek holds a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) and is also a licensed pesticide applicator in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, and a Licensed Tree Expert in Maryland. Derek has a comprehensive understanding of all phases of tree care and he loves meeting new people and developing lasting relationships! His favorite part about working with trees in the landscape is learning about the underlying reasons people care about their trees.

Derek serves as a past president to the Rotary Club of Waynesboro, participates on the board of the Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Cumberland Valley Business Alliance and Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Derek is a board member of the Penn State Mont Alto Forest Technology Advisory Board and is an advisor to the Waynesboro, PA and Shepherdstown, West Virgina V Shade Tree Commissions.

Derek, his wife and two boys live in western Franklin County, PA. They enjoy spending time with family, going to church, working in the garden, tending to their animals, and being outside!