Erik Gustafson

ISA Board Certified Master Arborist RM-7467B, Owner/General Manager

Shortly after completing a bachelor’s degree in Forest Health at State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2010, I moved to Colorado in pursuit of skiing and climbing mountains. Within about a year of moving, Keith asked if I wanted to join him at Patriot Tree Company. Not being happy at the company I was with at the time, I was excited to go to work helping build Patriot Tree Company.

Since then, I have received the highest credential recognized in our industry, becoming an International Society of Arboriculture Board Certified Master Arborist in 2018. I am also licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture as a Qualified Supervisor for pesticide applications, and have a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification from the ISA. I feel that my education and experience allows me a unique perspective on the issues affecting our native and urban forests, and am proud to have served and been part of this community for the past 10 years.

Richard Koss

ISA Certified Arborist RM-7900A, Owner/CEO

My name is Richard Koss and I am a co-owner and CEO of Patriot Tree Company. I have an A.S degree from Monroe Community College and a B.S. in Business Administration from Oswego State University. I am from Western New York just outside of the city of Rochester and moved to Colorado in March of 2012. I’ve loved Colorado since I first came out here in the summer of 2009 on a 60 day, 12,000 mile motorcycle road trip. My hobbies include Motorcycling, Hiking, Kayaking, and computers.

I’m happy to be with Patriot Tree Company because I like being a part of a company whose goal it is to make this world more beautiful than when we started. Whether it’s planting new trees or removing old unwanted trees we can help shape the landscape that people will see for generations. That’s why I like getting out of bed for work every morning.

Michael Smith

ISA Certified Arborist RM-7923A, Owner/Lead Sales Arborist

I moved to Colorado after four years in the Coast Guard. I graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Forestry and a B.S. in Natural Resource Management. I worked for the US Forest Service for four years before joining the Patriot Tree team. I have since qualified as an ISA Certified Arborist. My role at Patriot is to meet with you and help you decide the best plan for taking care of the trees on your property. Ironically, I enjoy spending my free time hiking, backpacking, skiing above treeline.