News

ServiceMaster Appoints Gillette as New CEO
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The ServiceMaster Company announced in June the appointment of Robert J. Gillette as chief executive officer. He succeeds John Krenicki Jr., who stepped in as interim CEO in April, following the resignation of Hank Mullany.

Krenicki will continue to serve as chairman of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, the parent company of ServiceMaster, and will work closely with Gillette to ensure a successful transition, the firm said.

“We knew the CEO role at ServiceMaster would be a very attractive opportunity, and with Rob’s appointment we’re getting a world-class leader who will take the company forward,” said Krenicki. “He’s a proven leader with broad experience in a variety of industries and a track record of delivering top-line growth, margin expansion and operational excellence.”

Gillette is the former chief executive officer at First Solar, a leading manufacturer of solar cells and solar power plants. At First Solar, he expanded and refined the company’s global manufacturing capabilities and led the company to approximately 50 percent revenue growth. Previously, Gillette spent 12 years at Honeywell International, including roles as president and CEO of two of the largest divisions, Transportation Systems and Aerospace.

Before Honeywell, Gillette spent 10 years with GE, serving in variety of field and leadership roles, including general manager of GE Plastics South America, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Gillette is a graduate of Indiana University, with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

Gillette said he’s excited about leading ServiceMaster and building on the foundation of recognized brands and more than 20,000 associates who serve the company’s 8 million residential and commercial customers.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of a winning team at ServiceMaster, and it starts with building a culture that puts our customers first in everything we do,” said Gillette. “We’re going to keep working hard to win the confidence and trust of our customers and deliver reliable and consistent performance for our investors.”

Marathon Data Systems Hosts ‘Hackathon’
WALL, N.J. — Marathon Data Systems brought together a group of developers at the CoWerks facility in Asbury Park, N.J., for a 24-hour hackathon, challenging them to create an application that would help businesses and the local community in the first summer following Hurricane Sandy. The event, appropriately titled the Jersey Shore Comeback-A-Thon, was free for participants and boasted a $1,000 prize for the winning application as well as $600 in runner-up prizes.

During the first-day of the event local business owners and members of the community addressed the crowd, describing some of the challenges they have faced since Super Storm Sandy wreaked havoc throughout the Jersey Shore last fall. Speakers included Dave Fernicola of Days Ice Cream and Just Another Days in Ocean Grove and Asbury Park, N.J. Fernicola described how important it is to get the word out to the community, and to tourists, that even though there is still visible damage to the shore they, and other local businesses, are open for business. Other speakers included Danny Croak of CoWerks and Francis Kiernan of EdgeKnowledge in Red Bank, N.J.

After 24 hours of coding and very little sleep for most, the teams presented their ideas and demoed their applications to a number of community members and a team of judges on April 28.

Chris Sullens, president and CEO of Marathon Data Systems, who was present at the event and also one of the judges, noted, “We were really excited to see what the teams came up with in such a short period of time. The ideas and work generated during this event could go a long way toward benefiting the local community. We look forward to hosting similar events in future that challenge participants to use technology and creativity to create something of benefit to the community.”

The results were innovative and impressive, the judges said. The winning team, “Team Mango,” included Margaret Kim of Fort Lee, N.J., Cory Cardio of Long Branch, N.J., and Gary Kagan of Sebastian, Fla. The team created a crowd-sourced application where members of the community could give and receive up-to-the-minute pertinent information in the event of a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, such as which businesses had electricity. Since connecting to the Internet was an issue for many during the storm, the group created an application that would include a texting component so that users could update others as well as receive updates on their phone even if they did not have a Smartphone or could not get Internet access.

Another notable submission was from Ken Richlin from Long Branch, N.J. As the lone member of “Team Awesome,” Richlin created an online wiki website for users to submit and consume local information. The site is up and running and can be visited at asburyparkwiki.com.

Marathon Data Systems plans to make sponsoring a hackathon with a theme that benefits the local community an annual event.

BASF Announces Termidor ‘You Choose’ Sweepstakes
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC. — BASF announced the details of its Termidor You Choose Sweepstakes, which gives pest management professionals a chance to win a Colorado fly-fishing trip or a trip to pro football’s biggest game.

From now through September, pest management professionals who treat a dwelling with Termidor H·E High-Efficiency Termiticide and register the homeowner for the 10-Year Pledge will be entered for a chance to win a monthly prize, as well the grand prize.

