At Expert Tree Academy, our most meaningful partnerships often begin with education and grow into lasting collaborations that benefit the entire arboriculture and utility vegetation management profession. Our partnership with Baker Topping, Inc. is a perfect example.

Founder Mike Baker first connected with Expert Tree Academy by enrolling in our Certified Arborist Examination Preparation Course. Committed to expanding his professional knowledge, Mike successfully passed the Certified Arborist examination on his first attempt. His experience with Expert Tree Academy demonstrated the value of quality, industry-focused education and inspired him to support our mission of preparing the next generation of skilled arborists and utility vegetation management professionals.

Today, Baker Topping has become one of Expert Tree Academy's valued industry partners through a generous $24,000 sponsorship supporting our Jarraff Equipment and Outdoor Equipment Operations Course. Their investment helps provide students with hands-on experience operating specialized vegetation management equipment used to maintain utility rights-of-way, improve electrical reliability, and protect critical infrastructure.

Based in California's Central Valley, Baker Topping, Inc. is a respected provider of professional topping, hedging, and vegetation management services. The company serves a diverse range of agricultural producers while also performing transmission line pruning and utility vegetation management for utility companies throughout Central California—from the Grapevine to the Lodi region.

Their work plays an important role in supporting both California agriculture and the reliability of the electric power system by maintaining vegetation clearances, promoting healthy plant growth, and helping utilities protect critical transmission infrastructure.

What distinguishes Baker Topping is a culture built on exceptional customer service, clear communication, and long-term relationships. The company approaches every project with the mindset that each customer's property deserves the same care, attention, and professionalism they would expect on their own land. That commitment to quality has earned Baker Topping a reputation as a trusted partner throughout the agricultural and utility vegetation management industries.

Mike Baker understands firsthand how professional education can transform careers. After experiencing the impact of Expert Tree Academy's training, he chose to invest in creating those same opportunities for future students.

His support of the Jarraff Equipment and Outdoor Equipment Operations Course helps prepare students for careers in:

• Utility Vegetation Management
• Mechanical Right-of-Way Maintenance
• Jarraff Equipment Operations
• Specialized Vegetation Management Equipment
• Transmission Corridor Maintenance
• Arboriculture and Forestry Operations

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing a safer, more highly skilled workforce capable of meeting the growing demands of utility vegetation management and energy infrastructure maintenance.

As demand for qualified equipment operators and utility arborists continues to grow nationwide, partnerships like this ensure students receive practical, employer-driven training that prepares them for successful careers while helping employers address critical workforce shortages.

Expert Tree Academy is honored to partner with Baker Topping, Inc., and we sincerely thank Mike Baker and the entire Baker Topping team for their leadership, generosity, and commitment to advancing our industry.

Together, we are investing in people, strengthening communities, and helping build the workforce that will keep America's agricultural landscapes and energy infrastructure safe, productive, and resilient.