CTUFC members elected two new faces to the executive committee at the annual meeting. Ryan Elliott, a certifed arborist and owner of Treehugger Tree Service, was elected to the board of directors. Rustin Stephens, Fort Worth City Forester, was elected Vice President, a position that then serves as CTUFC President the following year. Rustin graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Forestry. His enthusiasm and passion for arboriculture grew as he was a forester for The Woodlands Township and then on to a consultant and sales arborist for a large tree care company in Houston. Working in central and south Texas, he managed the tree care for several large ranch properties with an emphasis on oak wilt, integrated pest management, construction protection, and fruit production. He has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 2009 and has participated in the Texas Tree Climbing Competition.
Meeting attendees also got to see much of Lake Arlington and learn some interesting facts about the lake and wildlife in the area on a pontoon boat ride after the meeting.
