Mike McCormick received a bachelor's degree in Forestry from Northern Arizona University (nicknamed the Lumberjacks) in Flagstaff, Arizona. He returned to Nebraska when he got a job with the state forestry department. He spent his first couple years taming the tall, overgrown weeds in the areas that are now Glenn Cunningham Lake and Standing Bear Lake before they were lakes. He planted over 50,000
trees to help the Corps of Engineers vision of making the future lakes desirable recreation areas. After several years with the forestry department and upon completion of the lake projects, he worked several more years in the tree nursery field before he started his own business in the 80's and has been operational ever since. His first love was working in the woods either logging, timber stand improvement (TSI) projects, working on management plans, planting trees, or cutting dead trees for firewood. Demand is where the people are though, and he has adapted to demand by getting involved in arborist work, offering tree trimming and removal services. His sons have all worked with him at some point in his business while some are still in the tree business elsewhere. Tyler, who is a partner with Mike, is currently the main worker as Mike gets ready for retirement.
