Crane Safety Climber School

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Crane Safety Climber School

Crane Safety Climber SchoolCrane Safety Climber SchoolCrane Safety Climber School
  • Home
  • About Crane School
  • Meet Our Instructors
  • Sponsor
  • Required Gear
  • Nearby Hotels
  • Videos
  • Gallery

Meet Our Instructors

Our workshops are led by expert instructors who are passionate about teaching and have years of experience in their respective fields. They are dedicated to helping you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed. 

Pete Nieves-Sosa

Pete Nieves-Sosa

Pete Nieves-Sosa

  Peter Nieves-Sosa has been a crane operator since 1999. Peter has over 25 years of crane experience, and specializes in large and hazardous tree removal. He is a member of the ISA and TCIA, and a NCCCO Certified crane operator. He started The Crane Man, Inc. in 2008, and is the founder of the Crane Safety Climber School which is now in 

  Peter Nieves-Sosa has been a crane operator since 1999. Peter has over 25 years of crane experience, and specializes in large and hazardous tree removal. He is a member of the ISA and TCIA, and a NCCCO Certified crane operator. He started The Crane Man, Inc. in 2008, and is the founder of the Crane Safety Climber School which is now in its 13th year. His philosophy is educating through sharing personal experiences.

Mike Teti

Pete Nieves-Sosa

Pete Nieves-Sosa

 Mike Teti is a CTSP and ISA certified arborist with more than 30 years experience in the tree care industry. He began his tree climbing career at the age of 20 working as a groundsman and quickly fell in love with the outdoor aspect of the job. Once he began climbing, he knew that in the trees is where he wanted to be. His career has tak

 Mike Teti is a CTSP and ISA certified arborist with more than 30 years experience in the tree care industry. He began his tree climbing career at the age of 20 working as a groundsman and quickly fell in love with the outdoor aspect of the job. Once he began climbing, he knew that in the trees is where he wanted to be. His career has taken him to the tops of some of the tallest trees in some of the most beautiful locations across the country. He now owns and operates his own tree care business, Custom Climber Services, and resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with his wife and two boys. 

Mike has been an integral part of the Crane Safety Climber School since it's inception in 2011.

Rick Yoos

Pete Nieves-Sosa

Fraser Lay

 Rick Yoos has 38 years in the tree industry, 24 years operating knuckleboom cranes, 20 years license tree expert in New Jersey, and 18 years chainsaw safety trainer for the committee for the advancement of arboriculture New Jersey. He has 25 years basic climbing course trainer state of New Jersey, and has been a part of the Crane Safety Climber School for since 2012.

Fraser Lay

Derrick Martin

Fraser Lay

Fraser Lay is the owner of The Tree Man, and has been an integral part of the Crane Safety Climber School since it's inception in 2011.

Our workshops are led by expert instructors who are passionate about teaching and have years of experience in their respective fields. They are dedicated to helping you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.

Derrick Martin

Derrick Martin

Derrick Martin

 Derrick Martin is a professional arborist and competitive tree climber based out of central Pennsylvania and has been in the tree care industry for around 19 years. 

Derrick is currently self-employed as a contract tree climber, has also worked as a general foreman, and was in charge of safety and training at Good's tree care. 

You can cat

 Derrick Martin is a professional arborist and competitive tree climber based out of central Pennsylvania and has been in the tree care industry for around 19 years. 

Derrick is currently self-employed as a contract tree climber, has also worked as a general foreman, and was in charge of safety and training at Good's tree care. 

You can catch Derrick competing at regional and national climbing competitions and as an instructor at ArborFest EXPO. 

He is also an ambassador for Notch and Aspen Fuel.

Daniel Lawton

Derrick Martin

Derrick Martin

  Dan Lawton began climbing trees for fun in 2007 while completing his electrical apprenticeship. While volunteering at the NJ Arborist Work Day in 2009 Dan met some good folks that lead me down the right path to begin tree work as a career. He started competing in ISA Climbing competitions and became a full time climber in 2010. Dan has 

  Dan Lawton began climbing trees for fun in 2007 while completing his electrical apprenticeship. While volunteering at the NJ Arborist Work Day in 2009 Dan met some good folks that lead me down the right path to begin tree work as a career. He started competing in ISA Climbing competitions and became a full time climber in 2010. Dan has been working with cranes for tree removals regularly since 2011. He created Lawton Tree Care to work as a contract climber in 2016, which lead him down a path heavily focused on crane assisted removals. He is a fervent promoter of long crane slings for stabilizing picks with proper sling angles, minimal movement, and zero shock load on the crane. Lastly, he created a couple of the most stabile cuts currently used in the industry, “ The T Cut”, and most importantly, “The M-Cut ©”.

