The UAA Team
UAA is a volunteer-led organization supported by a small staff which includes the Program & Operations Manager, the Member Services Manager, and the Executive Director. The Board of Directors partner with the staff, and this includes the President, President Elect, Vice President, Treasurer, and 6 Directors supported by the immediate Past President.
2022 – 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jim Neeser
Treasurer (3-Yr Term)
End of Term: August 2025
INFO + CONTACT
The Davey Resource Group, Forest Lake, MN
Erin Creekmur
Director
End of Term: August 2023
INFO + CONTACT
Arizona Public Service/ APS, Flagstaff, AZ
Dr. John Ball
Director
End of Term: August 2025
INFO + CONTACT
University of South Dakota, Brookings, SD
Tyler Sorensen
Director
End of Term: August 2025
INFO + CONTACT
Rocky Mountain Power, Salt Lake City, UT
STAFF
PAST UAA PRESIDENTS
2022 Geoff Kempter, Asplundh
2021 Paul Hurysz, Duke Energy
2020 Eric Brown, SMUD
2019 Bob Richens, ArborMetrics
2018 Sara Sankowich, Unitil
2017 Craig Kelly, PG&E
2016 Joe Osborne, Empire District
2015 D. Fleischner, Trees, Inc.
2014 P. Jelen, Arizona Public Service
2013 A. Beard, Public Service New Mexico
2012 R. Hendler, Dow AgroSciences
2011 W. Nutter, Wright Tree Service
2010 N. Money, Pacific Gas & Electric, Ret.
2009 R. Miller, PacifiCorp
2008 W. Peterson, Davey Tree Expert Co.
2007 J. Orr, Asplundh
2006 B. Fisher, BC Hydro
2005 L. Grayson, American Electric Power
2004 R. Bell, Pacific Gas & Electric
2003 K. Eckert, Arborglobal
2002 S. Cieslewicz, CN Utility Consulting
2001 M.A. Neal, Arizona Public Service
2000 S.A. Asplundh, Asplundh Tree
1999 R. Johnstone, Conectiv
1998 J. Arkett, Duquesne Light
1997 J. Downie, Public Service Colorado
1996 M. Simons, Atlantic Electric
1995 S. Hallmark, Puget Sound P&L
1994 D. Holewinski, ECI
1993 R. Bailey, Tampa Electric
1992 J. Goodfellow, Puget Sound P&L
1991 R.N. Thiessen, TransAlta Utilities
1990 M. Watson, Potomac Edison
1989 R.Wells, Philadelphia Electric
1988 D.Van Bossuyt, Portland GE
1987 D.Konieczka, Wisconsin Electric
1986 J. Oatman, Florida Power
1985 H. Wilder, Houston L&P
1984 S.T. Griffiths, Ontario Hydro
1983 M.E. Treece, Duke Power
1982 R. Van Bossuyt , N.E. Power
1981 C.J. Pilkerton, S. California Edison
1980 E.S. Ulrich, Metropolitan-Edison
1979 W.B. Clowney, Philadelphia Electric
1978 E.T. Naese, Georgia Power
1977 G.A. Kihl, Indiana P.S.C.
1976 B.F. Swisher, Columbus & S
1975 I.O. Bauer, Baltimore G&E
1974 W.P. Jenkins, Ontario Hydro
1973 J.E. Knight, Detroit Edison
1972 C.E. Lee S., California Edison
1971 G.K. Brown, Georgia Power
1970 J.J. Crann, Connecticut L&P
2005 - 2022
2022 Geoff Kempter, Asplundh
2021 Paul Hurysz, Duke Energy
2020 Eric Brown, SMUD
2019 Bob Richens, ArborMetrics
2018 Sara Sankowich, Unitil
2017 Craig Kelly, PG&E
2016 Joe Osborne, Empire District
2015 D. Fleischner, Trees, Inc.
2014 P. Jelen, Arizona Public Service
2013 A. Beard, Public Service New Mexico
2012 R. Hendler, Dow AgroSciences
2011 W. Nutter, Wright Tree Service
2010 N. Money, Pacific Gas & Electric, Ret.
2009 R. Miller, PacifiCorp
2008 W. Peterson, Davey Tree Expert Co.
2007 J. Orr, Asplundh
2006 B. Fisher, BC Hydro
2005 L. Grayson, American Electric Power
1988 - 2004
2004 R. Bell, Pacific Gas & Electric
2003 K. Eckert, Arborglobal
2002 S. Cieslewicz, CN Utility Consulting
2001 M.A. Neal, Arizona Public Service
