Matthew Searels
Vice President – Forestry & Utility
Matthew Searels joined CNUC, now our forestry and utility division, in 2013 and serves as vice president of the division. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia and a Bachelor of Science in environmental studies from the University of North Carolina Asheville. Matthew started as a lead consulting utility forester (CUF) before he became a regional supervisor, regional manager and then vice president.
Matthew has an extensive background in work planning, field inspections, crew audits, safety inspections and customer service. He is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist and ISA Certified Utility Specialist. He is also heavily active in the industry, serving on the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) Research Committee from 2019 to 2020 before switching over to the UAA Events Committee, which he is still a part of. In October 2023, Matthew became a TREE Fund Liaison and has completed several Tour des Trees bike rides over the years. He also completed his term as president of the ISA Southern Chapter board of directors in March 2023 and will remain on the board until 2025.
Outside of work, Matthew enjoys running ultramarathons, mountain biking, hiking, climbing and camping. He is also a board member of his local neighborhood association and a conservation coordinator for the Missionary Ridge Garden Club.