The Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted John Tokarczyk to operations manager for Davey’s DTE Energy accounts in Michigan and NIPSCO accounts in Indiana. Tokarczyk has more than 20 years of experience in utility vegetation management. His career with Davey started as a journeyman in utility services. He held numerous positions before being promoted to general foreman in 2010. He was promoted to production manager in 2012 and area manager in 2013. Tokarczyk also serves on the Davey President’s Council. He’s a Tree Care Industry Association Certified Tree Care Safety Professional and a member of the International Society of Arboriculture. Tokarczyk holds a bachelor’s degree in technical management from DeVry University.

Arborjet, a manufacturer of lawn care chemicals, promoted Matt Andrus to horticulture technical specialist. Previously, Andrus served as horticulture specialist for Arborjet. Before that, he was the head propagator and manager of six large greenhouses and started a rooftop garden business. Andrus also teaches public and private classes about various cultivation techniques. He studied at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Wyoming.

Ruppert Landscape appointed four employees to its newly developed software development team within its IT department.

• Emil Saweros, who previously held the position of software developer, will lead the software development team as director of software development. Saweros has more than 20 years of IT experience, including six years as a Ruppert employee. He holds a bachelor’s from Cairo University, a master’s in computer science from Loyola University and is currently working on a doctoral degree in information technology at Towson University.
• Melani Halsey, a 10-year Ruppert employee, was promoted from systems support to software support manager. During her tenure at Ruppert, she garnered experience through various positions, such as accounting and pay roll, in the landscape management division.
• Luke Ardizzone was hired as software developer. He will graduate this year from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He’s interned with Ruppert’s IT department during summer and winter breaks for the last four years.
• Jordan Marshall was hired as technical writer. She holds a bachelor’s in Arabic/global governance and conflict from Hood College. She’s also fluent in Spanish and Arabic.

Bayer CropScience appointed four new area sales managers to its turf & ornamental business.

• Clay Breazeale was named area sales manager for North Carolina and South Carolina. Breazeale is a class-A member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. He also holds a bachelor’s in turfgrass science with a minor in horticulture from the University of Florida. Most recently, he served as assistant director of golf course maintenance and operations at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
• Eric Skorich was named area sales manager for Ohio, Kentucky and southern Indiana. Skorich most recently worked with Heritage Golf Club in Hilliard, Ohio, where he served as superintendent since 2012. He also holds a bachelor’s in agronomy from the Ohio State University.
• Cameron Smith was named area sales manager for Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Smith previously served as distributor sales representative and assistant golf course superintendent in the Southern California area for the past eight years. Most recently, he served as a territory manager for crop production services in Oxnard, Calif.
• Eric Snelsire was named area sales manager for Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia. Snelsire served as superintendent at Glen Riddle Golf Course in Maryland since 2006. He holds a bachelor’s in turfgrass science from Penn State University.

Photo: The Davey Tree Expert Co.