SERVING THE GREEN INDUSTRY - SAFETY, BUSINESS, TRAINING
OUR PARTNER INSTRUCTORS
Steve Martinko
Steve graduated from Michigan State University and was an ISA Certified Arborist for over 22 years. While at MSU, he held a work study position as a research lab assistant for the Institute of Agricultural Technology Department learning research protocols. Steve has over 36 years of green industry experience. He and his wife, Theresa, own Contender’s Tree & Lawn which was established in 2008 where his wife now runs the day-to-day operations. From salesmanship to high level PHC business acumen, he has homed in those skills over the past 16 years and it’s because of that success that he and his wife decided in 2020 to purchase Banner Sales and Consulting. Steve enjoys coaching other arborists and business owners how to be successful in this new era where biology is more important than chemistry. He is currently Chairman of the MGIA (Michigan Green Industry Association).
Dawn Thierbach, ISA Certified Arborist, TCIA CTSP, ASCA RCA, A.A.S. Applied Science in Ornamental Horticulture
Dawn has been involved with the green industry for 35 years. She started her career as a legal consultant for Victorian Gardens, then moved on to obtain her Associates Degree in Ornamental Horticulture and many credentials throughout the field of Arboriculture. During her career, she was a Board Member of ISA Michigan and worked for TCIA as a Regional Outreach Coordinator. She has also been the Chair of Michigan Tree Climbing Competion numerous times. Dawn is a Site Leader for Saluting Branches and has performed that duty for 10 years. She felt this was important to be a Site Leader for Saluting Branches, because her father was in the military service for 21 years and her husband was in the military. She now uses her extensive knowledge of PHC, Climbing, Consulting and Safety for developing webinars for Streamside Green and Victorian Gardens.
Jeff Thierbach, ISA BCMA and Utility Specialist, TCIA CTSP, ACRT Line Clearance Arborist, ASCA RCA.
Jeff has been involved with the green industry for 35 years. He started his career with a national tree company, then started Victorian Gardens Tree Service in 1995. His career has covered PHC, Climbing, Consulting, Utility, and Safety. During his career in the green industry he has attended college, obtained many credentials, and attended conferences across the U.S. He has been an instructor for TCIA, ACRT, ISA Michigan, and Victorian Gardens, teaching all aspects of the green industry. Jeff has also been the Chair of the Michigan Tree Climbing Competition numerous times. As a veteran of the U.S. Navy as a Search and Rescue Diver, he feels it is important to serve his community of veterans and has served as a Site Leader for Saluting Branches for 10 years. For the past 10 years, Jeff has been performing the duties of Safety Director for various companies, storm response with OSR, and an instructor for Streamside Green and its webinars.
W. Todd Watson, PhD, BCMA
Dr. Watson earned a BS degree in Horticulture and a PhD in Plant Pathology from Texas A&M University. He was an Assistant Professor, Senior Lecturer, and Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University, where he conducted research on trees and authored and co-authored several articles in research journals and professional publications dealing with a wide array of arboriculture topics. He also taught arboriculture and urban forestry classes at Texas A&M for over 20 years. In addition to his academic career, he has worked in the public and private sectors in tree and landscape consulting and management for over forty years. He is an ISA Board-Certified Master Arborist (TX-0974B) and a TRAQ-Qualified Tree Risk Assessor. He has served as Vice President of the Arboricultural Research and Education Academy, Secretary of the Texas Urban Forestry Council, and a member of the editorial boards for ISA's Arborist News and the Journal of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry. He was named a Montague Teaching Scholar at Texas A&M in 2005. In 2003, he was voted Texas Arborist of the Year. He is currently co-proprietor of Tree Preservation Group, LLC.