Brigitte Orrick, director of talent development for The Davey Tree Expert Company, based in Kent, Ohio, is an inspiration to women in the landscape, lawn care and tree care industries. She is passionate about promoting the wide range of careers in the industry offers to everyone.
Her willingness to lead and create a field that is supportive of women earned her the Woman Leader of the Year Award.
“It’s incredibly flattering and humbling to be recognized by my respected peers, and a great opportunity to highlight the importance of women leaders in our industry,” Orrick says.
Orrick has always had a huge passion for nature. With a background in forestry and wood science, she spent her early career in the forest products industry.
“During those years, I learned it can get lonely in the forest, and I needed to work closer to people,” Orrick says. “I started working in talent development through higher education in community and technical colleges.”
She joined Davey Tree six years ago and has been focused on talent development as the company has grown over 3,700 positions both through organic growth and mergers and acquisitions.
“Davey increased employee care, including HR programs in onboarding and mentoring; increased access to training opportunities; started the JEDI initiative for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion with employee affinity groups and training for field employees; and built employee experience roles in the business,” Orrick says. “As the leader for talent development, we created a community of practice to engage operations with HR initiatives.”
Orrick says she’s learned many tough lessons as a female in the industry, but they have stretched and shaped her. She’s built resilience through adversity.
“As a woman, I’ve also had exceptional sponsors that saw potential in me and my ideas, and they supported my effort for the better of the organization,” Orrick says. “My voice has been validated and supported by many men over the course of my career, and Davey has provided a culminating opportunity to work with some of the best in the industry.”
She also had difficult seasons when she was developing as a leader at work as a single mother of three children. For Orrick, it is not a juggling act. Family comes first by being present while providing through work.
“I have greater intellectual and emotional capacity to support them today because I can apply many of the same leadership principles I learned at work in my family,” Orrick says. “My partner is an amazing human. He came later in our lives, but he has supported and challenged me when I needed it most.”
Orrick says some women are scared to take on the responsibility of people and families dependent on the business’s success, but many have a natural competitive advantage as leaders.
“Businesses need us,” Orrick says. “Not because of our ability to be nurturers, but because we’re great leaders. We bring business acumen to the boardroom, our clients, and field operations. Women provide solutions and strategies to grow our organizations and are great brokers for equity in the workplace.”
She encourages other women to slow down, learn important lessons, build trust with their teams, and do the work when they get their first leadership role.
Orrick understands how uncomfortable it is to be the only minority in the room. She is a vocal advocate for both women and people of color.
“In addition to being different, persons of color experience workplace challenges and hear voices of self-doubt that come from other sources of society or family/community of origin,” Orrick says. “I’ve always felt it was my job to shed light on learning opportunities, create welcoming spaces that are less threatening, and cultivate workplaces for everyone. I am driven by my shared experience and find deep reward as an ally for persons of color, including close friendships and professional community.”
Orrick has also been actively involved in NALP, volunteering with the Workforce Development Council, the Women in Landscape Network, the National Collegiate Landscaping Competition, SkillsUSA, ELEVATE and Renewal and Remembrance.
“Each volunteer opportunity connected me to experts offering industry specific council I could apply at work,” Orrick says. “I am connected to a huge network of other HR professionals in my industry and have built lasting professional friendships with business executives I respect and admire. I found my people, and I am grateful Davey supports my engagement with NALP.”
This article will be published in the November/December issue of the magazine. To read more stories from The Edge magazine, click here to subscribe to the digital edition.
