William James (Jim) Cortese , fresh from graduation with a degree in Forestry from the University of Tennessee and two summers of experience with the U.S. Forest Service in National Forests in both California and Montana, began Cortese Tree Specialists in 1977 with a 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Station Wagon, a hand saw and a pole pruner he purchased at a Sears Department Store.  The company was capitalized with $380.00 he had saved up over the years from his childhood.  The station wagon was quickly replaced with a small yellow Ford Courier truck and then to a green F-150 pickup truck with plywood sides.  Wood chips had to be removed by hand.

Jim’s first long term employee was Gene Byrd, an experienced individual who eventually became the first retiree from the company doing so in 1993.  In the early 80’s a John Bean spray rig was purchased in Lexington Kentucky to help diversify the operation.  The first official tree truck was purchased shortly thereafter.

Cortese Tree Specialists also became the wholesale distributor of Mauget Tree Injection Products, which over the years added other tree care products and eventually became Tree Injection Products, Inc. in 1997.  Marty Shaw was instrumental in the development of TIPCO, Inc. and became that company’s first president.

Cortese Tree Specialists continued to grow under the slogan “We Save Trees”, adding several trucks and expanding to up to 20 employees at peak times.  A set back was experienced in February of 1995, when 3 company trucks and 2 brush chippers were stolen.  Production manager Ray Scarbrough scrambled to minimize the loss and actually had a record month in May of ’95 despite lacking sufficient equipment.

Cortese Tree Specialists has grown not only as a company but as an active participant in the community with the company and its employees sharing their time and talent with the Dogwood Arts Festival, Knoxville Tree Board, Habitat for Humanity, Knoxville Green, The Nativity Pageant, Rotary Club, Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Tennessee Right to Life, UT Arboretum Society, East TN Opera Company, and Muscular Dystrophy.

The company was incorporated in 1999.  Cortese Tree Specialists Inc. has always prided itself in professionalism and has been a long time member of both the National Arborist Association and the International Society of Arboriculture.  Mr. Cortese has insisted on the best in tree care from his employees and has led the fight in the Southeast against the harmful and ugly practice of topping trees.  This dedication has led to Cortese Tree Specialists, Inc. being the number one residential tree service in Knoxville and Tennessee.