State of California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Certification
Experienced UVM Consulting
State of California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Certification
What We Do
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
With decades of direct industry engagement, The UVM Company's team stands at the forefront of UVM program excellence. Our firsthand operational experience, paired with leading-edge technological insights, positions us to deliver comprehensive, optimized support for UVM programs. Whether refining existing operations or nurturing new initia
With decades of direct industry engagement, The UVM Company's team stands at the forefront of UVM program excellence. Our firsthand operational experience, paired with leading-edge technological insights, positions us to deliver comprehensive, optimized support for UVM programs. Whether refining existing operations or nurturing new initiatives, we drive efficiency and effectiveness through our expertise.
Contract & Field Management Services
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
At The UVM Company, our comprehensive suite of services extends to contract and field management support, ensuring the seamless execution of UVM operations. We understand that the foundation of a successful vegetation management program lies in the details of its implementation. Our offerings encompass a wide range of essential services,
At The UVM Company, our comprehensive suite of services extends to contract and field management support, ensuring the seamless execution of UVM operations. We understand that the foundation of a successful vegetation management program lies in the details of its implementation. Our offerings encompass a wide range of essential services, from traffic control for the safety of both the public and the workforce to the stringent quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) field inspections that uphold the highest standards of service delivery.
Our hands-on approach guarantees that every aspect of the UVM process is managed with utmost competence, including the provision of turnkey UVM programs tailored to the unique needs of each client. Whether you're looking to outsource the entirety of your vegetation management operations or require expert oversight on specific projects, The UVM Company brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure that your objectives are achieved with excellence and efficiency.
By partnering with us, you can expect a partner that not only understands the intricacies of field operations but is also dedicated to the continuous improvement and success of your UVM initiatives. Our team stands ready to deliver the operational support and expertise needed to navigate the complexities of today's UVM landscape.
Technological Advancement Consulting
Utility Vegetation Management Expertise
Technological Advancement Consulting
Our consultancy at The UVM Company transcends traditional tech deployment, targeting utilities and the broader UVM sector with innovation at its core. Our team of experts is well-versed in a suite of advanced technologies, from LiDAR and satellite systems to workflow automation, Computer-Based Training (CBT), AI, and immersive AR/VR exp
Our consultancy at The UVM Company transcends traditional tech deployment, targeting utilities and the broader UVM sector with innovation at its core. Our team of experts is well-versed in a suite of advanced technologies, from LiDAR and satellite systems to workflow automation, Computer-Based Training (CBT), AI, and immersive AR/VR experiences crafted for the metaverse. We are committed to employing these technologies to address complex industry challenges and enhance efficiencies.
Legal & Regulatory Guidance
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
Technological Advancement Consulting
Our team's expansive expertise stretches across the intricate realms of UVM-centric legal and regulatory issues throughout North America. We have a storied history of contributing to legislative proceedings, providing expert witness testimony, and conducting detailed investigations in cases of fires, blackouts, and personal injuries. Our
Our team's expansive expertise stretches across the intricate realms of UVM-centric legal and regulatory issues throughout North America. We have a storied history of contributing to legislative proceedings, providing expert witness testimony, and conducting detailed investigations in cases of fires, blackouts, and personal injuries. Our extensive involvement in regulatory matters includes rate cases, rulemaking, and investigatory proceedings, underlining our unmatched track record in this critical field.
Training & Development Solutions
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
At The UVM Company, our approach to professional development encompasses a spectrum of innovative training solutions, including personalized on-site and remote learning experiences crafted for Utility Vegetation Management. Our custom-designed training modules utilize AR and VR technologies to immerse professionals in highly interactive
At The UVM Company, our approach to professional development encompasses a spectrum of innovative training solutions, including personalized on-site and remote learning experiences crafted for Utility Vegetation Management. Our custom-designed training modules utilize AR and VR technologies to immerse professionals in highly interactive and realistic scenarios, fostering a deep understanding and proficiency of essential skills. With the option of engaging with our expert consultants in person, we offer an adaptable and comprehensive training program. This ensures that whether delivered on-site or virtually, our training meets rigorous industry standards and surpass current best practices.