Steve Connally

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

  Steve Connally is an ISA Certified Climbing Arborist for 26 years, CTSP, EHAP, NCCCO Licensed Crane Operator, TCIA Crane Operations Specialist Instructor, Instructor Crane Safety Climber School, Instructor The Ascension Group NW, Research Climber The College of William and Mary, The Center for Conservation Biology, Veteran US Navy, Capt

  Steve Connally is an ISA Certified Climbing Arborist for 26 years, CTSP, EHAP, NCCCO Licensed Crane Operator, TCIA Crane Operations Specialist Instructor, Instructor Crane Safety Climber School, Instructor The Ascension Group NW, Research Climber The College of William and Mary, The Center for Conservation Biology, Veteran US Navy, Captain/Paramedic Retired, he has been with Norfolk Fire Rescue for 26 years, and is the Owner Adaptable Aerial Solutions LLC.  

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

Dave has been the technical consultant and trainer at WesSpur Tree Equipment for the last 15 years, and operator of Ascension Group since 2015. Dave is an ISA Certified Arborist for 24 years, and has been an instructor for the Crane Safety Climber School since 2015. 

Dave is currently a SPRAT level 1 rope technician and a wilderness first 

Dave has been the technical consultant and trainer at WesSpur Tree Equipment for the last 15 years, and operator of Ascension Group since 2015. Dave is an ISA Certified Arborist for 24 years, and has been an instructor for the Crane Safety Climber School since 2015. 

Dave is currently a SPRAT level 1 rope technician and a wilderness first responder. 

Dave gained some of his experience as a volunteer firefighter, member of the Hot Shots, timber faller, and as a fisherman on the Bering Sea.

Mike Livingston

"Nice Guy" Dave SticE

Mike Livingston

 Mike Livingston is a 2nd generation tree man Arborist. He has worked at Shreiner tree care for 27 years, and climbed for 22 years.

Mike is a certified ISA Arborist/ CTSP certified/ NCCCO and certified 

Crane Operator for 10 years.

 He has been an integral part of the Crane Safety Climber School since it's inception in 2011. 

Jim Roach

Paul Biester

Mike Livingston

  Jim Roach is the safety coordinator, senior crew leader, head of climber development, and production lead at John B. Ward & Co. for the last 28 years. He has been in the arboricultural field for 37 years.

Jim is a seven time Penn Del Tree climbing champion, and has been a lecturer and instructor abroad.

He has been an integral part of the Crane Safety Climber School since it's inception in 2011.

Paul Biester

Paul Biester

Paul Biester

 Paul Biester is the founder CEO

Of Tree Awareness Inc

A TCIA Accredited company since 2017.

They have been in business since 1993 and Paul’s career started in 1984.

A licensed tree, expert in the state of New Jersey.

A CTSP  since 2017

Paul has almost 40 years of tree climbing experience and was an early adopter using knuckleboom cranes doing 

 Paul Biester is the founder CEO

Of Tree Awareness Inc

A TCIA Accredited company since 2017.

They have been in business since 1993 and Paul’s career started in 1984.

A licensed tree, expert in the state of New Jersey.

A CTSP  since 2017

Paul has almost 40 years of tree climbing experience and was an early adopter using knuckleboom cranes doing tree removals.

A trainer with the CAA for over 20 years and with crane school since 2017

Also a speaker at TCIA EXPO,ARBOR expo, and Garden state tree conference.

“I consider myself a student first and still have an open mind to adopt new gear, techniques , and approaches. . I love sharing my passion for the trade that has taken care of me for 40 years.”

Rob Thigpen

Paul Biester

Paul Biester

Rob Thigpen has been in the Tree care industry for 35 years.
He is a 2 time Penn-Del tree climbing competition winner with over 25 years of competition experience.
Rob is a lead Instructor for NATS going on 6 years now.
He has 15 years as a volunteer fire fighter with numerous NFPA certifications including structural fire, vehicle rescue,

Rob Thigpen has been in the Tree care industry for 35 years.
He is a 2 time Penn-Del tree climbing competition winner with over 25 years of competition experience.
Rob is a lead Instructor for NATS going on 6 years now.
He has 15 years as a volunteer fire fighter with numerous NFPA certifications including structural fire, vehicle rescue, rope rescue and confined space.
He can also be seen helping at local levels with competitions and other industry related events to give back to the industry. 

