An Expo to Remember
ArborEXPO™ Continues to Reach New Heights
From a variety of classes, countless aisles of indoor and outdoor exhibitors, and plenty of opportunities to network and share insight, there simply isn’t a dull moment at ArborEXPO™. Attendees from all across the U.S. and the world anticipate the annual tradeshow for its ability to connect industry professionals and demonstrate how the profession continues to expand and grow to new heights.
Once again held at The Big E in Springfield, Mass., this year, the expo hosted more than 160 exhibitors and 2,800 attendees and students. Whether they were there to gain some much-needed CEUs or try out the latest industry technology and equipment, attendees quickly filled the tradeshow floor with a buzz of enthusiasm and dedication (even if they needed some free coffee to perk them up first).
For many attendees, what keeps bringing them back is the connections they create with fellow enthusiastic arborists.
Eric Schneider, founder of Schneider Tree Care, values the conversations and inspiration that occur so naturally on the tradeshow floor.
“The number one thing you can gain from ArborEXPO is the relationships you build in the industry because different markets require different solutions,” he shared. “You can get solutions to your challenges and learn from people that are in the same position, already doing that job… You can have a real-world conversation.”
Likewise, Morgan Parent, arboriculture instructor at Bristol County Agricultural High School, always looks forward to seeing familiar faces in the crowds — but more than that, it’s an opportunity to share passion with people who understand it.
“It’s a great place where we all come together once a year to talk about the thing that we love,” she said.
Competition and Excitement Grows for ArborSPORTS™
Beyond connections made between booths was the quintessential ArborEXPO™ event that combined camaraderie, technical skill, safety, and teamwork — ArborSPORTS™. Returning for its second year in partnership with North American Training Solutions (NATS), this event once again comprised an indoor qualifying event and outdoor finals. With even more prizes, competitors, and spectators than ever, ArborSPORTS™ demonstrated just how much the expo continues to grow and the legacy carried with it.
The Returning Champs
If you took home the winning axes from the inaugural ArborSPORTS™, would you try again for another year? For Adam Hilton and Richard Cleary of Clear Choice Tree Service, the answer was a no-brainer.
Last year, Hilton and Cleary stunned the crowd with a swift win, taking the title of the very first ArborSPORTS™ winners in just 2 minutes and 59 seconds, sawing, rigging, and clearing with impressive efficiency, communication, and confidence.
Back for a second round at this year’s ArborEXPO™, it was no surprise that the pair cleared the preliminary round without breaking much of a sweat.
“We look forward to this event and this place all year long,” Hilton shared.
With a new year came new competition, though, and these teams were ready to snatch the win and all the prizes that awaited them.
NATS added a new challenge to the finals course, too. Located at the Outdoor Full-Scale Model Work Zone, teams not only had to cut cookies and fell a leaning log but also use a ground anchor and notch cuts to fell another log into a tight drop zone — and of course, clean up all the debris from the worksite afterwards.
Before the finals began, the Clear Choice team demonstrated the same cool confidence as last year.
The most important part of their strategy?
“Communication,” Cleary stated. “If you don’t have clear communication, you’re not going to be working as a team — it’s going to be him versus me.”
While Hilton and Cleary showed some impressive skills in the semi-finals, unfortunately, they finished second and wouldn’t be able to claim a back-to-back win.
Despite the early end to their run, the Clear Choice team didn’t allow this to dampen their spirits or take away from the experience.
“It’s not about staying on top forever,” Hilton shared. “It’s about being here and meeting new people, talking to old friends that we’ve seen before and just getting to be more knowledgeable and wiser about job sites and safety.”
Newcomers Take the Title
The first day of finals proved difficult for all the competitors, as it ended in a sudden-death-style cut-off between the “A Team” and “Knotty Boys.” It was a nail-biting finish to the first day of ArborSPORTS™ as Knotty Boys took their well-deserved win after a neck-and-neck race to complete the cookie cuts.
The winning team consisted of Nate Morrell of the Hamden County Arborist Apprenticeship Program and Nick Graveline of Northern Tree Service. Surprisingly, this was the duo’s second time ever meeting. Previously, the two had met at the arborist apprenticeship program. Once at the expo, they decided to see if they could work well together and take home the title of this year’s ArborSPORTS™ winners.
According to Graveline and Morrell, the most difficult part of the outdoor course was setting the rope in the wind and felling the log into the small drop zone. Despite these challenges, the key to their success was staying calm under pressure, and that’s exactly what they advised for future contenders.
“Don’t try to rush it,” Morrell explained. “Slow and smooth, stay focused, and don’t get overwhelmed.”
The winners of day two of ArborSPORTS™, Harry Harmon with American Tree Care and Rob Golden with Maltby & Company, credited their success, with a time of 4 minutes and 21 seconds, to their communication and delegation between each other.
“I think it’s really important to be able to focus on people’s strong suits and what they’re good at,” Harmon said.
The rewards of this competition stem far past the big checks, brand new gear, and engraved axes. In fact, according to Harmon and Golden, testing these types of skills is a “two-way street.”
“The field skills improve you here, and the skills here improve you in the field,” Golden said. “It’s very symbolic of what we do.”