2000 S.A. Asplundh, Asplundh Tree
1999 R. Johnstone, Conectiv
1998 J. Arkett, Duquesne Light
1997 J. Downie, Public Service Colorado
1996 M. Simons, Atlantic Electric
1995 S. Hallmark, Puget Sound P&L
1994 D. Holewinski, ECI
1993 R. Bailey, Tampa Electric
1992 J. Goodfellow, Puget Sound P&L
1991 R.N. Thiessen, TransAlta Utilities
1990 M. Watson, Potomac Edison
1989 R.Wells, Philadelphia Electric
1988 D.Van Bossuyt, Portland GE
1970 - 1987
1987 D.Konieczka, Wisconsin Electric
1986 J. Oatman, Florida Power
1985 H. Wilder, Houston L&P
1984 S.T. Griffiths, Ontario Hydro
1983 M.E. Treece, Duke Power
1982 R. Van Bossuyt , N.E. Power
1981 C.J. Pilkerton, S. California Edison
1980 E.S. Ulrich, Metropolitan-Edison
1979 W.B. Clowney, Philadelphia Electric
1978 E.T. Naese, Georgia Power
1977 G.A. Kihl, Indiana P.S.C.
1976 B.F. Swisher, Columbus & S
1975 I.O. Bauer, Baltimore G&E
1974 W.P. Jenkins, Ontario Hydro
1973 J.E. Knight, Detroit Edison
1972 C.E. Lee S., California Edison
1971 G.K. Brown, Georgia Power
1970 J.J. Crann, Connecticut L&P
Contact Us
Office Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00AM/CST- 5:00PM/CST
Address
2009 W. Broadway Ave, Suite 400
PMB 315
Forest Lake, MN 55025
Additional Info
Phone: 800-680-4106
Email: office@gotouaa.org
Jim Neeser is a business developer for the Davey Resource Group, a division of the Davey Tree Expert Company. Jim primarily works with utility companies to provide innovative and customized solutions. Jim earned his AA from Vermillion Community College in 1997 and his BS in Forestry with an emphasis on Hydrology and Soils from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Jim is an ISA Certified Arborist with the Utility Specialist endorsement. Jim has been involved in the UAA training committee for nearly a decade as a past chairman and is currently the treasurer and Champion of the finance committee. Jim spent his first 7 years in the industry as a field arborist in the commercial and utility markets. The last 10 years, Jim has been working with utility companies to enhance their Integrated Vegetation Management programs. Jim’s other interests include spending time with his family, sports, hiking, fishing and coin collecting. Jim is also active with the Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout. Jim lives in Forest Lake, MN with his wife and 2 children.
Adam’s experience includes leading business development strategies for a utility vegetation management consulting firm, vegetation management field operations at two major investor-owned utilities in the southeastern US, project management at a variety of utilities in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions, and vegetation management program development and assessments across the country. His utility arboricultural experience provides a broad understanding of the many different methods used to create a successful utility right-of-way, vegetation management program, including remote sensing, data analytics, optimization, and the utilization of third-party consulting foresters for planning and auditing duties.
Matt Goff is a Transmission Vegetation Manager at Georgia Power Company. He lives in Brookhaven, GA with his wife, two daughters, and the family’s two dogs Sam, and Payton. For leisure, he enjoys sports with his family, bird hunting, and salt-water fishing.
