BRIAN PAIGE
MEMBER RECEIVES SPOTLIGHT BEACON AWARD
BRIAN PAIGE
MEMBER RECEIVES SPOTLIGHT BEACON AWARD
In this issue ’ s Member Spotlight , we caught up with Matt McCoy , MCLP . Matt works as the Plant Health Care Lead at Harrison McPhee in Millis . He also serves on the MCLP Committee . Thanks , Matt , for sharing a little bit about yourself !
How old were you when you decided you wanted to work in the landscape industry ? I suppose I was right around 23 . I took an entry level position aerating lawns at a lawn and tree care company when I was 19 , thinking that because I love the outdoors , a job where [ working outdoors ] is a requirement would be the least boring . It wasn ’ t until a few years later when my wife and I started having kids that I knew I wanted to make my career as an arborist .
What was your first paying job in the landscape industry ? What were you doing ? Mowing the lawn at my family ’ s church and for some of the parishioners at their homes . There wasn ’ t anyone around to explain that headphones at full volume do not count as hearing protection !
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work ? How have they influenced you ? My family . I want to make sure that I can provide them with a great quality of life and make them proud . The only way I see to do that is to learn as much as I can , work as hard as I can while balancing work and family time and to try my best every day .
What energizes you at work ? Many things . Seeing the results of my work , the growth and successes of my team members , the growth of the business from doing good work , and my amazing colleagues from whom I learn so much .
Favorite piece of equipment ? Product ? Technology / app ? Lately I ’ m in love with the Harvest King hand can sprayer that a colleague introduced to our PHC operations . It makes applying materials to dense , low growing plants a lot easier .
What ’ s your favorite plant or tree ? Why ? I couldn ’ t pick a favorite , but Nyssa sylvatica is high up there for me . It ’ s an important , native plant for our forests , providing both food and shelter for forest animals , nectar for pollinators and beautiful fall color for us to enjoy .
What ’ s something you ’ re good at that most people wouldn ’ t know ? I can make a mean sandwich . This is important to me .
Best book you ’ ve ever read ? Too difficult to choose . Where it applies to my work , I love The Secret Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben .
Top destination on your must-see list ? New Zealand or Alaska
Favorite season ? Autumn
Mountain , lake or ocean ? A mountain lake with only a short distance down to the ocean .
What would we find you doing on your day off ? Enjoying time with my family . We love everything from all kinds of outdoor adventures to simply playing Pickleball or soccer at the house .
What ’ s one thing you ’ re learning now ? Why is it important ? I ’ m learning how to manage trees with beech leaf disease . These trees mean a lot to the people who have asked us to take care of them . We need to understand why and how this condition develops so that we can avoid it happening with different types of trees or plants in the future .
If you didn ’ t work in this industry , what would you be doing instead ? Trying my hand and writing fantasy literature . I ’ m happy to call myself a nerd .
MALP Newsline | Fall 2024 9