PAUL S. HURYSZ Jr. - President
Paul has been
a Board member with the FVMA for the last two years. Paul recently served
as program chair for the ’06 conference and is currently serving
as President. Paul’s previous experience with VMA’s includes an
8 year tenure with the TVMA (Texas Vegetation Management Association). Leadership
responsibilities there included: Scholarship Chairman (’94-’00),
Vision Committee Chairman (’00), as well as Vice President and Program
Chair (’01-’02). Paul is currently employed with Progress Energy
as a Utility Transmission Forester. His area of responsibility is the Central
Florida Area (Orlando South to Lake Placid). Other duties @ Progress Energy
include being the Southern Safety Council Chairman for Southern Transmission.
Additionally, his tenure of managing vegetation in the utility industry now
spans for more than 18 years with most of that experience originating in Texas.
Paul’s past employers include Tree’s Inc. and CenterPoint Energy.
Paul is an ISA Certified Arborist and Utility Specialist. He also currently
holds a Florida Commercial Pesticide Applicators License. Paul’s educational
background includes a B.S. in Forestry/Wildlife Management from La. Tech University,
as well as an MBA from the University of Houston Clear Lake. Paul wears many
hats outside of the industry which include being a loving father/husband of
4 wonderful kids and a wonderful wife, baseball and soccer coach, umpire, and
Cub Scout Leader. Paul is also very active with his church and parish
family, taking on lead roles where and when he can. In Paul’s spare time,
his favorite hobby is fresh water fishing.
JASON HOUSE - President Elect
Jason is currently the President Elect for the FVMA and is also the chairperson for the program committee. He graduated for the University of Georgia with a B.S. degree in wildlife biology and forest management in 2001. He has worked as a contract forester for Davey Resource Group with FP&L and Georgia Transmission Cooperation before working for Progress Energy. He is currently the Sr. Transmission Forester for Progress Energy Corporation Northern Area. Jason has been an ISA certified arborist for 3 years and a state pesticide applicator for 4. This is his 3rd year on the board
LINDA YARRISH - Secretary
Linda Yarrish is a Senior Environmental Scientist in the Vegetation Management Division of the South Florida Water Management District. Linda received her BS in Environmental Science from Florida International University and a Master in Environmental Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. Linda has worked in the Operations and Maintenance Department at the South Florida Water Management District for 15 years. Prior to employment at the District she was the District Coordinator for the Broward Soil and Water Conservation District and a Park Aide at Fern Forest Nature Center. She holds a Right-of-Way Pesticide License.
RICH ALEXANDER - Treasurer
Rich graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Forest
Resources and Conservation in 1999. He worked within the Forestry Industry,
as a consultant, throughout the Southeast for 4 years before transferring
into the utility field in 2003. Since moving into the utility industry
he has worked with The Davey Resource Group and Environmental Consultants,
Inc. Rich is currently a Sr. Forester with Progress Energy in their
distribution department assigned to their South Central Region. Rich
is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and the Utility
Arborist Association and is a Certified Arborist. In addition, Rich
is a State of Florida Pesticide applicator.
DAVID HAWLEY
David is a Compliance Officer for Asplundh Tree Expert Company in north Florida. David
served in the United States Marine Corps. He has worked in the line clearance
industry since 1996. He is an ISA certified arborist and a certified
pesticide applicator. David deals with compliance and safety issues in region
55 of Asplundh in Florida and has a wide range of experiences in the field
of training and safety. David is a member of the International Society of
Arborist as well as a member of the Utility Arborist Association. He is marred
with two children. David currently holds a board position for members at
large and is the committee chair for the Legislative Committee.
GORDON BAKER
Gordon Baker graduated from Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois) with a BA in biology in 1961. He spent one year of post-grad studies in botany at Southern Illinois University. After working almost three years manufacturing liquor in Freeport, Bahamas, he returned to Florida and accepted employment with the South Florida Water Management District as aquatic weed control coordinator. He has been in this job for 34 years. This job has evolved from a one-man overseer position to a multi-faceted program of vegetation management with a staff of eleven. His responsibilities include overall oversight/management of vegetation control activities done on District properties including the Flood Control Project, maintaining inventory of useful and useable products, maintaining all applicable DEP permits for vegetation control activities, maintain adequate stocking of grass carp in selected canals, assisting in contractor monitoring, writing and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures for the veg. mgmt. program, maintaining record-keeping system, training of in-house personnel, and maintaining inter- and intra-departmental and interagency contacts through association meetings. He has also served as secretary and board member of the Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society and served as vice-president and president of the South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society.
