Lofty Occupation
Retired state trooper returns to his roots, then takes to the skies for his next chapter.
For as long as he can remember, John McMahon has been connected to the land. He grew up in Vineland, living a life shaped by strong family ties and deep community roots. Long before he wore a uniform or carried a badge, he spent his weekends and summers surrounded by rows of trees at his parents’ Bramblewood Tree Farm in Buena Vista Township.
He was just eight years old when he first began helping out—planning, pruning, digging, cutting, and learning the quiet discipline that comes with caring for living things. Those early lessons would stay with him, even as life pulled him in a very different direction.
Summer days at the tree farm gave way to lifeguarding, graduating from Vineland High School, then Rowan University where he received a bachelor’s degree in law and justice studies. After attending the NJ State Police Academy, he continued his education, earning a master’s degree in human resources at Seton Hall. For nearly three decades, he served the State of New Jersey, first as a municipal police officer and then as a state trooper, building a reputation grounded in discipline, responsibility, and service to others. It was a career defined by structure and urgency—far removed, it seemed, from the quiet rhythms of tree rows and pruning shears.
Yet the roots planted in childhood never truly disappeared.
When the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life and forced many people to change direction, McMahon found himself drawn back to the work he had loved as a boy. The restrictions of the time sparked a renewed interest in pursuits that allowed space, independence, and connection to the outdoors. For him, that meant growing trees once again. He began growing them at his home and on some leased space.
“I was using a lot of the planting and pruning skills I learned on the farm as a child,” he said.
While his younger brother, Matt, continued operating and expanding Bramblewood Tree Farm, McMahon focused on building something of his own. He launched Trees Company, a full-service tree care business that reflected both his past and his future.
“One could say I’m back where I started,” he said with a grin.
Today, Trees Company offers nearly everything a property owner might need when it comes to outdoor home improvement and landscaping. From tree planting and pruning to cleanup, removal, and stump grinding, McMahon provides comprehensive care. As a licensed home improvement contractor, he also offers gutter cleaning, leaf guard installation, and general property maintenance—services he’s honed at his own home on the banks of the Manumuskin River. His passion for nature, plants, and the personal environment of one’s home reflects his practical approach and attention to detail.
“I enjoy the challenges associated with the industry,” he said. “I don’t rank them in any particular order.”
One of the biggest hurdles, he notes, is the cost of specialized equipment—an unavoidable reality in professional tree work.
Training and education have been central to his success. McMahon has completed courses through the Penn State University Extension Service, including the Short Arborist Course and Tree Climbing and Pruning for Professionals. He has also taken the New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert Prep Course through the NJ Board of Tree Experts, participated in programs at Longwood Gardens, and completed several online courses.
Just as important as technical skills, however, are people skills—something McMahon honed over decades in public service. Although he was equipped with a weapon as a state trooper, it was his ability to address an incident verbally that he used when confronting dangerous situations. Today his ropes, pullies, various saws, and devices for cutting, trimming, and grinding are used daily as tools of the trade.
“I enjoy meeting and speaking with people of all walks of life and that has served me well in both careers,” he said, adding that it is rewarding to wear many hats in the process—from making the personal sales contact, to estimating and ultimately the actual implementation of the job.
Now a Licensed Tree Care Operator (LTCO)—one of the two required credentials to perform tree work in New Jersey—McMahon plans to take the Licensed Tree Expert Examination in the summer. It’s another step forward in a journey that, in many ways, has come full circle.
From state trooper to tree care professional, McMahon’s story is not about leaving one life behind, but also about returning to something that was always there—quietly growing, patiently waiting, and deeply rooted in the community he calls home.
Today he wears a different uniform and uses different tools and equipment but has a similar purpose—to protect what matters, prevent harm, and leave things better than how he found them.
Trees Company Contact Information:
Office 856-765-7567, mobile 609-780-7330,
email [email protected]
