Neighborly Adds New CEO
Neighborly named Mike Davis as its new CEO, effective July 8. Jon Shell, who has served as interim CEO since September 2023, will resume the role of chief financial officer.
“Mike is a highly successful CEO with a phenomenal track record of success across various industries, including significantly growing franchise businesses,” said David Brandon, executive chairman of the board of directors. “Mike brings an aligned strategic vision and commitment to innovation, making him the ideal leader to build on the incredible achievements and growth Neighborly has experienced.”
Davis most recently served as the CEO of Mathnasium Learning Centers since 2022. Before that, Davis was the CEO of Valpak, a franchised network and direct mail and digital marketing leader, where he helped revamp their business model, which ultimately drove significant growth. Davis has more than two decades of leadership experience, including 13 years with Universal Music Group, where he became executive vice president and general manager. His leadership has spanned companies across diverse fields, including multi-unit franchising, B2B, B2C, eCommerce, direct-to-consumer, third-party logistics, digital platforms and media.
TREE Fund Honors Scholarship Winners
Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) awarded its 2024 scholarship program recipients.
Six scholarships have been awarded from TREE Fund’s spring application cycle, which received 29 student applications. Each scholarship is worth $5,000. Of the six scholarships given, two were for the Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship and one each for the Bonnie Appleton Memorial Scholarship, John Wright Memorial Scholarship, Will Nutter Memorial Scholarship and Fran Ward Women in Arboriculture Scholarship.
- The Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship which supports college students studying arboriculture, urban forestry or related fields with the intention of entering arboriculture was awarded to two students, Earielle London of Southern University and A&M College and Taylor Law of Portland Community College.
- The Bonnie Appleton Memorial Scholarship which supports college students studying arboriculture, urban forestry, horticulture, nursery management or a related field with the intention of becoming a professional in one of these fields was awarded to Jakob Van Berkom of South Dakota State University.
- The John Wright Memorial Scholarship which supports high school seniors and returning college students pursuing careers related to arboriculture was awarded to Bailey Nez of Dartmouth College.
- The Will Nutter Memorial Scholarship which supports the utility forestry and arboriculture industry by helping college students interested in those fields achieve high academic goals without accumulating burdensome debt was awarded to Gabriel Koelzer of West Virginia University.
- The Fran Ward Women in Arboriculture Scholarship which supports female college students enrolled in a program related to the practice of arboriculture and urban forestry was awarded to Alexandra Cseri of the University of Rhode Island.
The TREE Fund is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support scientific discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry. The TREE Fund promotes scientific inquiry designed to benefit commercial, residential, utility and consulting arborists, urban foresters and other professionals in related fields in their shared work to create, support and sustain vibrant urban canopies.
TruGreen Names New Chief Human Resources Officer
TruGreen appointed Christine Belknap as chief human resources officer (CHRO), effective July 15.
In this role, she will spearhead the organization’s strategic human resources initiatives including talent management, leadership development, recruitment and retention and associate engagement. She will directly report to President and CEO Kurt Kane.
Belknap joins TruGreen’s executive leadership team with a career spanning more than two and a half decades across a broad spectrum of HR disciplines. She most recently served as vice president of talent, leadership development and DEI of the Nashville-based retailer, Tractor Supply Co. Earlier in her career, she honed her skills at Ernst & Young, where she was recognized for her team development and coaching initiatives. She then spent nearly 10 years at a leading global payments firm, NCR Corp., resulting in a series of promotions and ultimately elevating her to head of talent management.
As chief human resources officer, Belknap will oversee all human resources initiatives at TruGreen, including development and implementation of strategies across compensation, benefits, recruitment, talent management, training, and associate development.
She succeeds Larry Costello, who served as an interim CHRO throughout TruGreen’s talent search, and whose guidance has been invaluable to the executive leadership team.
Belknap holds a bachelor of science in business administration from Bowling Green State University, with a dual concentration in marketing and international business, complemented by a graduate certificate in human resource development from the University of Georgia.
David BarberRotary Corp.
Rotary Adds to Sales Division
Rotary Corp. has appointed David Barber as territory sales manager for Oregon and Washington, according to an announcement by Mark Smith, chief sales officer.
"David is very familiar with the region and we are excited to have him on our sales team,” Smith said. “His experience and commitment to outstanding customer service will help us build powerful partnerships with both our current dealers and new Rotary customers in the area. Our goal is to ensure long term success for our independent dealers.”
Barber was previously a territory sales representative for another parts supplier. He has more than 30 years of experience in the lawn and garden industry, serving customers in eight western states spanning from Arizona to Washington. In his new position with Rotary, Barber will be responsible for business development including sales and support for outdoor power equipment dealers in his territory.
