Lewis Hires Director of Safety & Human Performance to Drive Industry-Leading Program

Zieglar continues Lewis’ world-class commitment to workforce safety.

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – September 27, 2023—Lewis Tree Service, one of the nation’s largest providers of vegetation management services, has appointed Alaina Zieglar to serve as Director of Safety and Human Performance for its 4000+ workforce. In this role, Zieglar is responsible for overseeing the continuous development of the company’s extensive safety culture by coordinating, administering, and implementing comprehensive safety and training programs.

Zieglar is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) with more than 18 years of experience in employee safety, human performance, and continuous process improvement. Recognized for her leadership in developing and leading environmental health and safety programs across a 21,000-employee enterprise, Zieglar has spearheaded behavior-based safety initiatives within distributed workforces in multiple industries. With a Bachelor of Science in Safety and Environmental Engineering Technology and professional certifications in Health, Safety, Emergency Response, and Human Performance Improvement Training—Zieglar’s impressive credentials serve as the foundation of a safety-centric career that is dedicated to results and driven by continuous improvement.

“We are incredibly excited to have Alaina join the Lewis team,” said Chad Fay, Senior Vice President, Operations Support. “Lewis is proud to have developed the most transformational safety program in the industry and Alaina’s extensive experience further advances our ongoing growth and operational excellence.”

Founded 85 years ago in Rochester, NY, Lewis now operates in 27 states and is 100% employee-owned. Lewis crews perform electric and gas line maintenance for utilities of all sizes, support right-of-way capital projects, and provide crucial storm restoration services. All of these functions carry significant risk, and the gravity of this work is not lost on Zieglar.

“Our frontline crews are often the first to respond to a disaster and the last to leave. When Hurricane Idalia hit Florida in September, more than 1,000 Lewis workers mobilized to support our customers,” Zieglar shares. “Keeping our teams safe during daily operations and emergency restoration work is Lewis’ primary mission—and my number one goal. I am inspired and motivated by the commitment of our team and privileged to support this critical work.”