Del Payne began his journey in the tree service industry as a child in Buchanan, MI. With two older brothers already established in the tree industry, Del recognized a demand for firewood in his community. He proactively knocked on neighbors' doors to offer his firewood, building a loyal clientele that he regularly supplied.
From his early days of splitting and selling firewood, Del advanced his career by working with a line clearing crew for several years before launching his own company, Great Lakes Tree Service, in Niles, MI.
As the years went by, Del honed his skills and knowledge, particularly as a heavy equipment operator through his experience with a concrete crew, all while continuing his tree service work on the side. In 2013, he and his son Jason made the decision to focus on full-time tree service, leading to the establishment of Paynes Services LLC.
Jason Payne also started working with trees and heavy equipment at a young age, operating machinery as soon as he could reach the pedals of the bobcat.
What began as a two-man operation has now grown into a company that employs 10 people. Paynes Services offers a range of services from residential tree removal to commercial tree removal, lot and land clearing, firewood production, and the creation of natural mulch for decorative purposes as well as for various industries that utilize wood products.
Paynes Services is a woman-owned enterprise, with Laura Payne, Del's spouse, as the majority owner responsible for the company's financial operations. The office manager, Kirsten Payne, Jason's spouse, oversees daily operations and manages all HR and scheduling responsibilities.