PAUL MASON
Paul is the Florida Aquatic / IVM Territory Manager for UAP Timberland, LLC, since 2001 and in 2004 was elected to serve as treasurer for the FVMA. He has been in the Vegetation Management industry since 1991 working in all aspects of aquatic weed control and industrial vegetation management. Paul is a native Floridian and received his B.S. degree from the University of Central Florida with studies focused on Business Administration and Biology. Other industry memberships include FAPMS, FL EPPC, SF APMS, NALMS and NRVMA. Paul, his wife, son and daughter reside in Oviedo, FL.
SCOTT DITMARSEN
Scott is a Senior Sales Specialist in Industrial Vegetation Management for Dow AgroSciences, covering central and south Florida. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Forestry from the University of Minnesota and a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since joining Dow AgroSciences in 1981, Scott has held several different research and development positions in the Midwest before moving to Florida in his current role in 2002. Prior to working for Dow AgroSciences, he was a Research Forester with Crown Zellerbach Corporation in Louisiana for three years. Scott has been an active member of several weed science societies, the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, and the Florida Vegetation Management Association and resides in the Tampa area with his wife and two daughters.
TIM ALLEN
From November 2001 to present Tim is The Manager of Roadside Vegetation, and Maintenance Rating Program for The Florida Department of Transportation State Maintenance Division. He is responsible for the Quality Assessment, Policy and Procedures for Turf Management. Tim is a Certified Public Manager from Florida State University, and has an Associate in Science Degree from Saint Petersburg College, in Architectural and Building Construction Technology.
TRACE WOLFE
Trace has spent over 30 years in the Vegetation Management Industry.
Working as a Private Applicator in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina
for more than twenty years. Then joining Helena Chemical Company for
five years as Florida Vegetation Management Products Sales Rep and
one year as Sales Manager. Trace joined Clear Waters, Inc. in October
2002 as a partner and took responsibility for Sales and Marketing.
Since then developing a new division of Clear Waters performing Right
of Way maintenance for Utility Transmission Lines.
GARRY SEITZ
Garry has a BS degree from Ohio State University, a MS from the University
of Arizona, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. His area of
academic experience is agronomy and Horticulture. His work experience
includes working for various national companies as Advisor/ Agronomist,
employee trainer, Safety and Compliance Officer, Product Evaluation
and Owner/ Operator of a vegetation management business. Garry has
worked in many of the South Eastern USA states and resides in central
Florida. He and his wife have 13 children.
ADVISORS
TERRENCE (Terry) WHITECAR - (Past President)
Past president of FVMA (2004 /2005) Terry is on his second career employed
by UAP Distribution (United Agri Products) as a “utility IVM specialist”.
Terry retired as lead forester (transmission) from Progress Energy Florida in June 2004 with over 35 years of line and rights-of-way experience. Terry hired into Florida Power’s line dept in November 1969 after serving 4 years in the United States Navy Submarine Service. He worked 5 years on a distribution line crew then managed distribution tree trimming crews for 5 years. Terry acquired 10 years of distribution engineering experience before moving permanently to transmission as the rights-of-way inspector. Terry became Lead Forester responsible for the integrated vegetation management program and associated re-clearing contracts on Progress Energy Florida’s entire transmission system until his retirement. He has an associate degree in Business Administration and Management. Terry is an ISA certified Arborist / Utility Specialist and holds a Florida Commercial Pesticide Applicators License. He is also a licensed nurseryman with a passion for small native tree species. A life long herpetologist, Terry has conducted safety programs on Florida snakes for 40 years.
DAN MARSH – (past president)
Dan has been on the board since its foundation and served as President
of the Florida Vegetation Management Association 2002 & 2003. Currently
serving as Past President Dan continues to work with and support the
Florida Vegetation Management Association. Dan graduated with a BS
in Agriculture Science specialization in forestry from Penn State University.
He has worked as a consulting forester for a variety of utilities throughout
the United Stated including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California. He
is currently the North Area’s Transmission Forester for Florida
Power and Light. Dan is a member of the international Society of Arboriculture
and the Utility Arborist Association and has maintained his arborist
certification for many years. In addition, Dan is a State of Florida
Pesticide applicator.
J.A. LEWIS (Co-founder)
J. A. "Andy" Lewis - Retired Andy is a Florida native, now
retired to his small farm in north Florida. He devots most of his time
to hunting, fishing and travel. He serves as a Director(s) with FVMA,
a Property Owners Association and the Quality Deer Management Association!
