[2004 Termite Technician of the Year] Alan Smith

At a time in his life when he had found a comfort zone both personally and professionally, Al Smith decided to write another chapter.

For the last three years Smith has been lead termite technician at Cooper Pest Solutions, Lawrenceville, N.J. In this role, Smith has been much more than a termite technician. He’s been a troubleshooter, reliable consultant and — perhaps most importantly — a valuable mentor to others. In short, Smith’s termite knowledge and experience have been integral to Cooper Pest Solutions’ successful re-entry into the termite market.

"Al demonstrates professionalism towards his clients, teammates and his work on a daily basis," said Chris O’Donovan, termite division manager, Cooper Pest Solutions. "He is the standard that our industry should strive to achieve."

IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES. As Cooper’s lead termite technician, Smith is called upon to treat the most complex termite situations. It’s a responsibility well suited for Smith, whose pest control career spans more than 25 years.

Prior to arriving at Cooper Pest Solutions, Smith was branch manager of Cochnower Pest Control, Lafayette, Ind., for more than 25 years. Smith started his career in pest management after attaining his bachelor’s degree in entomology from Ohio State University’s College of Biological Sciences in 1975.

"While I was in college I read an article in Popular Science magazine that said pest control was one of the ten top fastest growing areas," Smith said. "I thought it would be neat to combine my studies in entomology and business."

The article also included NPCA’s 800-number, which would eventually put Smith in touch with Bob Dold, president of Rose Exterminator Co., who was looking to open a West Lafayette branch office. Smith says he did a little of everything pest control-wise, including termite work, general pest control and even sales.

During his tenure at Cochnower, (which is owned by Rose Exterminator) Smith was a key player in Indiana’s pest management industry. Smith was involved in training new termite technicians at the Purdue University Termite Training Facility and also was a frequent speaker and trainer for Purdue University pest control programs. He attended the annual Purdue Pest Control Conference for 24 consecutive years.

EAST COAST TIES. It was during his time at Cochnower that Smith met and married his wife Deanne (Dee) in 1980. The couple has two children — daughter Johanna, 22, and son Cameron, 19. Dee had family on the East Coast and through a mutual friend became acquainted with Rutgers University Entomologist Michael May.

In early 2001, Dee accepted a position as a college admissions coordinator in Pennsylvania. Smith got back in touch with May, who recommended he contact Cooper Pest Solutions.

It just so happened that Cooper was in search of someone whose skills set matched those of Smith’s. After discontinuing its termite division in the mid-1980s, Cooper was looking to re-enter the market. O’Donovan was tapped to lead this new division. While O’Donovan brought knowledge and valuable computer skills what he lacked was experience. Smith was brought in to mentor O’Donovan and provide guidance, technical knowledge and support to others.

"Every day Al continues to hone his technical skills and knowledge through his work in the field, however his true love is in training new technicians," O’Donovan says. "Being able to convey his insight to others allows our company to grow and enhances the depth and breadth of our technician force."

For example, during the past year Smith helped develop Jim Adamo, a newcomer to the industry, into a termite technician whose problem solving capabilities could challenge those of a seasoned termite veteran, O’Donovan says.

Smith also is outstanding in the field, drawing on his years of experience to solve problems and provide top-notch customer care. Although Smith says the physical aspect of termite work is difficult, he is slender and stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, which allows him access to tight quarters. More importantly, his years of experience have given him a good understanding of building construction, the proper way to perform an inspection and other functions relevant to termite work.

"What separates Al is his technical ability," says Cooper Pest Solutions President Phil Cooper. "He’s an EIFS certified inspector and has a wide array of construction knowledge. I’ll put him up against anyone in the industry in terms of understanding termite control from a construction, termite and problem-solving perspective."

Customer relations is another area in which Smith excels. Again, Smith has been able to draw on his years of experience as a branch manager.

"Al catches potential problems before they ever manifest, and hits adversity with a full head of steam," O’Donovan says.

The end result of Smith’s strict attention to detail is the effect on Cooper Pest Solutions’ bottom line. The company is not plagued with retreats and its liability is reduced.

LOOKING AHEAD. Smith has had a long and productive professional career in which he has been involved in almost every aspect of pest management. In many ways, he has been reinvigorated since leaving Indiana and coming aboard at Cooper Pest Solutions as lead termite technician three years ago.

"I’m back in the field interacting with customers and it’s been really enjoyable working with the new technicians, teaching them proper inspection and termite control techniques," Smith says. "It’s been exciting to watch this division grow." •