Chris Girard

Alex Gulledge

Chris Girard

  Chris Girard is an NH and ISA Certified Arborist. He is also a full-time production climber, SPRAT Level 1 Rope Access Technician, author, and instructor from Gilmanton, N.H. Having grown up working with trees, Chris started off logging and is a former Certified Professional Logger. He has a passion for technical rigging work and was on

  Chris Girard is an NH and ISA Certified Arborist. He is also a full-time production climber, SPRAT Level 1 Rope Access Technician, author, and instructor from Gilmanton, N.H. Having grown up working with trees, Chris started off logging and is a former Certified Professional Logger. He has a passion for technical rigging work and was one of the first Crane Safety Climber School students back in 2010, before transitioning to an instructor. Chris is the owner and operator of Girard Tree Service, LLC along with his wife Heide.

Shawn Rowley

Alex Gulledge

Chris Girard

 Shawn Rowley, Foreman of Treeworks is a NJ ISA Certified Arborist with over 25 years of in the field experience. Shawn, a Crane Safety Climber School Instructor, for now his 7th year, has extensive tree care industry knowledge from his years of hands-on climbing, rigging & crane work that enables him to provide quality work safely to the Southern New Jersey area. 

Alex Gulledge

Alex Gulledge

Alex Gulledge

 Alex Gulledge grew up all over the US, landed in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver. He has been managing Splintered Forest Tree Care for 11 years, crane operator for 8 years, and
specializes in tough terrain tree removal and Wildland fire mitigation.
He enjoys outdoor adventure sports and warm milk before midday naps on a sunny afternoon.

Doug Muth

Chris Shiffer

Alex Gulledge

 Owner/operator of DJM TREE LLC based in Media Pennsylvania. Penn State Alumni, Certified ISA arborist and CTSP (Certified Tree Safety Professional). Climbing since 2004. Attended Crane Man Inc. Advanced Climber School as a student in 2011. This will be his third year attending as an instructor.

Devon Hutton

Chris Shiffer

Chris Shiffer

From Horseshoe Valley Ontario, Devon has been in the tree industry for 30 years, he has run his own tree & crane business for 26, ISA Certified Arborist, has been climbing for 24 years, and working with cranes for over 20. Devon has been a crane operator specializing in tree removals for the last 9 years. Devon loves to train, help & teac

From Horseshoe Valley Ontario, Devon has been in the tree industry for 30 years, he has run his own tree & crane business for 26, ISA Certified Arborist, has been climbing for 24 years, and working with cranes for over 20. Devon has been a crane operator specializing in tree removals for the last 9 years. Devon loves to train, help & teach other arborists crane work and pass along the knowledge he's gained over the years as well and keep on learning new & updated techniques himself. When not doing trees Devon like to spend time with his daughters, ride motorcycles, ATV’s and drive his jeep.

Chris Shiffer

Chris Shiffer

Chris Shiffer

 Chris Schiffer is employed by Bartlett Tree Experts in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. He the is Local Office Safety Coordinator and Crew Leader. 

Chris is an ISA Certified Arborist, TCIA-CTSP.  


Bryan Weaver

Lawrence Schultz

Bryan Weaver

 After graduating from Penn State Mt. Alto with a degree in Forest Technology, Bryan worked as a climber/ground crew for three years before starting Climb High Tree Service in 2002. After many years of hiring in a stick crane, a knuckleboom crane was added to Climb High Tree Service’s equipment in 2016, and two years later was upgraded to

 After graduating from Penn State Mt. Alto with a degree in Forest Technology, Bryan worked as a climber/ground crew for three years before starting Climb High Tree Service in 2002. After many years of hiring in a stick crane, a knuckleboom crane was added to Climb High Tree Service’s equipment in 2016, and two years later was upgraded to a new knuckleboom crane with a grapplesaw attachment. In 2022 Climb High Tree Service was sold which enabled Bryan to transition to offering knuckleboom crane/grapplesaw services to other tree care companies full-time through CHT Crane Service, LLC. Bryan is an ISA Certified Arborist®(PD-1428A) with a TRAQ credential, a TCIA Crane Operator Specialist, and is a certified articulating crane operator through both NCCER and NCCCO. 

Chuck Guy

Lawrence Schultz

Bryan Weaver

 Chuck Guy began doing tree work in 1984, at 61 yrs old, he is Owner of The Tree Guy in the Toronto Canada area.

Chuck has been involved with the Crane Safety Climbing School since 2016, and has been an instructor with Sugarbush Tree Service Canadian Crane Assisted Climber Course since it’s inception in 2021.

He has been a Professional Firefighter for 35 years. 