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
Business Innovation & Strategic Advisory
The UVM Company brings a rich legacy of entrepreneurial success to the forefront of business advisory. Our offerings extend robust support to startups and established companies alike. We navigate the full breadth of corporate activity, facilitating a seamless introduction of breakthrough technologies to the market while ensuring strict
The UVM Company brings a rich legacy of entrepreneurial success to the forefront of business advisory. Our offerings extend robust support to startups and established companies alike. We navigate the full breadth of corporate activity, facilitating a seamless introduction of breakthrough technologies to the market while ensuring strict compliance with legal and regulatory standards. Our actionable strategies are designed to propel businesses beyond their targets, fostering sustainable growth and success.
our cutting edge technology
The UVM Company was established by a pioneering team known for their contributions to advancing technologies across a variety of sectors, including UVM, gaming, construction, social media, and utility operations. To explore some of our most recent innovative and patented solutions, please visit our partners' page HERE .
About Us
Stephen Cieslewicz
Stephen Cieslewicz
Stephen Cieslewicz
With a storied career spanning over 40 years, Stephen Cieslewicz has distinguished himself as a preeminent figure in utility vegetation management (UVM), advocating for excellence both at large-scale and smaller utilities across North America. His expertise has been instrumental in developing defensible and best-in-class UVM programs, a
With a storied career spanning over 40 years, Stephen Cieslewicz has distinguished himself as a preeminent figure in utility vegetation management (UVM), advocating for excellence both at large-scale and smaller utilities across North America. His expertise has been instrumental in developing defensible and best-in-class UVM programs, addressing the complexities of tree and power line interactions on an international scale. As a Vietnam-era veteran of the US Navy, Cieslewicz's disciplined approach has been a cornerstone of his impactful work.
His notable contributions include serving as the principal UVM investigator for the Joint U.S./Canada Power Systems Outage Task Force and as a leading author of vital UVM reports in the wake of the August 14, 2003, blackout. His strategic input has been pivotal on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) FAC-003 drafting committees.
Throughout his career, Cieslewicz has earned widespread recognition, demonstrating his expertise as an expert witness in critical legal, regulatory, and legislative hearings. His leadership and vision were exemplified during his presidency of the Utility Arborist Association (UAA), and he has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the UAA Utility Arborist Award and the UAA President’s Award, as well as receiving commendations from the U.S. and Canadian governments.
As a thought leader, Cieslewicz has shared his profound insights as a speaker and author on UVM subjects. In 2011, he was named one of the green industry's eight most influential people by Green Media. Further extending his influence, he has co-founded and currently acts as the Senior Expert Advisor to Tulane Law School's UVMI, and co-hosts the popular "The UVM Podcast," connecting with professionals across the industry to drive innovation and best practices in utility vegetation management.
Lawrence Kahn
Stephen Cieslewicz
Stephen Cieslewicz
A dynamic leader with experience in starting and growing new businesses and in transitioning small businesses to large ones, Larry constantly searches for new approaches to drive efficiency and progress without sacrificing health and safety or causing environmental insult. Larry is a member of the bars of the states of New York and New
A dynamic leader with experience in starting and growing new businesses and in transitioning small businesses to large ones, Larry constantly searches for new approaches to drive efficiency and progress without sacrificing health and safety or causing environmental insult. Larry is a member of the bars of the states of New York and New Jersey. Larry earned the rank of Proctor Member of The Maritime Law Association of the United States and has held a variety of leadership positions with that organization and has presented scholarly articles to the MLA on many occasions. Larry is also a member of the International Bar Association's Maritime and Transport Law Committee and has published articles in that organization's newsletter.
As a Visiting Research Fellow at Tulane University Law School, Larry is pioneering the exploration of the laws, regulations, rules and policies relating to utility vegetation management, which lies at the intersection of energy and the environment. Through the Utility Vegetation Management initiative, Tulane Law School has become the preeminent center for the study of this unique area of law and has become actively involved in advocating for better laws, regulations and policies aimed at improving the environment, guaranteeing the safe and reliable distribution of energy, and for protecting the lives of workers in the utility industry through better health and safety protections.
Herbert Hughes
Stephen Cieslewicz
Herbert Hughes
Herbert possesses over three decades of experience in finance, risk management, operational leadership, and derivatives modeling, serving as an advisor and executive across a diverse array of industries. With expertise as an audit committee financial expert, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his roles.
Since March 2017, Herbert has held t
Herbert possesses over three decades of experience in finance, risk management, operational leadership, and derivatives modeling, serving as an advisor and executive across a diverse array of industries. With expertise as an audit committee financial expert, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his roles.
Since March 2017, Herbert has held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Wormhole Labs, a pioneering metaverse technology company specializing in mixed and augmented reality applications for both enterprise and consumer markets. Additionally, he serves on the company's board of directors. In this capacity, Herbert oversees financial reporting, capital structure and formation, and negotiations in SAAS and ecommerce. He collaborates closely with the Chief Technology Officer on matters pertaining to the development of Wormhole's cybersecurity initiatives.
