[Back Talk]

How Our Firm Gives Back

Thank you for Dan Moreland’s great “Viewpoint” article in the April issue of PCT.

For more than 30 years, PermaTreat has promoted the policy that it is not enough that a company pays taxes and provides jobs. It is just as important that the business be a good corporate citizen.

Some of the initiatives that PermaTreat has been involved in to promote this concept are:

• Sponsors of Adopt-a-Pet programs for the SPCA and numerous humane shelters
• Major sponsor of the annual Multiple Sclerosis Fredericksburg Walk
• Trailblazer for the annual Fredericksburg Area United Way campaign

Those are just samples of our community involvement that have led to us being named by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Virginia’s Small Business of the Year as well as being named Business of the Year by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The more pest control companies can do in the community service arena, the more we will be accepted by the public as being an important part of the fabric of the community. And, my sincere thanks to Dan Moreland, Dick Foster and PCT for all you have done over the years to promote our industry and help raise our standards. We at PermaTreat are proud of our record of community service!

Joe Wilson
CEO/Owner PermaTreat Pest Control
Fredericksburg, Va.

Great PCT Column

I loved Dan Moreland’s editorial in the April issue of PCT. I am a firm believer in the social responsibility role of the pest control industry and Dan’s editorial hits this spot on. WELL DONE!

Ing. Benjamin Gómez Guerrero
Director, Latin America
Univar Environmental Sciences

‘Dressing Up’ Our Industry

Editor’s note: PCT’s June cover story, “Reality Check,” explored the industry’s love-hate relationship with reality television. One of the most polarizing pest control-related reality TV programs is “Billy the Exterminator,” featuring leather-clad, tattooed Billy Bretherton and his crew at Vexcon. Here is one reader’s opinion of this program.

There are a lot of people in this industry that have dedicated and devoted themselves to building successful businesses – businesses that have supported families, paid college tuitions and done great things for their communities. So when I see something like “Billy the Exterminator” on TV, it’s just a slap in the face.

I’ve been in this business for over 40 years. I worked for a major regional pest control company in Florida and I had owned my own pest control business, Pesco, in Florida. Now I’m a sales manager at Gibson Pest Control in North Carolina. I think people forget what it was like for this industry to build public awareness of what exactly pest control is — to make people aware of what we go through to make sure our customers get taken care of, and the training that we go through. Years ago, Orkin had “Otto the Orkin Man” and they dressed their [service professionals] up and made them look professional. I know there are people who enjoy watching “Billy the Exterminator,” but everywhere I go I ask people this question: “Would you let that guy inside your home?” Eighty-five to 90 percent of the people say, “Absolutely not.”

I’m also a little perturbed when I go to recertification meetings and see the way people in our industry dress. I’m not saying you have to be dressed with a starched shirt, but you ought to look professional and be well groomed. I think that we need to dress our industry up. And in my opinion, shows like “Billy the Exterminator” just hurt the industry’s image.

Cecil Martin
Gibson Pest Control
Arden, N.C.

Readers are invited to send letters to jdorsch@giemedia.com. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.