In his forty year plus career he served with the State of Florida Department
of Transportation in engineering highway design, construction and maintenance.
He served for the better part of his career as the Engineer of Roadside
Maintenance for Statewide Operations. He also served as the Bureau
Chief of Logistical Services with the Division of Law Enforcement of
the Florida Department of Natural Resources and as a IVM Manager with
Timberland Enterprises. Andy has consulted, owned and managed a custom
application company and organized and conducted guided western hunts.
He is a Certified Senior Engineering Technician, a Certified Prescription
Burner and since the inception of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide
and Rodenticide Act of the early seventies held a Florida Pesticide
License for Aquatics, Right of Way and Research. He was instrumental
in the organization and formation of the National Roadside Vegetation
Management Association (NRVMA) and the formation of the Florida Vegetation
Management Association (FVMA). He served as the first elected President
and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NRVMA. He has served with
FVMA as Secretary/Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors.
He is a strong proponent and supporter of the basis for which the organization
was formed -- that being Education in and for the profession and practice
of vegetation management!
DICK BUSH
Dick is a native of north Florida. He has been a vegetation management
specialist with the Fl. DOT for the past 16 years. Prior to that, he
was in the nursery business for 30 years in the north Florida area.
He has been a certified herbicide applicator for 16 years. Responsibilities
include all aspects of vegetation management on 25000 acres of right
of way in District II, FL DOT. He has developed and refined programs
such as and including the fertilizer program, the herbicide program,
the wildflower program, vegetation management at outdoor advertising
sites, new varieties of turf for roadway work, and presently working
on maintenance problems associated with landscaping on DOT rights of
way.
DANA M. VENRICK, M.S., Extension Agent II, Commercial
Horticulture University of Florida, IFAS, Volusia County Extension Service
Graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Education and a Master of Science degree from the College
of Agriculture. Majored in Biology and Botany and received minors
in Chemistry, Fruit Crops and Education. Awarded a Post-Baccalaureate
from the University of Florida in Agricultural Education. Promoted
to U.S. Army Captain and served as Commissary Officer at the Long
Binh Army Headquarters in Vietnam. Taught Biology at Kathleen High
School in Lakeland, Florida and Vocational Agriculture at Evans
High School in Orlando. Employed as a landscaper and spray technician
for the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Disney).
Employed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services as Assistant Plant Pathologist and Plant Protection Inspector.
Owned and operated an ornamental plant nursery and landscaping
business. Owned and managed a citrus, cattle and timber farm. Currently
serving as the Volusia County Commercial Horticulture Agent, he
is the Volusia County Pesticide Trainer and Extension Safety Officer.
He teaches research- based information to cut foliage producers,
citrus growers, production nursery operators, sod growers, vegetable
farmers, golf course superintendents and other interested parties.
TRACY F. MAXWELL (Co-Founder and past president)
Mr. Maxwell has been involved with utility operations since 1976. He
has supervised tree-trimming crews and managed line clearance operations
for F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company and Stackhouse Inc, line clearance
contractors. Mr. Maxwell has also been Manager of Special Projects
with Davey Environmental Services and Vice President for Urban Forestry,
Special Projects and Business Development for ACRT, Inc. providing
consulting services to municipalities and utilities. Mr. Maxwell’s
utility experience includes Division Forester with Niagara Mohawk Power
Corporation, System Forester for Philadelphia Electric Company and
Manager for Gainesville Regional Utilities. Mr. Maxwell is an expert
witness in litigation involving utility tree trimming, electrocutions,
utility tree trimming practices and product liability involving utility
tree trimming. Mr. Maxwell has a BA and MA in Plant Ecology and is
Past President of the Florida Vegetation Management Association and
Utility representative for the Florida Chapter of the International
Society of Arboriculture.
Utility Sites:
-The Tree Line Connection
-The International Society of Arboriculture
-Florida Power & Light Company
-Progress Energy
-GRU
-The Right Tree in the Right Place
-Clay Electric
Pesticide application companies:
-NaturChem.net
Florida Forestry:
-Florida Urban Forestry Council
-Florida Division of Forestry
Pesticide organizations:
-Florida Aquatic Plant
Management Society, Inc.
River & Water
Management Districts:
-Southwest Florida Water Management District
-St.Johns River Water
Management District
Department of Transportation:
-Florida Department of Transportation
University of Florida IFAS
-University of Florida IFAS
Government Contacts/Labels:
-Product Labels
General Pesticide Information:
-EPA
-Safe Pesticide Use
-Herbicide Information