Throughout his career, Herbert has occupied executive-level positions across various sectors, including technology, hospitality, asset management, oil and gas exploration and production, and oil industry services. His professional investments and advisory roles have afforded him unique insights into the challenges inherent in leading and nurturing early-stage technology ventures.
Herbert holds a B.A. from Harvard University and is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa tribe and the National Congress of American Indians.
Furthermore, Herbert serves as an independent chair at Byrna, where he directs the board's focus toward the company's strategic objectives for both short- and long-term shareholder value. He leads efforts in management oversight, working closely with the Nominating and Governance Committee to enhance board communications, efficiency, and focus.
His notable achievements include the rectification of material weaknesses in financial processes and controls, the establishment of a robust oversight program to monitor financial and enterprise risk, and the implementation of measures ensuring the retention and continuity of key personnel such as the Chief Financial Officer and an independent public auditing firm. Additionally, he has spearheaded management's development of a comprehensive program for ensuring timely and reliable financial reporting and controls, including the enhancement of systems and processes.
Eric Brown
Guillaume Riviere
Herbert Hughes
Eric has 27+ years of experience in the Vegetation Management industry, encompassing industrial forestry, range management, and utility forestry. A former Utility Arborist Association (UAA) President and Western Region Representative, he's been actively engaged with the North American Transmission Forum (NATF) since 2009. Eric currently h
Eric has 27+ years of experience in the Vegetation Management industry, encompassing industrial forestry, range management, and utility forestry. A former Utility Arborist Association (UAA) President and Western Region Representative, he's been actively engaged with the North American Transmission Forum (NATF) since 2009. Eric currently holds key roles on the NATF Vegetation Management Core Team, Reliability Action Response Team, and supports the NATF Vegetation Management Practices Team. He also served as a subject matter expert (SME) on the Wildlife Habitat Council’s Integrated Vegetation Management Project Guidance Team in 2015 and has been a Director for Eldorado County Fire Safe Council since 2017, representing the utility sector as well as multiple expert witness cases.
Eric earned his B.S. in Natural Resource Management, specializing in Forestry and Range Management, from the University of Nevada-Reno in 1998. He holds certifications as a Certified Arborist (ISA), a Qualified Applicators License (QAL, California Department of Pesticide Regulation), and is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ).
Currently, as the Vegetation Management Manager for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Eric oversees the Electric Transmission and Distribution Vegetation Management program. Prior to this, he played pivotal roles during his 20-year tenure at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), earning recognition such as the Richard A. Clarke Champion awards (two years) for Environmental Leadership and the SMUD Power Done Right Award in 2020 for his work with the Wildfire Mitigation Plan Team.
Guillaume Riviere
Guillaume Riviere
Guillaume Riviere
Guillaume Riviere is a multi-disciplinary, multicultural, tech crafter with strong
experience in software engineering management and specialized in remote team
organization and operational management. An engineer with a long-time
passion for mixed reality software, complex problem solving and challenges, for
over 20 years Guillaume has w
Guillaume Riviere is a multi-disciplinary, multicultural, tech crafter with strong
experience in software engineering management and specialized in remote team
organization and operational management. An engineer with a long-time
passion for mixed reality software, complex problem solving and challenges, for
over 20 years Guillaume has worked within major fortune 500 companies
encompassing automotive, gaming and civil engineering/construction industries.
Guillaume has been responsible for leading several information system and
software development organizations, through multiple countries and cultures.
Guillaume has a master’s degree in computer science and management from
University Grenoble Alpes.
Tony Mangione
Guillaume Riviere
Guillaume Riviere
Tony is a respected developer and thoughtful leader, dedicated to achieving excellence and adaptability in every endeavor. He employs his extensive knowledge across diverse development platforms to realize innovative technologies, always with a focus on elevating the success of his team.Beyond his technical acumen, Tony has successfully b
Tony is a respected developer and thoughtful leader, dedicated to achieving excellence and adaptability in every endeavor. He employs his extensive knowledge across diverse development platforms to realize innovative technologies, always with a focus on elevating the success of his team.Beyond his technical acumen, Tony has successfully built and nurtured a vibrant community of over 2.5 million active users, showcasing his vast experience and adept handling of the challenges associated with delivering large-scale products. He champions team synergy and collective growth, fostering environments where innovation flourishes and knowledge is shared openly.