Craig works for Pacific Gas and Electric as a Principal Program Manager in Land Management. His career spans 30 years in the utility industry serving numerous roles. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, and hold his TRAQ and is a TCIA Certified TreeCare Safety Professional. Craig has been engaged and involved in the UAA for many years, starting back in 2008. He then wanted more so he ran for UAA President and was elected in 2014. Today, Craig looks back over his 30-year career and wouldn’t change a thing, he’s made life-long friends and considers many as mentors. He also claims he would not be where is in his career if it weren’t for these people, and pledges to pay it forward to support others in their success.
Erin Creekmur has been in the UVM industry for over 20 years. After graduating with a Bachelors in Botany from Northern Arizona University she relocated to Northern California to start her professional career. Starting as a consulting utility pre-inspector with Western ECI she quickly moving up to the ranks to Supervisor under the tutelage of folks like Nelson Money. In 2004, Erin joined PG&E as a Quality Assurance Auditor for the VM program. Eventually becoming the Program Manager for the North Coast Division, helping stand up the beginnings of CEMA as the Emergency Drought Response Initiative Lead for the Enhanced Inspection & Mitigation Program, targeting off-cycle hazard trees across the system. In 2015, Erin moved back to her home state of Arizona and took the role of Division Supervisor with Arizona Public Service, managing both transmission and distribution UVM programs out of the Flagstaff area. As part of her role with APS Forestry Fire and Resource Management Department, Erin had responsibility for creating a Hazard Tree Mitigation program. maintaining APS’s ROW Stewardship Accreditation, FERC reporting, and the Transmission Lidar program. In 2021, Erin took a shift in her career and is now Supervising the Customer Construction and Design team for APS, expanding her overall understanding of the Utility industry. Erin continues to maintain her ISA Utility Specialist Certification and TRAQ. She has also completed certifications in both Six Sigma and Lean Sigma Green Belt through accredited universities. In addition to her current service on the UAA Board of Directors, Erin spent the last 6 years as an officer with the Arboretum at Flagstaff Board of Directors. In her free time, you can find Erin in the woods taking pictures of native plants and beautiful western landscapes.
Fallon is a Utility Arborist and Executive Director of the Utility Arborist Association. Prior to his current role he was responsible for leading vegetation management programs across several upper Midwest states on behalf of a large investor-owned utility. He’s also been an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he facilitated the 
Kevin Puls is the president of ACRT. He has been with the company for more than 25 years and began his career with us as a work planner in western Ohio. He worked his way up to become an operations manager, senior operations manager, and director of operations. During his tenure he has managed utility vegetation contracts, municipal forestry programs, performed environmental compliance inspections, and many more items. He has worked with over 50 customers in over 40 states. He attended Mount Union College where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in ecology. He completed his internship at Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts as part of a grant from the National Science Foundation. Kevin performed studies on plant-soil-air interactions and presented his research in multiple forums. Kevin also holds an MBA in Executive Management from Ashland University. Kevin also serves as a committee member on multiple BSA troops and conservation organizations.
Tim is the Vice President of Health and Safety for the Davey Tree Expert Company.
Geoff Kempter is Technical Services Manager for Asplundh with 28 years of experience in arboriculture and urban forestry. He has served on the ANSI A300 Committee since 1996, and has served as ISA Certification Chair, the ISA Board and the TREE Fund Board. He also serves on the Michigan Urban and Community Forestry Committee, and the Grand Rapids Urban Forestry Committee. Geoff is ISA Certified, a TRAQ instructor and holds a degree in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan.
Tyler Sorensen has twenty years of experience in the Utility Vegetation Management industry and has been a certified arborist and utility specialist since 2007. He started on a tree crew in the spring of 2002 and quickly worked his way up through every available position, eager to learn and gain industry knowledge along the way. Promoting safety, teaching, and learning new practices have always been his passion. His work experience in Utility Vegetation Management has allowed him to work in various vegetation related capacities in the following states: Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and California.
Renée is our Member Services Manager. She is available to UAA members for questions on committee assignments, educational opportunities, scholarships, CEU questions, and any other assistance.
Diona has been with the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) since December 2015 and has worked in various capacities within the organization.