[June Back Talk]

Technicians of the Year Top Notch

Thank you for all PCT does for our industry and for recognizing the technicians that are the best of the best each year. The three gentlemen selected this year as PCT’s Technicians of the Year represented our industry extremely well. Thank you again for a wonderful evening and meal.

John Leach, Orkin Pest Control
Coordinator — Government Relations & Environmental Stewardship
Atlanta

Acquisitions Reminder

I enjoyed reading the “Deal or No Deal” article(s) about pest control operators selling their business in the March issue of PCT. I wanted to add that the issue of insurance, especially general liability insurance, is a very important subject that should be resolved before a business is sold or purchased. If not investigated or resolved before the transaction, either party could be left open for non-covered exposures.

Coverage matters such as claims-made policies, exclusions in the policy for purchasing businesses or accounts not insured at the time of the effective date and contractual liability are just some of the concerns that the pest control professional should be made aware of. I have seen situations where ambiguous agreements surrounding the selling or purchasing of a pest control company caused lengthy and damaging litigation due to unresolved claims. It is important to not only have a qualified pest control attorney involved in this transaction but also your insurance representative that really knows not only insurance coverage but also the pest control industry and its exposures.

Andy McGinty
Executive Vice President/COO
LIPCA
Baton Rouge, La.

Goodbye to a Friend

If the Saturday Evening Post Magazine was still being published I know that Ben Williams would be listed under “Most Unforgettable Person I Ever Met.”

I have known and worked with Ben for 35 years or more. I first met him in the Detroit area where he was regional sales manager for the Greenfield Division of Eli Lilly in the G&L industry. I lost track of Ben until 1972 when he was returning from Palm Springs, Calif., with his wife Cass and their two children Scott and Cindy.

I hired Ben and located him and his family in Connecticut as Velsicol’s eastern regional sales representative for the Professional Pest Control Department. The rest of the story is about an amazing individual, husband, father, co-worker and industry leader.

During his career at Velsicol he was eastern regional sales manager reporting to me and then to Larry Carls. He helped in extending the marketability of chlordane and also the unique introduction of a wettable powder into an industry that was dedicated to oil-based and emulsifiable concentrates.

Ficam was an unusual and exciting product to work with in those days and Ben took a lead position in its introduction. A wettable powder through a B&G sprayer that had no odor was unique in those days. Odor was a significant factor for service (not like today when odor is a potential indicator of injury as some groups proclaim).

Ben’s unique characteristic of straight talk without offense was a trait that was his alone.

When he left Velsicol he established a sales representative business, B&W Sales & Marketing. This business was a trend setter in the pest control supply sector as were his unique group of professional sale representatives working as independent contractors for the supply chain. This organization “repped” many lines for the pest control industry including the reintroduction of a roach bait. The industry was resistant to a bait initially but soon learned about the product’s unique characteristics for control and soon made Maxforce the product of choice for the industry.

The redhead that could hit a golf ball a mile all over the course could out sell the Music Man. He also helped the industry gain a better understanding of professional selling. Even though I have met a number of people in my career, Ben Williams was “The Most Unforgettable Person I Have Ever Met.”

Thomas E. Evans
Vice Chairman
Southern Mill Creek Products
Cleveland

Editor’s note: Ben Williams passed away May 7, after Tom Evans sent this letter to PCT magazine. Please see an article about Williams on page 16 of this issue.

Readers are invited to write to PCT Letters, 4020 Kinross Lakes Parkway, Richfield OH, 44286 or send an e-mail to jdorsch@giemedia.com. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.