isa

[Pelorus]

So you do want an ISA police to protect your investment? Because ISA did not promote you? Come on man, if you are the man,, then let them know,, don't expect ISA to promote you,, promote yourself. Beer time!
Jeff

LOL Jeff! You're the man. I'm just a midget.
My "million dollar"marketing campaign is being shrewdly and meticulously undertaken, and rest assured I'm not feeling hard done by the ISA. Caught a typo yesterday on a new business card proof that had me listed as a TSA Certified Arborist.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I dont think that's what we're talking about. At least not me. The ISA should promote themselves to folks other than arborists.

They do,, HOA's, Golf Course's, commercial property's, muni and gov.
The fact that you said 'Folk's", shows that what I said is right,,You feel ISA should promote you and you not them.
Either work the cert or don't get it it! Quit #####ing, (Sorry),, really, chose your market.
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

 

[jefflovstrom]

LOL Jeff! You're the man. I'm just a midget.
My "million dollar"marketing campaign is being shrewdly and meticulously undertaken, and rest assured I'm not feeling hard done by the ISA. Caught a typo yesterday on a new business card proof that had me listed as a TSA Certified Arborist.

Well, you are from Canada,,,, LOL!!!!!!
Jeff,,

 

[Pelorus]

"work the cert or don't get it it"

Does that mean when you buy a car you have to do the marketing for the automaker?

 

[stltreedr]

I work for municipalities, they know about isa because they have a ca on staff. And im not #####in either. I would be certified anyway. I dont want isa to promote my particular business any more than the nra promotes each individual gun dealer. They protect and promote their values and their brand, they work every day to make the environment better for gun owners and dealers. But that wouldn't work if noone had ever heard of them.

 

[Pelorus]

HOA's, Golf Course's, commercial property's, muni and gov.h
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

Yup. The ISA refers to this as: "global efforts to inform tree care consumers"
I think your average tree care consumer doesn't own a golf course or commercial property, so mebbe the wording should read: "global efforts to lobby business interests with deep pockets"

 

[Pelorus]

This devils advocate business is great fun! oke:

 

[jefflovstrom]

This devils advocate business is great fun! oke:

We don't do residential but I can relate.
Jeff,, tired, see ya tomorrow,,
Jeff

 

[Pelorus]

Good night, Jeff.
Hope you have a beautiful day tomorrow.

 

[lxt]

Jeff,

dont you find it funny that municipalities, utilities & some state contracts require one to be ISA CA...........why lobby to make the cert a requirement for certain entities & not lobby on a broader spectrum?

you dont work residential but many here do, I worked the residential/commercial market which catered to a large group, I thought being diversified would expand my biz.........silly me! I dont expect anyone nor would I want anyone to promote my biz, but the main part of all our complaints is about a Certification that is widely non recognized, a Certification that no longer sets us apart because anyone with a rudimentary level of reading & spelling can take the test and pass EASILY, the actual skills & ID modules have been eliminated to a point where a ####ing 9 year old is a CA

How screwed up Jeff...........do you like knowing that you are on the same academic level as a 9 year old or better yet lets be politically correct and let those on the short bus take & pass the exam, wouldnt wanna leave anyone out...........hell how about Mr. smith at 76? his prostrates gone, he cant walk but hey he`s a CA for the local town shade tree commision, never mind that catarack dam near blinding him!!!

Its a dam joke & becoming an embarrassment to those in the trade who can do the job & have the knowledge.......where I work right now they`re making all the older linemen perform an aerial rescue & if they cant do it.......? possible decertification!!!! lets make the CA similar!!!!!!!!!!!



LXT............

 

[Pelorus]

LXT, just want to clarify that I was being facetious in affirming what somebody else posted about a 9 yr. old actually becoming a CA. Perhaps there actually are prepubescent ISA CA's running around playing in trees after the school bus drops them off, but I don't actually know of any...........yet.

 

[Pelorus]

3 "actually"s in that post. Yuck.

