John Richards

John Richards is the founder of Tree Care Enterprises and one of Illinois' earliest certified arborists — the 27th person in the state to earn ISA Certified Arborist status, a credential he has held for 48 years.

John's path in arboriculture began with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Michigan Technological University in 1977. A year later, he founded Tree Care Enterprises, building it from the ground up into the company it is today.

Beyond his work in the field, John has been a committed steward of the broader arboricultural community. He served as President of the Klehm Arboretum from 1995 to 1997 and continues to serve as President of the Klehm Foundation, supporting environmental education and conservation in the region.

Outside of work, John has been married to his wife Anita since 1986. They have two children, Natalie and Matthew. Matthew has followed his father into the industry and now leads the Plant Health Care department at Tree Care Enterprises — a natural extension of the family legacy John started nearly five decades ago.