Scott “Jack” Franz
- ISA Certified Arborist #IL-0711
- Board Certified Master Arborist #IL-0711B
- ISA TRAQ Qualified Arborist
- Member ASCA, American Society of Consulting Arborists
Mr. Franz has been a working and consulting arborist for over 40 years. He holds a
bachelor’s degree in traditional forestry and a master’s degree in urban forestry. Mr.
Franz has consulted on numerous high visibility and contentious projects and has held
positions as city forester for several municipalities. Recently he was hired by the US
Navy to perform a level 3 assessment and develop a maintenance plan for the famous
“Willoughby Oak”, a magnificent Quercus virginiana specimen located on the grounds of
the Norfolk Naval Base.
James Montgomery Banister: Residential and Commercial Sales Arborist
- Certified Arborist # MA-0558
Mr. Banister has been a working and consulting arborist for more than 35 years. Prior to coming to Happy Tree LLC, Mr. Banister spent over 15 years with his prior company as the Commercial/Contract Arborist for US Navy Tree Contracting services, including all electrical line clearing operations. Mr. Banister has been with Happy Tree since our inception and has worn many hats for Happy Tree as the company has grown, sometimes several at the same time. His skill and knowledge has been an invaluable addition to our company.
Andre Ferguson: Climber / Aerial Operator I, Equipment Operator II, Crew Leader. Certified Arborist # Pending
Mr. Ferguson joined Happy Tree in September of 2022 and has quickly become an invaluable member of the Happy Tree team. It became obvious soon after his hire, Mr. Furguson and arboriculture were a natural fit. His thirst for knowledge coupled with his taking advantage of the training opportunities at Happy Tree, he quickly rose from an entry level position to a skilled climber, Aerial and Equipment operator. Mr. Ferguson is an ISA member and is awaiting his results after sitting for the Certified Aborist examination. We have no doubt we will be adding his name to our list ISA certified arborists.
Thomas Potter: Climber/ Aerial Operator, Equipment Operator II, Crew Leader, Certified Arborist # Pending
Mr. Potter became part of the Happy Tree team in April of 2023 and quickly rose through the ranks to become a skilled arborist, climber and aerial operator. Mr. Potter indicated early on his intentions to acquire the ISA Certified Arborist designation, and to continue to expand his skills and knowledge in all areas of arboriculture. We fully expect Mr. Potter to join the ranks of Happy Tree’s club of Board Certified Master Arborists in short order.