Trees grown in Bruceton Mills to be displayed in Washington, D.C.
With this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas celebration theme being “Endlessly Wild and Wonderful,” a number of smaller trees will be distributed throughout Washington D.C. and Joint Base Andrew. All of these trees will be provided by presenting sponsor 84 Lumber and Jim Rockis of Bruceton Mills, WV.
Jim Rockis became interested in quantitative genetics in the early 90s with help from late WVU professor Frank Cech. Since Cech passed back in 2009, Rockis has carried out the knowledge and skill needed to produce genetically superior trees, more specifically the Canaan Fir tree.
“There’s a lot of things that folks don’t know about in our state of West Virginia that we’re doing with forestry, we’re doing with horticulture, and I kind of look at myself as combining the two. What we do and is kind of neat, we’re supplying a lot of the seed that goes to high growers in Michigan, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts and even North Carolina,” Rockis said in an interview with 12 News.
The most popularly recognized Christmas tree is the Frasier Fir, though Rockis said that it’s rather difficult to grow. This encouraged Rockis’ experimentation of the Canaan Fir, a tree native of West Virginia, which he has developed to resemble a Frasier Fir yet with a better “shelf life.”
Rockis and 84 Lumber are working together to deliver a 25-foot Canaan Fir that Rockis selected himself to the federal USDA building in Washington, D.C.
“I’m very honored to participate in this to show what we do here, particularly with forestry, agriculture, horticulture, particularly in the private sector of West Virginia. We’re very excited to share with the nation what we’re doing up here, and how we’re developing genetically superior trees,” said Rockis.
Rockis hopes to be in D.C. whenever the trees arrive, and he hopes to encourage the youth by sharing his own story.
Originally published at WBOY on September 28, 2023.
Photo of 25′ Canaan Fir in the USDA building in Washington, D.C.
Jesus Davila joined Werner in 2018 and has more than 550,000 accident-free miles. As a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran of 12 years, he was deployed more than six times including during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraq Freedom. He received multiple awards in the military including and an Infantry Purple Heart with two personal decorations with valor and two combat action ribbons. He is part of Werner’s Operation Freedom Fleet for military veterans and connects with students in truck driving schools across the country. Jesus serves as an ATA America’s Road Team Captain, Werner Road Team Captain and Driver Leader. He also is part of the Dollar Elite Team and Leader Advisory Council at Werner, where he makes a positive impact on his fellow professional drivers. Jesus was also nominated by Werner for the Texas Driver of the Year Award and the TA Citizen Driver Award. When he is not on the road, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their children.
Tim Dean joined Werner in 1988 and become the second professional driver in Werner’s history to achieve five million accident-free miles. In 2009-2010 he served as an ATA America’s Road Team Captain and has been a Werner Road Team Captain and mentor since 2005. Tim has competed in the Nebraska Truck Driving Championships for 22 years, placing first in his class nine times and was Grand Champion two times in 2012 and 2018. He was awarded the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance IDEA (International Driver Excellence Award) in 2019. In addition, Tim was the Nebraska Trucking Association Driver of the year in 2019. When he is not on the road, he enjoys spending time with his family in Griswold, Iowa.
Gina Jones joined Werner in 2012 and has achieved more than one million accident-free miles. She serves as both an ATA America’s Road Team Captain and a Werner Road Team Captain. As a strong advocate for women in the trucking industry, Gina actively participates in Women in Motion, an initiative of the American Trucking Associations. Gina has also been named Team Driver of the Month at Werner and has received nominations for the company’s Acceleration Award along with the Women in Trucking Association’s Female Driver of the Year Award. In 2023, she was a finalist for the TA Citizen Driver Award. She and her husband, Steve, are team drivers and members of Werner’s Operation Freedom Fleet and connects with students in truck driving schools across the country. When she is not on the road, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and riding her Harley.
Steve Jones joined Werner in 2011 and has achieved more than one million accident-free miles. As a U.S. Army Veteran of seven years, he and his wife, Gina, are part of Werner’s Operation Freedom Fleet for military veterans and connects with students in truck driving schools across the country. Steve serves as a Werner Road Team Captain, Driver Leader and participates in various other committees throughout the company that positively impact professional drivers. He has also been named Team Driver of the Month at Werner and was nominated for the company’s Acceleration Award. When he is not on the road, he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and riding his Harley.
