Dan Mayer Honored with VISTA Award
A“ sit down” with Dan Mayer, MCA.
Tell us a bit about the start of Mayer Tree Service and where you are today. The business started in 1995 with just a 1-ton truck. Along the way, we did whatever it took to stay busy until we got busy enough just doing trees, and that is where we are today. We offer high-production tree removal, PHC, lawn care, composting, bark mulch production, arborist equipment sales, large equipment sales, and so much more.
We do the difficult, but it is the impossible that we enjoy doing most!
What’ s the best business advice you ever received?“ You can ' t do that; it will never work.”
Congratulations! Dan Mayer, MCA is joined by his wife Jennifer and daughter Eden as Dan McCarthy, MCA( left), presents him with the 2026 VISTA Award.
The MAA ' s highest honor recognizes individuals whose leadership, professionalism, and commitment have left a lasting mark on the arboriculture profession. This year, that honor was bestowed on Dan Mayer, MCA, owner of Mayer Tree Service in Essex, who received the VISTA Award before an enthusiastic audience of colleagues, family, and friends.
Dan ' s longtime friend and colleague, Dan McCarthy, MCA, delivered a heartfelt tribute filled with his trademark good humor. Through stories and photos, attendees were taken on a trip down memory lane starting with Dan ' s humble beginnings to the respected industry leader he is today – a trip that highlighted his entrepreneurial spirit, unwavering optimism, professional accomplishments, and decades of innovation and service in the tree care industry.
As McCarthy concluded his remarks, the room rose in a standing ovation. Clearly moved by the recognition, Dan accepted the award with gratitude and reflected on the career he has built alongside so many friends and colleagues. " I ' ve enjoyed the whole ride. All the people I get to interact with on a daily basis: my team, our customers, and other arborists. There ' s nothing better,” he said.
What do you like most about what you do? I like making things happen. I enjoy making difficult decisions. I love working with my team. I have a lot of crazy friends and colleagues who will join me or allow me to collaborate with them.
Who are some of your mentors? I have always had a tremendous appreciation for all the MAA members who took an interest in me. I ' m amazed that they took the time to let me sit with them at a meeting, take my call, or work with them or their crews. Matt Foti, Paul West, Bob Maltby, Jim Kelley, Virginia Wood, and so many more. I really appreciate it and think of them often.
What advice would you share with people starting in the tree care industry today? Enjoy! Money is just a byproduct of doing what you love. I would let them know how lucky they are, as this is a place with the greatest people and the best of times. Don’ t ever chase money- it ' s elusive.
Know someone you’ d like to nominate for the VISTA Award? MAA members are encouraged to nominate colleagues for VISTA award consideration. Please write a letter to the MAA board of directors with the name of your nominee and include the reasons why you believe they should receive the award. Take the award’ s purpose and title into consideration when crafting your nomination letter. Be specific, cite examples, include details and, if possible, ask for letters of support for your nominee from other MAA members. The deadline for nominations is October 10, 2026. Learn more at https:// massarbor. org / VISTA-AWARD.
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