The Dawn of an Era
Every great business begins somewhere...
...and the origin story behind 4 Seasons is one for the books. David Schreier and Jim Bonner first met in September of 2004, and this meeting sparked a nearly 5-year relationship that resulted in the creation of the company as we know it today.
They bonded over their innate passion for all things “tree”, and although they began their careers in unrelated industries—this bond allowed them to ditch the career they thought they wanted for one that was, and still is, more fulfilling.
Jim "Papa Jim" Bonner
Jim at just 19 years old was a budding athlete and used his natural ability to excel in the tree care business. He started working for a local landscaping and tree company owned by a high school gymnastics coach in Radnor, PA.
Jim says he “found a passion for tree work” through his incredible gymnastics abilities, and a love of “messy and dirty work” from his early years in the tree business.
He worked for this company from 1968-1970, mostly during the summers but also took on side jobs to make extra money.
Between 1970-1977 Jim hopped around to and from various tree companies where he would drag brush and eventually found a love for climbing. In 1977, Jim was introduced to Armstrong Tree Experts, a “sophisticated company”, where over the next 6 years he would learn to climb, how to properly rig, and more.
Due to tough competition on the jobsite, it was a challenge for Jim to find the time to perfect his climbing skills. But these obstacles were nothing for Jim Bonner.
He was introduced to a coworker, and in conjunction with the owner, Bruce, took Jim under their wing to teach him the ins-and-outs of the profession. Jim recalls Bruce taking him up “a really huge maple tree” then suddenly suggesting they “make it a race to the top”.
Jim was on board with Bruce’s surprise, and actually ended up winning the pseudo-challenge presented by his boss -- by 40 feet! At this very moment, Jim knew he was destined to be a great climber, and Bruce gained a newfound respect for Jim.
In the beginning of every summer, the crew would go to a tree jamboree where they would join in competitions such as speed climbing, aerial rescue and more! During this time, Jim also went back to school at Temple University where he would get his undergrad (1982) and Masters (1984) for Psychology.
During Jim’s last two years with Armstrong, he took a leap of faith and started his own tree care company called ‘Bonner Tree Service’ which served the Main Line area. The company was established in 1982 and Jim closed up shop in 1985 to make a move out to California where he would work as a counselor for the next six years.
When Jim returned from California, he offered his skills to his friend Dave, a new entrepreneur in the tree care industry. He worked with Dave for one year before he was recruited by Downingtown Area School District as a school counselor in 1996 due to his 35-year history of working in the Clinical Mental Health industry.
In 2004, in the midst of his career as a counselor, Jim began doing freelance tree work on the weekends. That same year, a mutual friend of Jim’s recommended a newcomer to join his ranks, assisting with groundwork and other business-related needs.
This in turn, aided said newcomer in his effort to establish himself in the area. The out-of-towner’s name was David Schreier, and this opportunity led them both down a path towards partnership.
In 2005, Jim had a terrible accident and was sadly unable to work for close to 6 months. Both he, David and the company took a half year hiatus while Jim was in recovery.
It took 5 more years for this infantile partnership to mature and become official in the eyes of the government. In spring of 2009, 4 Seasons Arborscapes LLC made its debut.
David "Gingersnap" Schreier
David launched his first business when he was 13 years old mowing his neighbor’s lawns with mowers they provided.
During his sophomore year in high school, he was hired at a local garden center and loved every moment of it. He says, “I really liked that kind of work, surrounded by trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, fertilizer and grass seed. I’ve always liked the world of things that grow”.
He worked here for about 13 years including his time at college and his first years working in Corporate America, joining Metromedia Long Distance in 1987. However, after 17 years of hard work and dedication, David, like many others, fell victim to the collapse of WorldCom.
In a spur-of-the-moment decision, David made the move from the New York City area where he called home for nearly 20 years, to Phoenixville, PA to find a new start.
That September, a mutual friend recommended he get in touch with a friend of hers in the tree care industry named Jim Bonner.
David joined Jim and his crew on a job site in Paoli that weekend, and they immediately hit it off. David recalls, “I had a lot of fun, I really enjoyed my very first day. I didn’t really know anything about rigging or anything like that, but I learned quickly. It was the crew’s team spirit that I really liked, which was also very akin to the team spirit at Lynch’s Garden Center”.
In early 2005, David was hired by a prominent telecommunications equipment company. Despite the new gig, David would commute from Upper Bucks County, PA to Phoenixville to work for Jim on the weekends and vacations.
In 2007, David was promoted to be an Executive Leader for the entire New England region of the same company. And yet again, despite the remarkable distance, David still worked with Jim on every vacation. It was obvious, maybe not at the time, that tree care was his calling.
In the winter of 2008, David initiated the first ‘what if’ conversation, one that would spark many more, and lead Jim and David on a path to more than a decade-long partnership dedicated to preserving, protecting, and properly maintaining trees.
After many quandaries, calls, and decisions, a final verdict was made in September 2008 at the height of the 2008 Financial Crisis. That April, 4 Seasons Arborscapes LLC officially became a registered business, and was on its way to becoming the extraordinary tree service company we all know and love today.
