Scott M. Asplundh's grandfather, Griffith Asplundh, co-founded the company in 1928

WILLOW GROVE, PA / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Scott M. Asplundh, former Chairman and CEO of Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC, passed away on Thursday, January 22, from complications of ALS. He was 68.

Scott was born in Abington, Pennsylvania, to Paul and Mary Lee Asplundh in 1957. In 1928, his grandfather, Griffith Asplundh, cofounded the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. with his brothers Lester and Carl, and served as its first president from 1928 until his death in 1948. Scott's father, Paul, also spent 40 years with the company as an executive and board chair. Today, Asplundh is one of the country's leading providers of utility vegetation management and infrastructure services and remains headquartered in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Raised in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Scott was one of four siblings. He attended Academy of the New Church for high school where he was an accomplished, all-season athlete, serving as captain, quarterback and defensive linebacker for the football team, captain of the ice hockey team and captain and catcher of the baseball team. He graduated in 1976.

Scott married his high school sweetheart, Hali, in1980. The couple were married for 45 years and had two children, Madeleine and Jared.

Scott spent summers as a part time member of various tree-trimming crews for his family's company while a student at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. After graduating with a degree in Economics, he joined Asplundh full-time in 1980 and held various field positions in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Illinois. He earned an MBA from Penn State University in 1982 and by 1985, was named manager of operations in a region serving Missouri and eastern Kansas.

In 1987, Scott was elected vice president and transferred to the corporate headquarters in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. While in the corporate offices, he oversaw multiple vegetation management regions in the United States, Australia and New Zealand and several subsidiary operations in construction and utility locating services. Scott was elected president of Asplundh in 2001 and named CEO in 2010. In 2017, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, a post he maintained while serving as CEO. He was the first among his family's third generation to rise to those leadership positions.

Under Scott's stewardship, Asplundh experienced considerable growth as it expanded its core vegetation management business and developed its infrastructure business through acquisitions and by enhancing its construction, lighting and engineering service subsidiaries.

During his tenure, Scott also fostered the company's strong safety culture and led the implementation of telematics to evaluate and improve fleet operations. Scott also oversaw the transition of paper record keeping systems to digital and established the company's executive management development and director of operations programs, opening leadership to non-family members as the company's management needs grew.

In 2021, after 42 years of exemplary service to the company, Scott elected to step down from his daily responsibilities due to health reasons, while remaining a part of its board of directors as Vice Chairman.

Scott was known as a leader within the industry and served on various boards and committees of industry organizations including the International Society of Arboriculture, the Utility Arborist Association and the Tree Care Industry Association. In addition, he served as chairman of the Electrical Transmission and Distribution Strategic Partnership, an organization composed of both industry professionals and members of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), focused on safety and reducing serious injuries and casualties.

As a community leader, Scott served on the boards of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania and Holy Redeemer Hospital in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. He was honored as the recipient of the Tawes Award for a Clean Environment, a prestigious recognition within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that honors individuals, civic entities, or non-profit organizations for their outstanding efforts to enhance the environment. In 2013 he received Pennsylvania State University's Smeal Graduate Distinguished Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to both his profession and the community.

Outside of work, Scott was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed skiing, clay shooting, golf and boating. He also loved motorsports and belonged to the Porsche Club of America, regularly racing in its events. He belonged to The Atlantic Indians Trapshooting Association, the Huntingdon Valley Country Club, The Sailfish Club of Florida and was a Life Member of the Union League of Philadelphia. He was honored at the 2024 ALS Awareness game hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Scott is survived by his wife, Hali; daughter, Madeleine; son, Jared; sister, Paige Cumming (Christopher); brothers Brent (Kelly) and Gregg (Christine).

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Donations can be made in Scott's name to the donor's charity of choice or to the following organizations:

The Abington Health Foundation
PO Box 3
Abington, PA 19001

The Bryn Athyn Church and School
PO Box 277
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

CONTACT:

Pete Mazzaccaro
Corporate Communications
[email protected]
215-784-4427

SOURCE: Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC



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