"I am fortunate to love working with trees, which are not only beautiful but also valuable in many ways. They produce the oxygen we breathe, give us shade, and provide homes for birds and squirrels. I love the seasonal transformation of deciduous trees and the constancy of evergreens. For me," says Chris Regan, "a tree is a source of perpetual delight."

Chris's passion for trees took him by surprise. A native of New Zealand, he had always planned a career in business. After finishing business school in 1990, while weighing job options, he took a summer job as an arborist's assistant. Within weeks, he knew he wanted to spend his life with trees.

After receiving a certificate in arboriculture at Waikato Polytechnic, he worked for five years with a leading tree company in Auckland before moving to London, UK. After two years working as an arborist on projects that ranged from maintaining the London plane trees in central London to pruning the trees in the forests of the private deer parks of King Henry VIII, he returned to New Zealand and took a position with the City of Wellington, the nation's capital. In short order, he was promoted to manager of the city's Arboricultural Department and charged with maintaining the health of the city's entire inventory of more than 400,000 trees. One of Chris's proudest achievements was championing and planning the renewal of a city forest that will be enjoyed by succeeding generations.

For fun, Chris took up competitive tree climbing. In 1999, he won the Wellington regional competition and for the next three years organized and judged the event. In 2002, he came to the Bay Area as General Manager for a large tree company. In addition to his continued private study, he continued formal education by training at the American Society of Consulting Arborists. In 2005, he formed his own firm, The Shady Tree Company.

Years of experience, ongoing education, and unswerving dedication to practicing his craft at its highest level are all reflected in Shady Tree service. Chris trains all his employees himself, personally supervises every job, and often works with his team.

Chris's credentials include:

Licensed and Bonded Contractor, California State Contractor's Board: 
an on-the-job injury is covered by the State-NOT by you!