KENT, OHIO — The Davey Tree Expert Company has acquired S&S Tree and Landscaping Specialists, the largest family-owned tree company in Minnesota and one of the most respected in the industry. The acquisition of S&S is Davey’s fifteenth in the past five years and is part of a larger growth and expansion strategy.
Based in St. Paul, Minn., S&S provides tree, landscape and lawn services and will continue to operate under its existing name as a division of The Davey Company. Louie Sylvester will assume the role of district manager of the office, while Tony Sylvester will serve as assistant district manager. Steve Sylvester, S&S owner and CEO, will help during the transition as a consultant. The addition of S&S means that Davey will now have three offices in the greater St. Paul/Minneapolis region.
The company was established in 1976, when Steve Sylvester started the company as a general landscaping business. Over the next 30 years, S&S expanded their service lines, adding plant health care, turf care, premium quality mulch and property maintenance. Today, the company includes more than 75 employees, many of whom are International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.
“S&S is a welcome addition to Davey Tree. This will strengthen Davey’s presence in the Midwest and will bring additional regional business expertise, talented arborists and employee owners to our organization,” said Pat Covey, Davey’s chief operating officer. “Both S&S and Davey are actively involved in efforts to preserve and improve the health and beauty of our environment and are committed to supporting the highest professional standards.”
Steve Sylvester is an ISA Certified Arborist, a member of the arborists’ committee for the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association and a member of the Emerald Ash Borer Advisory Committee.
“We were attracted to Davey because, much like S&S, it was built on customer service and high-quality work, completed by hard-working and dedicated employees,” said Sylvester. “Our success has been based on core values that are central to achieving our mission: hard work, passion, commitment, safety and professionalism. We believe Davey Tree shares these values.”
In recent years, the company has won the TCIA Safety Award for Outstanding Company Contribution to Safety, the TCIA Excellence in Arboriculture Award, as well as Angie’s List 2012 Super Service Award, for the twelfth year in a row.