Brett Kolander Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Brett Kolander Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Brett Kolander, an estimating arborist at ACRT Pacific, recently celebrated his 20th anniversary with the organization. Learn more about the tenured estimating arborist and his two-decade journey through the vegetation management industry.

Tell us about yourself.

I have a two-year forestry degree along with a bachelor’s degree in economics. I am a Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, and have my TRAQ. I live in Sonora with my wife Shasta and our five dogs. My mother lives five miles down the road. Exploring the high country in the Sonora Pass area is our favorite weekend activity. Last year we found an extremely rare Yosemite Toad at about 10,000 feet elevation.

What did you do prior to joining ACRT Pacific?

I was going to school at Columbia College getting my forestry degree. That’s where I first heard about ACRT via a job posting on campus.

How has your career evolved over the years?

I started out doing distribution routine, moved on to transmission and then to really shake things up, I took a supervisor position for a start-up contract in Northern New Mexico. That was an extremely challenging job where practically every day I was doing something I have never done before. Shortly after that contract ended, I began phase three of my career as an East Coast rover (as were called at the time.) My primary role was as the lead for Aborcision projects. I absolutely loved doing these projects all over the country. Now I’ve recently retired from the road and settled back in right where I started. Being an estimating arborist is an excellent position as the job entails a variety of duties ranging from cutting in access paths to poles, estimating costs of proposed jobs, and there is somewhat of an abstract element too, as you have to project how a new taller pole shifting a few feet will affect the proximity of vegetation to the conductors.

Do you have an interesting story to share from over the years?

After a long hot day in Tempe, Ariz. on an Arborcision project, John Wasmer and I were kicking back at the hotel pool when we saw a tractor-trailer explode at the nearby stoplight.

What has kept you at ACRT Pacific over the years?

The variety, the gained experience, and the friends I’ve made. I would like to thank everyone (you know who you are) that put their trust in me to do the best damn job I possibly could.

Brett and I worked together for many years. I could always rely on him, no matter how long or difficult the project was. He always gave it his all. — John Wasmer, executive vice president of revenue