Pest management professionals will receive one sweepstakes entry for every home treated with Termidor H·E High-Efficiency Termiticide.

Chances of winning increase with each entry. Five PMP grand prize winners will have the choice between a fly-fishing trip for two in Colorado, or a trip for two to watch The Big Game at MetLife Stadium. Each month, entries also have the chance to win a tablet.

“Termidor H·E High-Efficiency Ter-miticide is a more efficient way to get the strength of Termidor termiticide/insecticide,” said Chad Reese, Termidor Product Manager, BASF. “Backed by the Termidor 10-Year Pledge, Termidor H·E High-Efficiency Termiticide enables PMPs to treat more homes more efficiently and with less disruption — all with the same 100 percent efficacy PMPs have come to know and trust.”

PMPs can visit pestcontrol.basf.us for full details, or contact their BASF Pest Control Solutions sales specialist for more information.

PMPs Save Baby Girl’s Life
LOS ANGELES — PMPs with Isotech Pest Management, Covina, Calif., saved an 11-month-old girl’s life while out on a service call in Los Angeles, a recent story from KTLA 5 reported.

According to Los Angeles police, the girl somehow fell into a bucket filled with water outside her home on May 21. Isotech employees Clint Czarnota, Gus James and Mike Mora, who were in a nearby building for a cockroach control call, heard a scream and ran to assist, according to the TV station.

James was able to perform CPR on the girl, after the girl’s father had pulled her from the bucket. “The dad was karate chopping her back while she was upside down, trying to get water our of her,” James told KTLA. “I could tell he did not know CPR or anything.”

James’ rescue effort was successful, and the girl was taken to a local hospital by paramedics.

“I am so proud of my employees,” Isotech President Mike Masterson wrote to PCT. “Knowing they were willing to be leaders and take command of a bad situation. The result, a little girl’s life was saved and her parents will be able to kiss and hug her every day of their lives.”

RISE Calls for Mosquito Management Awareness
WASHINGTON — In the final week in June, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) observed National Mosquito Awareness Week, to bring attention to the importance of eliminating the growing threat of mosquitoes spreading West Nile virus throughout the nation.

In 2012, West Nile virus deaths totaled 286, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Weather conditions favorable to the breeding of mosquitoes contributed to the high death toll, according to health officials.

“When environmental factors increase the threat of mosquitoes, each of us needs to take steps to proactively protect our family and community,” said Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs, RISE. “Inspecting your yard and taking simple measures now will help control mosquito populations throughout the season.”

Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment is the national trade association representing manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry stakeholders. Learn more at www.pestfacts.org.

Liphatech Announces Eraticate Soft Bait Awareness Tour
Milwaukee, Wis. — Liphatech’s Eraticate Soft Bait Awareness Tour is hitting the road with five stops in some of the worst cities for rodent control in the country in August and September. Pest management professionals will hear the benefits of soft bait at the tour.

Headliners include industry experts Ted Bruesch, Liphatech’s technical manager; and Dr. Bobby Corrigan, RMC Pest Management (at the Atlanta, New York and Chicago stops only).

Tour highlights include:

• Free attendance for PMPs who register online at www.liphatech.com/2013Tour
• Lots of freebies. Attendees will receive a gift for attending, soft bait information, tour shirt and soft bait samples
• Enter to win prizes valued at more than $500, including a flashlight with a built-in video camera or a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
• Special event deals on product offered during the show
• Opportunities pre- and post-tour for meet and greets to network with industry colleagues and experts

Topics to be covered include: rodent behavior and challenges they create for pest management professionals; uses, methods and treatments of FirstStrike and Resolv soft bait; why soft bait should be the primary bait in a PMP’s toolbox; how soft bait is designed to work on extremely difficult jobs, yet its economical enough to become a go-to rodenticide; and different ways other pest management professionals have used soft bait successfully in the field.

The tour will visit the following cities:

• Atlanta — Aug. 27
• Long Beach, Calif. — Sept. 5
• New York City (Manhattan) — Sept. 9
• Baltimore — Sept. 11
• Chicago — Sept. 17

The event will begin with registration, food and drinks at 5 p.m. The soft bait awareness program follows at 6:30 p.m. with dessert and drinks at 8 p.m.

Register for this educational event online at www.liphatech.com/2013Tour. For more information about Liphatech products and services, visit www.liphatech.com or call 888/331-7900.