American Pest Control Announces 2019 Company Award Winners

ATHENS, Ga. — American Pest Control announced its 2019 Man and Woman of the Year and Rising Star Awards. The Man and Woman of the Year awards are presented each year to employees who have exhibited the company’s core values of Honesty, Integrity, Community, Family and Quality Customer Service.

The “Doug Craft Man of the Year Award” was named after long time American Pest Control employee, Doug Craft, who has been with the company for 48 years. In his honor, this year’s Man of the Year award was presented to universal technician Jeff Perry, who has been with the company for 18 years. Jeff lives just outside of Athens in Danielsville, Ga., with his wife of 29 years. David Butler, the operations manager at APC, and Perry knew each other through mutual friends. Butler told Perry about a job opening and he applied. Once he came in for an interview, they knew he was a great fit and he was hired on the spot. Jeff loves working at APC because he loves the people; both the customers and his coworkers. He likes that American Pest Control is a family-oriented business. Perry enjoys hunting, fishing, watching NASCAR, and football. He is proud of the fact that American Pest Control has partnered with and supported his community over the years by sponsoring his son’s little league and supporting Extra Special People, a non-profit that he and many of his coworkers are passionate about. Perry says he is “humbled and appreciative about winning the award” and finds it rewarding that he “has helped influence other people into doing the right thing and doing a good job for their customers. “

The “Kathy Hollin Woman of the Year Award” was named after American Pest Control’s office manager, Kathy Hollin, who has also been with the company for 48 years.  This year’s winner is accounts payable specialist Deirdre White. White has worked at American Pest Control for 24 years. She began her journey with the company when she left the medical field to pursue a new path. Her sister was working at American Pest Control at the time and told her about an opening. White has been with the company since then. She is from Oglethorpe County and currently resides there with her cats and two pet roosters. She loves open land and the quietness of country life.  White says that her favorite thing about her job is the family connection at the company. She says it is great to work for a company that really cares about the employees. White enjoys shopping and crafting in her free time and loves making anything with a hot glue gun, ribbon and glitter. She also has a heart for animals and is honored to be part of a company that supports that cause through various non-profits in the community like AthensPets and The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia.

The “Rising Star Award” is a new award at American Pest Control. This award was created to recognize employees who have been employed three years or less and represent American Pest Control well by exemplifying the company’s core values. The inaugural winners for the Rising Star Award this year are Logan Bookwalter and Jenna Smith. Bookwalter has been with the company for almost two years as a universal technician. In that time, he has set records on performance and been an example for new employees. Bookwalter is from Hart County, where he lives with his wife. He enjoys being outdoors, fishing and golf. Bookwalter is passionate about building relationships with his customers and loves being part of the American Pest Control family.

Jenna Smith was also a recipient of the Rising Star Award. Smith has been with American Pest Control for almost three years. She is a training and development specialist and her favorite part of her job is being able to arm new employees with everything they need to succeed while welcoming them to the APC family.  Jenna is from Oglethorpe County and now lives in Athens with her husband. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Smith is grateful to be a part of the APC family and work for a company that supports The Tree House, a local non-profit that supports families who have struggled with abuse.

The award winners were announced at a company-wide meeting held during the 4^th quarter of 2019. American Pest Control is grateful for these outstanding employees who, along with the entire staff, contribute to the long-running success of the company.