Will Porter
Lauren Cieslewicz
Rose Zolling
Will is a seasoned expert in UVM, with a career spanning over three decades marked by groundbreaking contributions and extensive industry knowledge.
His journey began with hands-on experience, spending 15 years in line clearance, starting as a ground-person and advancing to supervising crews for 11 of those years. This tenure included over
Will is a seasoned expert in UVM, with a career spanning over three decades marked by groundbreaking contributions and extensive industry knowledge.
His journey began with hands-on experience, spending 15 years in line clearance, starting as a ground-person and advancing to supervising crews for 11 of those years. This tenure included overseeing storm restoration across the U.S., working with prominent companies such as Davey Tree and Wright Tree Service in Colorado and Iowa.
Transitioning into consultancy, Will's impact has been profound. As the Director of Research, Development, and Industry Intelligence (RDII) at CN Utility Consulting, Inc. (CNUC) from 2008 to 2018, he played a pivotal role in shaping global UVM standards. Will's expertise encompasses directing program and compliance reviews, performing in-depth analysis on UVM metrics. He continues to contribute to industry advancements through independent consulting engagements and volunteer work with Chicago Openlands, where he's certified as a Treekeeper and performs tree pruning in Chicago City Parks.
Will's influence extends beyond consultancy. He has spearheaded research initiatives, including projects for the Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI) focusing on data analytics and weed control. His commitment to safety is evident in his involvement in revising ANSI Standard Z133, the American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations – Safety Requirements.
Furthermore, Will's dedication to continuous learning is evident in his attendance at arboricultural and UVM seminars over the past 24 years, complemented by specialized training at institutions such as the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences and the General Foreman’s School at Wright Tree Service.
Throughout his career, Will has been a sought-after speaker, presenting on UVM benchmarking, LIDAR projects, and other industry topics both domestically and internationally. He remains vigilant in monitoring legal and regulatory changes, providing support to legal cases for CN Utility Consulting and participating in several legal cases as a witness.
Rose Zolling
Lauren Cieslewicz
Rose Zolling
Rose, a seasoned business professional, excels in management, human resources, customer service, and sales. As a dynamic multi-unit manager, she thrives in fast-paced environments, prioritizing, multitasking, and making swift decisions with a detail-oriented and deadline-driven approach that consistently delivers results. Her leadership s
Rose, a seasoned business professional, excels in management, human resources, customer service, and sales. As a dynamic multi-unit manager, she thrives in fast-paced environments, prioritizing, multitasking, and making swift decisions with a detail-oriented and deadline-driven approach that consistently delivers results. Her leadership style emphasizes training and open communication, leading to numerous successes in team development.
In collaboration with the PG&E Vegetation Management Department, Rose ensured seamless coordination of tree pruning and removal activities, extending her strategic scheduling expertise to construction project management teams for vegetation management related to pole replacements. Adept at identifying and pursuing open bids, she successfully managed projects for esteemed entities such as Liberty in Nevada, CDCR, and California Department of Transportation, overseeing project schedules, budgets, and details with meticulous care.
Communication is central to Rose's role as she liaises with departments, reports alterations to project plans, organizes meetings, and engages directly with customers. Working closely with software developers, she enhances systems for operational efficiency and maintains a hands-on approach in working with crews, focusing on safety.
In her capacity as a multi-unit manager, Rose fosters high-performing teams through strategic coaching. With a proven track record in partnering with major accounts, addressing complex customer needs, and serving as a consultative partner, she takes ownership of projects, ensuring compliance with state and federal laws. Rose's drive in operational and sales activities consistently exceeds financial and customer experience targets, showcasing her independent judgment, self-management, and effective decision-making within established timeframes.
Lauren Cieslewicz
Lauren Cieslewicz
Lauren Cieslewicz
Lauren, a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in operational management, customer service, and project management, brings a wealth of expertise to her roles. Her specialties lie in process improvement and enhancing inter-departmental efficiencies, demonstrating a keen ability to streamline operations for optimal results
Lauren, a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in operational management, customer service, and project management, brings a wealth of expertise to her roles. Her specialties lie in process improvement and enhancing inter-departmental efficiencies, demonstrating a keen ability to streamline operations for optimal results.
Throughout her career, Lauren has consistently delivered impactful solutions, leveraging her extensive knowledge to drive organizational success. Her commitment to excellence is evident in her strategic approach to process enhancement, resulting in improved operational workflows and heightened customer satisfaction. With a strong academic foundation and a proven track record of success, Lauren is dedicated to achieving operational excellence and fostering growth in every endeavor.