In 2005, after having spent the last 12-years as a Tree Climber and Crew Forman, Trevor March set out on his own to build a better tree service. With care and integrity being the driving force behind his efforts, Trevor started Northwest Tree Specialists, a Portland Oregon based tree care company that focused on serving the needs of customers while providing a supportive work environment for employees.
As most entrepreneurs would attest, starting a new business is a huge undertaking, requiring an enormous amount of time, energy and resources. Handling the sales, performing the tree work and also the company books, Trevor realized he needed help and hired his first few employees.
Over the years that followed, Northwest Tree Specialists grew and by 2008, the company had 15-employees consisting of 3-tree crews. While 2008 was a difficult year for many businesses due to the economic recession, Trevor and his team were too busy to notice. Stump grinding and plant health care services were added to be “full service” and Jon Poteet joined the team, growing the company’s commercial customer base.
By 2010, the company’s commercial client base increased and the company grew to 5-tree crews. Realizing that the needs of commercial clients (property management companies, real estate investors, multi-family dwellings/apartments) were often different than those of residential customers, the Commercial Division was created. Jeremy Weed, previously working as a residential consultant for the company, began working with Jon to support commercial clients. Jeanine March (Trevor’s wife and a 25-year veteran of the banking/mortgage industry) joined the commercial team to provide customer and sales support.
With a passion for excellence and ethics in business, the company sought and achieved national accreditation in 2011 through TCIA, a world-wide organization that honors tree care companies that operate with ethics, quality and confidence. Northwest Tree Specialists is one of only a few tree companies in Oregon that is TCIA accredited which is an accomplishment to be proud of.
By 2012, Northwest Tree Specialists had a staff of 25-employees with 6-tree crews and a client base of over 10,000 residential and commercial customers. Trevor headed up the residential team while Jeanine managed the commercial team. Seeking continuous opportunities to expand his knowledge of tree care, Trevor March studied and received his Municipal Arborist Certification which focuses on the unique needs of trees in public spaces.
The company continued to grow and by 2013, had established a strong presence in the local market. Jeanine stepped into the Sales Manager role and Brian Fairbanks joined the company as the Production Manager, overseeing the daily operations of the tree crews. With a goal to build the best tree care company in the local market, Trevor & Jeanine made arrangements to meet regularly with successful tree companies from across the U.S. and used what they learned to make continuous improvements within their organization.
Striving to have the most qualified staff of consultants and tree workers in the area, the company made a strong push for industry training and education. Trevor and Jeanine lead their team by both becoming Certified Treecare Safety Professionals through TCIA, a program that focuses on safety within the workplace. Jeanine became an ISA Certified Arborist and several staff followed suit. By the end of 2014, Northwest Tree Specialists had 14-ISA Certified Arborists including every consultant and several crew foreman, and by 2015, 11-ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessors and 3-TCIA Certified Safety Professionals.
In August of 2015, Northwest Tree Specialists moved into their new facility in Hillsboro Oregon. In the years that have followed, their team and customer base have grown and their commitment to the tree care industry is as strong as ever. Today, the company is the largest local, independently owned and operated tree service in Oregon with a staff of 48 including 8-tree crews, 3 stump/wood crews and a plant health care division. While this family business has grown from a start-up in 2005 to the viable operation it is today, the company continues to operate with care and integrity, providing a supportive work environment, while serving the needs of its clients and community and “Helping the Northwest One Tree at a Time”.
