Davey CEO Retires

R. Douglas Cowan stepped down as chief executive officer of Kent, Ohio-based The Davey Tree Expert Co. at the end of 2006 in keeping with his previously announced retirement plans. Cowan will remain chairman of the board of the 126-year-old company.

Karl J. Warnke, a 27-year veteran of Davey who has served the past seven years as president and chief operating officer of the company, assumed the dual role of president and chief executive officer Jan. 1.  

“Doug’s 18 years of leading this company have been highlighted by impressive growth, profitability and the development of the next generation of leaders,” said Warnke. “But it is also important to recognize the important contributions Doug has made in the areas of education – both in the community and within the company.”

Warnke assumes leadership of the company during a time of growth and expansion, with Davey recently closing its 19th acquisitions of the past three years. Davey recently acquired Southeastern Reprographics, Inc. (SRI),   an asset management firm headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga.  SRI will operate as a unit of the Davey Resource Group, the company’s consulting division.

“Davey is committed to growth through investment in existing operations and through acquisitions of such respected firms as SRI,“ said Warnke. “We find ourselves in a rapidly changing business environment characterized by intense competition, and our expectation to be the best will be part of our new branding initiative to be launched throughout 2007.”

Warnke joined Davey in 1980 in the West Cleveland residential/commercial services territory. After accepting a management trainee position with the corporate office, he was promoted to utility operations coordinator in 1982, utility operations manager in 1984 and vice president of utility operations in 1986. He became corporate vice president and assistant to the president in 1987 with responsibility for operations support services. 

In 1988, Warnke was promoted to corporate vice president and general manager of North American utility services. He became executive vice president in 1993 and president and chief operating officer in 1999.

Within Davey, Warnke currently serves on the boards of The Davey Tree Expert Co., The Davey Tree Surgery Company, and The Davey Tree Expert Co. of Canada, Ltd.  He is also a member of The Conference Board’s Executive Council for Mid-Cap Companies, the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

Warnke earned a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University School of Horticulture and is also a graduate of The University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business Executive Program.

Cowan was appointed to a 9-year term on the board of trustees of Kent State University by former Gov. Bob Taft and recently completed a two-year term as chair. Within Davey, Cowan was instrumental in the development of technology based training and education programs through The Davey Institute.

During Cowan’s tenure, Davey operations grew substantially as revenues More than tripled and employment nearly doubled. Davey is one of the country’s largest employee owned businesses. Cowan was a member of the employee acquisition committee during the time employees purchased the company from the Davey family in 1979. Today, more than 3,000 of the 6,000 Davey employees are shareholders.

Cowan joined Davey in 1974 as corporate controller and was promoted to successive positions and responsibility: vice president of finance in 1979; executive vice president in 1984; president and chief operating officer in 1985;
chief executive officer in 1988; and chairman and CEO in 1997. He has been a member of Davey’s Board of Directors since 1982.

In addition to his work with Davey, Cowan is involved in the governance of other organizations including membership on the Board of Trustees of Kent State University and the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, the Board of Directors of Lexicomp, Inc., The Great Lakes Construction Co., and The J.M. Smucker Co.

For more information about the company, visit www.davey.com.