Just like the Clear Choice team, Harmon and Golden also plan on defending their titles next year. That said, there could always be an unlikely duo like the Knotty Boys ready to snatch the win for themselves.
Another Winning Affair — Arbor Awards™
While ArborSPORTS™ demonstrated the skills necessary for upstanding arborists, the Arbor Awards™ ceremony recognized those that have gone above and beyond the essentials to make the industry safer, more efficient, and more connected.
The categories spanned from equipment innovation to community engagement, and of course, the much-anticipated Robert Bartlett Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. With more winners than ever before, this year’s award ceremony showed just how far the industry has come at the hands of its esteemed leaders.
Dr. Ed Gilman
The first of the Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Dr. Ed Gilman, professor of urban trees and landscape plants in the department of environmental horticulture at University of Florida.
Over the past 30 years, Dr. Gilman has authored numerous essential publications and developed comprehensive academic programs that blend theory with practical training for future professionals. Through workshops, community programs, and advising local governments, he has advanced both professional practice and public understanding of urban forestry.
What makes Dr. Gilman so passionate about the industry — and particularly pruning — is sharing his knowledge with budding arborists.
“When the lightbulb goes off in someone’s eyes, that’s what does it for me,” he shared. “That’s what gets me up in the morning.”
Though now focusing more on his woodworking and glass working, Dr. Gilman has plenty of knowledge still to share.
His most important piece of advice for new arborists:
“Read. Read equipment books, pruning books, rigging books. When you read those books, that’ll start you on your journey.”
Greg Daniels
Following Dr. Gilman was Greg Daniels, vice chairman and chief business development officer at Bartlett Tree Experts. Through Daniels’ leadership, the company gained more than 20 acquisitions, 31 new office openings, and the establishment of Bartlett operations across the U.S. and internationally.
Along with his contributions to the expansion of the company, Daniels is frequently described as a “champion of tree care,” known for generously sharing knowledge and opening Bartlett’s research resources to benefit the broader industry.
For Daniels, his pride stems from the sheer number of arborists he has recruited, influenced, and witness flourish throughout his time, as well as the chance to care for “nature’s most beautiful structures.”
“There’s nothing better than seeing a mighty tree standing there,” he said.
This award was especially important to Daniels, who credits his dedication to the industry to his mentor, Robert Bartlett. Daniels most admired how the third-generation arborist managed to expand his company in a “family-like manner” while also reaching global heights.
“He is a visionary,” Daniels concluded.
Don Blair
The final recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was Don Blair. During his career, Blair has invented and introduced many industry-defining tools and founded Sierra Moreno Mercantile Company (later Blair’s Arborist Equipment). Blair also helped pioneer modern rigging through innovations alongside his colleagues, such as the Hobbs Lowering Device and Hobbs Blocks. On the safety side, he has served three decades on the committee responsible for the ANSI Z133, including 15 years as co-chair.
A jack of all sides of the trade, Blair adamantly shared that this is far from the end of his contributions to the tree care industry and that there was still much to accomplish, including writing a successor to his influential book, Arborist Equipment, co-authored with the ISA.
More than that, Blair hopes that the next generations of arborists will continue to uphold the passion and dedication that he and his colleagues have demonstrated.
“I’d like to see worthy successors to what we’ve done,” he shared.
An Organization That Grows With the Industry
As all of the Arbor AWARDS™ winners will advocate, one of the most important ways to continue advancing in the industry is to attend events like ArborEXPO™. More than just a chance to see equipment and colleagues, this event creates a space where new ideas can be explored, and new challenges can be conquered.
A new organization that hopes to address these obstacles is the Association of Tree Care Professionals (ATCP) which held its first annual meeting at ArborEXPO™ ’26. Noticing a need for more support and resources for arborists of all stages, the association plans to offer courses, industry events, and other opportunities in which members can explore all assets of the tree care industry and the nuances their businesses face today.
Among the leaders of ATCP are Cameron Miller, owner of Spartan Tree and Landscape, and Alex Shy, owner of Shy Tree, who helped lead the inaugural meeting.
“We’re trying to establish a relationship with all the small and medium tree care companies out there to let them know that we are a new association that has interest in providing business mentorship and elevating the tree care standards and ethics,” Shy shared.
One of the greatest issues that ATCP hopes to conquer is helping small and medium businesses stand out and find their clientele in a highly competitive market.
“ATCP helps you figure out how to differentiate yourself and how to increase your profits,” Miller stated.
Like the rest of ATCP’s leadership team, Shy and Miller hold voluntary positions, guided by initiative and commitment to improving tree care.
“We’re all in this together, and when we all improve together, we improve the industry as a whole,” Miller said. “My business is important, but also serving others is important.”
The Best Is Yet to Come
With all that ArborEXPO™ has to offer, it’s a wonder what new and exciting events will debut in the coming years. From drum circles to gear giveaways to more immersive classes, the event always keeps a pulse on what’s most exciting and most valuable for arborists.
As the industry continues to reach new heights and face new challenges, ArborEXPO™ will continue to prioritize education, innovation, and connection in all that it has to offer.
