Our Story
Our Service Motto
To be accurate and ethical in all dealings with our customers by offering fair prices, zero-pressure sales, and total commitment to our service and product quality.
Generations of tree care
On a sunny springtime morning in April 1980, the first privately- and locally-owned bucket truck (known in those days as “man baskets” or “cherry pickers”) was driven into Rapid City, SD by the father and son team of Charles and David Johnson. What began that day as a modest, neighborhood tree-trimming adventure has grown today into the largest, most innovative and full-line tree care company in South Dakota’s history.
In 1983 David left the flourishing family business and moved away from Rapid City after graduating from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology with a B.S. Degree in Computer Science. The unfortunate loss of Charles eight years later in a fatal tree accident prompted Dave’s unplanned return home to head up the shaken tree-care company. To this day, the memory of family patriarch Charles guides the daily activities at the Johnson Tree Company. Charlie’s qualities of genuine character, common sense, effortless honor and uncomplicated integrity remain the underpinning attributes of the Johnson Tree Company’s foundation.
Charles Johnson
Dave Johnson
The Johnson Tree Company continues to build on its future by linking itself to its rich, historical past. We’ve built upon our unprecedented success by providing conscientious care for our customers’ trees and our customers’ treescapes. For 40 years now we’ve been assisting nature in the Black Hills area by nurturing trees into healthy, flourishing specimens of grand and natural beauty.
Today, all personnel at the Johnson Tree Company are academically trained and field trained. They’re tested and proven skilled in all aspects of professional arboriculture. the Johnson Tree Company provides true expertise for all its customers’ tree-care needs – from initial tree sales and installation to long-term tree management and tree maintenance.
The Johnson Tree Company is not a discount cut-and-run tree “service”. Our loyal customers expect to pay a fair price for our 40 years of tree expertise. They rightfully demand – and receive – detailed guidance and specialized tree care for every dollar they spend with us.
Our Staff
DAVID L. JOHNSON
Dave Johnson is a native of Rapid City and the Black Hills. He is proud of the fact that he’s the operator of the region’s most experienced and time-honored tree company. He personally guarantees each customer’s satisfaction with any and all tree work completed by himself and his staff at the Johnson Tree Company.
Education & Certifications
- Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from University of South Dakota, 2003
- Graduate of ASCA Arboriculture Consulting Academy, Chicago, 2002
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 1983
- FAA-Certified Pilot with Commercial and Multi-engine, Instrument and Instructor endorsements
- International Society of Arboriculture – Certified Arborist #MW-0340A