Q-Team Tree Service of Naples is refusing to participate in the current recession.

Last year, Q-Team did more tree work than at any time in the company’s 24-year history, including the year of the big ice storm, 1998. Now, Q-Team is gearing up for the 2009 season even better equipped to serve property owners in the Sebago-Long Lake Region.

In December, Q-Team took delivery of a new Case rubber-tracked skid-steer loader which, along with the rubber-tired skid-steer already in use, will be equipped with both a bucket or a log-brush grapple. This tracked machine will enable Q-Team workers to operate much better on loose or soft soil. This is especially important in the spring and in the fall, during the rainy months.

Also, Q-Team is going to new heights for its customers – 75 feet to be exact. In February, Q-Team also took delivery of a new 75-foot bucket truck. This truck adds to a fleet that had already included both a 55-foot and a 65-foot bucket truck.

Q-Team’s recent growth spurs in part from its 2007 merger with Cook’s Tree Service of Bridgton. The strengths of the two companies were combined into one even better company.

Robert Fogg, Q-Team founder, also attributes the company’s success to the professional quality of the employees now on the staff, six of whom are now licensed arborists.

“When a property owner hires Q-Team or Cook’s for tree services, they are hiring a support team whose top priority is customer service,” said Fogg.

Robert Fogg generally handles estimates and crews south of the Naples Causeway, while Adam Gosselin, formerly a partner in Cook’s Tree Service, generally handles estimates and crews north of the Causeway. Jan Boyle is typically the pleasant voice on the phone in the Q-Team office, while Catherine York handles the books.

Aaron Gosselin, also a former partner at Cook’s, will be the crew leader on the new 75-foot bucket truck crew, which also includes Brian Ace. Tommy Nile and Jason Flick make up the climbing crew, while Kevin Prevost and Bruce “Bucket” Pitts handle the 65-foot bucket truck. Steve Shaw, who has worked at Q-Team for close to 15 years, does all the trucking and Donny Allen does the stump grinding and odd jobs.

“The current recession is, in part, a self-fulfilling prophecy brought on by all the negative news in the mainstream media. If people would just turn off the news they would be better off,” said Fogg.

He also believes that one of the reasons Q-Team is doing so well in this economy is due to the fact that people are spending their money closer to home, trying to protect the investment they’ve made in their property, rather than spending it on lavish vacations or wasting it on frivolous items.

Q-Team offers preventative maintenance services such as: removal of dangerous trees and limbs, pruning dead wood, crown thinning-reduction, cabling double-top trees and tree trunk injection. These services help protect the property from falling trees and limbs, out of control roots, and mold or moss damage.

“Trees always grow toward the sunlight, and before people know it, they are getting closed in from all sides” Fogg said.

Robert, Adam and Jan can be reached at 693-3831 (Q-Team line), 647-4051 (Cook’s line), 1-877-693-3831 (toll free) or on the Web at www.Q-Team.com or www.CooksTree.com. The Web site is loaded with information along with an extensive list of testimonials plus a link to an insurance certificate.