Born during the height of World War II, Behunin Tree is still going strong in Taylorsville

Have you ever seen a 1943 Lincoln head penny? They’re gray instead of brown, because they’re made of steel rather than copper. These are the only coins ever minted in the United States that can be picked up with a magnet.

 How about a 1943 American-made automobile – ever seen one of those? No, you haven’t. Henry Ford and his competitors received Uncle Sam orders to construct tanks and other war apparatus that year, instead.

It seems that pivotal year in the history of our entire planet must have been a challenging, topsy-turvy time to launch a brand-new business. But that’s exactly what J. Leland Behunin did. And now, 83 years later, his daughter-in-law, grandson, granddaughter, great-granddaughter and great-grandson are continuing to operate Taylorsville-based Behunin Tree.

“My grandpa was pretty well retired by the time I was born in 1969,” Ben Behunin said. “But I worked the business side-by-side with my dad (Ben Sr.) for well over 30 years. Dad was in his 80s when he passed away just three years ago. He continued to ride along in the truck with me to jobs until six weeks before he passed.”

Ben’s mother, Pauline, now owns Behunin Tree with her son. Pauline’s daughter Michelle is one of their employees, along with at least two of her grandkids, Korissa – and a third Ben.

 “I grew up in Colorado and met Ben (Sr.) when we were students at BYU,” Pauline Behunin explains. “He was already focused on learning about plant physiology and tree diseases. We married in 1967, moved into our first home in this area in 1972 and built the house I still live in now, in 1977.”

The oldest of five siblings, Ben Jr. graduated from Taylorsville High in 1987. His wife, Julianna, is a 1988 THS graduate.

“I had known Julianna since third grade at Vista Elementary, after her family moved to Utah from Nebraska; but we did not date in high school,” he explained. “We reconnected years later, after we had each served Church missions. We were married in 1998.”

Their marriage came just a few years after a couple of life-changing things happened to Ben Jr., which drew him back into a tree trimming career he had loathed.

“As soon as I was out of elementary school, my dad didn’t force me to work for the company – but he did say I had to earn my own money to buy new school clothes,” Behunin said. “So, by the time I went to college – and then on to my mission – I really didn’t care for the family business and had no plans to rejoin it. But that changed in the summer of 1994, when my dad had a chainsaw accident. He cut his left arm three-quarters of the way through.”

In that instant, Behunin faced a key, life decision. He could either continue his BYU studies in accounting, which would likely force his father to sell the family business… or, Ben Jr. could turn his life’s plans on a dime and return to the tree trimming business he had absolutely sworn off.

Right at that most pivotal moment, Behunin says someone intervened. That person was, arguably, the most well-known businessman in Utah history. 

 “My dad had grown up in the same neighborhood as Larry Miller,” Behunin said. “I literally ran into Larry at a hospital elevator as I was going to visit my dad, right after he nearly lost his arm. Larry pulled me aside and said ‘Your dad really needs you now. If you will take over his family business, I promise you Behunin Tree will have all of the landscaping and tree trimming accounts for all of my properties.’ I took that conversation as a sign and agreed to go back into the tree trimming business.”

Behunin changed his BYU major from accounting to horticulture and never looked back. Twenty years later, he also earned a graduate degree in horticulture through an online program. He’s not sure what course his life and career might have taken if not for that chance hospital meeting with Miller.

Behunin Tree would continue to be the exclusive provider of all tree trimming and landscape work on Miller Company properties up through Miller’s death in 2009.

“He was always very nice to us,” Ben added. “We got to sit with Larry many times down on the floor, front row, at Jazz games.”

Some 30 years before that career change – and even before Ben Jr. was born – Behunin Tree founder Leland Behunin is also credited with coming up with the original idea to illuminate Salt Lake Temple Square trees during the holiday season.

“My grandfather began trimming the Temple Square trees in the early 1940s,” Behunin explained. “That contract was one of the reasons why he started his business. Several years later, grandpa suggested the tree lighting idea; but the Temple Square head gardener had reservations about it. He was afraid the light bulbs might bring the trees out of their winter dormancy too early. This was all very experimental back then. They would string some lights, overload a circuit, make adjustments and try again, over and over. But my grandfather finally got it right. Behunin Trees put up and took down the Temple Square lights every year from 1964 to 1983.” 

 Behunin Tree now has five fulltime employees and about a dozen more during their busiest season. Tree transplanting, pruning and removal still account for about 60% of their business. But they are also active now designing and building outdoor patio cooking areas as well as waterfalls, landscaping around swimming pools and other features. The company now enjoys gross revenues of about $1million, annually. 

“I am so proud of the way Ben (Jr.) has taken over the business,” co-owner Pauline Behunin said of her son. “He has faced some hard times; but has always pushed through the challenges so well. He has so much knowledge about tree diseases. And when he has a tree to cut down, he’s an expert at dropping it exactly where it needs to go to not cause any damage.”

Meantime, Ben Jr. says one of his biggest ongoing challenges is trying to find employees who understand the tree care business.

“I’m talking with Salt Lake Community College now about creating a tree pruning program because schools just aren’t teaching these skills anymore,” Behunin said. “One of our clients serves on the SLCC Board of Trustees. I provided him with an outline on how the school could establish a horticulture course. I also offered to be an instructor. I’m waiting to hear back from them.”

 Finally, Ben Behunin is also excited one of his two daughters, Korissa, and his nephew (that third Ben, a Copper Hills High School student) are working with the company now, as fourth generation employees.

“When you devote so many years of your life to something like this, it becomes much more than a job,” Ben Behunin concluded. “It’s a big part of your heritage – something you take great pride in. When I go to work properties that I recall working with my dad years ago – back when I swore I would never do this for a living – I get very emotional, thinking about him and our time together. I get that feeling of loss all over again.”

To learn more about the now 83-year-old Behunin Tree – and to get tips on how best to care for your own trees, shrubs and other landscape plants – visit HYPERLINK "https://behunintree.com/"behunintree.com.