Message to the Membership

Jeff Morgan, Southern Chapter Past President

As I’m writing this, the eastern redbud has already ushered in spring with its ever-so-early, pinkish-purple bloom. For me, seeing the redbud blooms not only reminds me that spring is here, but also that our work as arborist in the industry is about to ramp up!

Like the redbud, the Southern Chapter also kicked off spring by pulling together another successful Conference and Tradeshow in Chattanooga, TN. The conference was a great achievement, with its impressive registration numbers, innovative exhibitors, and knowledable presenters. It was a great time to get together as arborists, not only to fraternize but to also prime ourselves for the growing season. The TCC again showcased our best tree-athletes; congratulations to our two champions, Shawn Welch and Maria Tranguch.

As we move into summer, you will see some changes to the Southern Chapter board. We have a couple of new state directors, Brian Pope from Arkansas and Dena Whitesides from South Carolina. We will deeply miss Patti Erwin and Sara Hollar as they rotate off the board.

Speaking of changes, this will unfortunately be my last “Message to the Membership” article, as I will now serve in my new role as the Past President. While this is somewhat sad to think about ending my term, it also brings joy thinking about the accomplishments that the board and its committees have made over the past year. The progress and commitment to serving our members will be in good hands, as our incoming president, Matt Searels, and president elect, Hallie Dozier, bring a lot a great experience and enthusiasm. They will do a great job.

Lastly, please be on the lookout for opportunities regarding certifications, TRAQ, WRRQ, tree decay workshops, and CEUs. You can also learn more about these topics by visiting the Southern Chapter website and our social media.

Introducing Matt Searels

I am thrilled to be stepping in as your President for 2023! There have been so many people before me who have built this incredible Chapter. I intend to honor them by serving the Chapter in the best possible ways today to create future opportunities for us to thrive. I am committed to promoting responsible tree care practices and educating the public about the importance of trees in our communities.

I will continue to encourage the Membership Committee’s initiative to survey and learn from members to drive the greatest value in membership of this Chapter. I will continue to work with the Education Committee to provide education initiatives and bring high-quality, relevant trainings to your local communities. And I will support the Finance Committee to guide us towards an even better plan to fund the existing training programs, workshops, scholarships, Annual Conference, Tree Climbing Championship, and operating infrastructure, and to support a plan for new initiatives developed.

Some of you have already reached out to me directly to see how you can be involved. Thank you for your eagerness! I want to hear from many more of you! Your state representatives, Executive Committee, and I want to be involved with understanding your needs, your concerns, and how we can work together with the many volunteers to best help the great communities within ISA Southern Chapter.