 

[StrataTree]

3 "actually"s in that post. Yuck.

Actually, their dad is a CA, and MAY have been making a point about the process that many of you actually agree with, IT'S JUST TOO EASY!

And ACTUALLY I agree that something needs to distinguish the CA newbie from the CA pro...but I got nothin. So the whole deal about a person needing 3 yrs of work experience before they take the test, I guess that's not cutting it cuz companies are working around that requirement in order to get their climbers certified OR 3 yrs ain't enuf experience to keep ya from bein a hack.
Maybe the ISA should enforce the criteria a little harder or make sure the "experience" applicants provide is strictly climbing and verifiable...Or, as others have stated, do away with the climber focus and make it so an applicant must be experienced in ALL aspects of arboriculture. And then make the test reflect that....and no hand holding. Pass or Fail!
The ISA may go broke but there won't be CA hacks, or at least not as many. And your CA would actually mean somethin!

That's 4 actually's I win

 

[Pelorus]

If you look through the ISA 2011 Annual Report, it lists expenditures of $2.3 Million for Administration, and $392,000 for Public / Industry Relations.
I dunno, but with revenues of $7 & 1/2 Million, the $392,000 doesn't seem like a lot. Around 5%. I would certainly think twice before donating money to a not-for-profit organization that spends 30% of it's income on administration. I'm pretty sure that registered charities should be able to keep their administration overhead to 20% or less. And yeah, I know the ISA isn't a charity.

 

[stltreedr]

And ACTUALLY I agree that something needs to distinguish the CA newbie from the CA pro...but I got nothin. :

There is The BCMA- Which is very difficult, and requires a ton of documentation to qualify to take the test. Still though, the awareness isn't there with the public- If John Q Public doesn't know what a CA is, there's no way he would know what BCMA is.

 

[stltreedr]

If you look through the ISA 2011 Annual Report, it lists expenditures of $2.3 Million for Administration, and $392,000 for Public / Industry Relations.
I dunno, but with revenues of $7 & 1/2 Million, the $392,000 doesn't seem like a lot. Around 5%. I would certainly think twice before donating money to a not-for-profit organization that spends 30% of it's income on administration. I'm pretty sure that registered charities should be able to keep their administration overhead to 20% or less. And yeah, I know the ISA isn't a charity.

Those numbers are crazy...When the mission statement is to to globally promote arboriculture, then only 5% of revenue goes toward that end...Shameful.

 

[Pelorus]

Not necessarily. $1.26 Million got spent on "educational goods and services" (which generated $1 .5 Million in revenue). Books, brochures, DVD's, etc. Internal sales to the arborist community vs the general public. Perhaps the idea here is to get arborists to buy the brochures to hand out to interested parties, which I have done in the past.
I do feel that the administration overhead is a tad on the high side, and may be even higher than stated, if some salaries are buried in the "program delivery" expense category.

 

[mckeetree]

There is The BCMA- Which is very difficult, and requires a ton of documentation to qualify to take the test. Still though, the awareness isn't there with the public- If John Q Public doesn't know what a CA is, there's no way he would know what BCMA is.

I'm a CA not a BCMA but since that credential came about I have worked for ONE customer that had heard of a BCMA. Just heard of now, they had no idea what it was but they had heard of it.

 

[timberland ts]

No different than the government they do whats best for them not the people. Until you get the average small business men and women envolved things wont change.

 

[treeseer]

I'm a CA not a BCMA but since that credential came about I have worked for ONE customer that had heard of a BCMA. Just heard of now, they had no idea what it was but they had heard of it.

Very different in this market, where BCMA has been promoted since 2004--many clients know CA and want more, and will pay more for BCMA. Just did a $1100 job thanks to BCMA. # of other bidders, Zero.

"No different than the government they do whats best for them not the people. Until you get the average small business men and women envolved things wont change."

Where is TCIA in this thread? Their mission is to do what a lot of you all are saying ISA should be doing.