WM any great things have been built upon the hard work and focus of a single person—things that can withstand the test of time. Anyone who knows the story behind Alspaw Tree Service, LLC can certainly say that this company is the embodiment of that philosophy. Over 50 years ago, Darrel Alspaw was a daredevil kid fresh out of school with a love for trees—or, more specifically, a love for climbing trees and tidying up their appearance as he did so. “He started the business right Alspaw Tree Service local history in the making. As a vital part of this family business, Randy has been around trees his entire life, and has worked with Alspaw for 13 years now. Certified through the International Society of Arboriculture, he took his expertise to the next level by undergoing specialty training and exams. This combination of education and experience has brought their level of service to much greater heights, and local residents have acknowledged it with their continuous support. Now, a third generation has stepped up to the plate, Darrel & Randy Alspaw Tree Service has the education, expertise, and customer care that separates them from the competition, with certified arborists on staff for every job. out of school,” his son and current president and CEO, Randy Alspaw, relayed. “This started out as a oneman show, with him just trimming trees. He went into hay hauling for a bit and just worked on trees as a side job, but in the late ‘70s, he decided to get into tree services full time. He worked really hard, six or seven days a week.” From that one man’s work arose a business that currently employs about 20 people, a good deal of them being family members. The rest, as they say, is Darrel & Earnest Alspaw late 1970s as Randy’s three daughters and son-in-law are part of the operation. “The entire management team is family,” he beamed. “They have seen the dynamics of what a successful business it is, and they get to walk into a nice office and feel like they’re a part of something valuable.” Indeed, his daughters are very vital components to this operation: Alyssa Granillo is now the office manager; Allison Newton acts as the administrative assistant; and Ashlyn Alspaw is currently the executive assistant. Allison’s husband, Gary, is also helping by running sales, and he oversees productivity with the crew. And, speaking of the crew, they have a few climbers who have been a part of the team for over 15 years. After they changed locations and set up on familyowned property, Alspaw Tree Service felt even more like a place for family to gather and work together. The sort of tree care that they provide is comprehensive, to say the least. Trimming, bracing, removals, cabling, stump removal, and all aspects of tree and plant health care (including con- Alspaw sultations, diagnosis, fertilization and treatment programs, HOA evaluations, and fruit growth regulation) are all within their fine scope of care. But what is it that truly sets them apart from the competition? It is a number of things, really. “Our quality of service, our cleanup when we leave a job site, and our follow through,” Randy confirmed. “We also have zero unresolved issues.” While Darrel is still involved with the operations, he is mostly retired these days, but his legacy thrives. “It is cool to think that this all was started from the hard, hands-on work my dad did,” Randy mused. With both the past and the present working in their favor, it is little wonder that the future holds wonderful things for Alspaw Tree Service, LLC and their satisfied customers. 53 YEARS & GROWING P.O. Box 20129, Bakersfield, CA n 661-393-5131 www.AlspawTreeService.com www.bakersfieldmagazine.net Established 1962 / Spring 2015 55