Lawrence Schultz

Lawrence Schultz

Lawrence Schultz

  Lawrence started his 20 year tree career in Montgomery county for Arader Tree service. After which he went on to spend a decade in NYC working for the Brooklyn Forestry Dept, then Central Park, all while maintaining a small contract climbing service. He's been a full time contract climber in the Bay Area for the last +8 years. In recent

  Lawrence started his 20 year tree career in Montgomery county for Arader Tree service. After which he went on to spend a decade in NYC working for the Brooklyn Forestry Dept, then Central Park, all while maintaining a small contract climbing service. He's been a full time contract climber in the Bay Area for the last +8 years. In recent seasons he's gotten into sharing some of his experiences in the hopes that they can be helpful to other up and coming climbers. He's very honored to be able to help with the Crane Climber Safety School that he attended for 2 years.

Kyle Tufts

Kyle Tufts

Lawrence Schultz

NCCCO Certified Operator.

6 years experience operating and maintaining cranes with The Crane Man, Inc. 8 years experience in tree work with Arbor Smith. 

2013 Delaware Valley College graduate. 

2019-2022 Top Producing Operator. 2022 and 2023 Most Requested Operator. When he's not operating a crane, he likes shooting guns and tinkering in his garage.

Jake Riggs

Kyle Tufts

Jake Riggs

 Jake Riggs is a 3rd Generation Climber-Certified Arborist, at Riggs Tree Service. 15 years out of High School. Jake is a 2 time Penn Del TCC Champ and an avid Eagles fan.

"I bleed Green!"

Brad May

Kyle Tufts

Jake Riggs

   Brad May is the crane operator at Cumberland Valley Tree Service. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, TCIA CTSP, TCIA Qualified Trainer, MD Licensed Tree Expert, CCO Certified Signalperson & Rigger I/II, NCCER Crane Operator, and PA Licensed Crane Operator. Brad was a production climber for 6 years before becoming a crane operator.

ANTHONY TRESSELT

 Anthony Tresselt, is a certified arborist, arboricultural safety consultant, trainer and 30 year student of arboriculture and tree climbing. He is a lead instructor with Arboriculture Canada Training and Education. As a part of the amazing ArbCan team, he travels, educates, facilitates and writes helping to spread the word of safe, effic

 Anthony Tresselt, is a certified arborist, arboricultural safety consultant, trainer and 30 year student of arboriculture and tree climbing. He is a lead instructor with Arboriculture Canada Training and Education. As a part of the amazing ArbCan team, he travels, educates, facilitates and writes helping to spread the word of safe, efficient arboriculture.

His mission as arborist, leader, educator and human is to have a positive impact of growth and achievement on everyone he interacts with whether in person, through books and articles, or online media. To quote his mentor and philosophy professor Dr. R Ginsburg, “Teaching is the hope I practice.”

He is also a regular contributor to several arboricultural trade magazines and has two works of fiction based on trees and tree climbing novels published, Free Falling & Fall Factor which can be found on Amazon. 

Volunteer Coordinators

Doug Doll

Kimberly Nieves-Sosa

Kimberly Nieves-Sosa

 Doug is President and ISA Certified Arborist at D’s Trees Inc in Pensacola Florida. He is a TCIA Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP). Additionally, Doug is a NCCER certified crane operator for both all-terrain and articulating cranes. He is an experienced grapple saw truck operator and owner. He currently operates a 50 ton all

 Doug is President and ISA Certified Arborist at D’s Trees Inc in Pensacola Florida. He is a TCIA Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP). Additionally, Doug is a NCCER certified crane operator for both all-terrain and articulating cranes. He is an experienced grapple saw truck operator and owner. He currently operates a 50 ton all-terrain crane for tree work. Doug is a retired military helicopter pilot and helicopter rescue swimmer. 

Kimberly Nieves-Sosa

Kimberly Nieves-Sosa

Kimberly Nieves-Sosa

 Kimberly received her Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting with a minor in Journalism from Millersville University.

      She has experience as both a photographer and writer in all media formats, as well as portrait and wedding photography for over 25 years. From 2000 to 2006 she worked as a Media Specialist for Browning Communications/Br

 Kimberly received her Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting with a minor in Journalism from Millersville University.

      She has experience as both a photographer and writer in all media formats, as well as portrait and wedding photography for over 25 years. From 2000 to 2006 she worked as a Media Specialist for Browning Communications/Browning LaFrankie, and has been the Vice President of The Crane Man, Inc. since 2008. She has been an integral part of the Crane Safety Climber School since it's inception in 2011.

Kimberly also serves on the board of the Kind Like Joey Foundation.

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