In Memoriam: Tom Moore

BROOKFIELD, Wis. – Tom Moore, who worked for Copesan Services for 30 years, passed away on Dec. 10. He was 82.

A native of Auburn, N.Y., Moore graduated from Syracuse University in 1964. Instead of immediately attending graduate school to avoid military service, Moore enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After serving abroad, Moore volunteered for swiftboat duty in the Vietnam War (1967). Moore served as an adviser to the South Vietnamese military, whose job was to patrol the South Vietnam coastline. He recalled in his 2002 PCT Crown Leadership Award article: “It seemed like the right thing to do. All of my friends had gone into the Marine Corps, and they were already in Vietnam, so I wanted to do my part as well.”

Following military service, he married wife Karen in 1968, and soon after earned an MBA from the University of New York at Buffalo. Moore then accepted a position managing the University of Buffalo college bookstore.

Needing to support a growing family, Moore in 1977 joined Copesan Services – an alliance of regional pest control firms (sold to ServiceMaster in 2018) – first working as operations manager at Milwaukee, Wis.-based Wil-Kil Pest Control and later as president of Copesan Services (1989 – 2006).

Although Moore did not have a pest control background, the Copesan Board of Directors recognized Moore had the necessary management and people skills. Alfie Treleven, chair, Sprague Pest Solutions (a Copesan member company), told PCT that “service above self” was a motto Moore lived. “I am not sure if this commitment to service was a carryover from his time in the Navy and Navy Reserves, but service for others is what he lived,” Treleven said. “Tom deeply cared about the people, the mission and the steps necessary to accomplish the task at hand. Tom was caring, while firm on accomplishing agreed to plans.”

Moore served as president of Copesan Services during a period of rapid growth. In 1977, Copesan Services was a $2.6 million business with 50 full-time employees; by 2002, the organization had grown to a $40 million business with 210 full-time staffers. Treleven noted, “Tom had the challenging task of herding independent pest management owners, convincing them to serve a common cause — at times these collective actions reduced their independence — and then accomplishing these plans.”

Moore also served an important role on the PestSure Board of Directors, where he followed up with vendors who supported the collective.

Moore was president of Copesan Services until November 2006, and then remained with Copesan until June 2007, while transitioning the position to Deni Naumann. “I deeply appreciated his support, wisdom and great sense of humor during this transition,” Naumann told PCT.

Moore is survived by wife Karen; daughter Kristin (and late husband Ken) Christinson; son Don (and wife Jessica Gonzalez-Moore) and granddaughter Olivia.

A gathering in Moore’s memory is planned for 2025. Click here to read his obit from The Waukesha Freeman.

Additional source: www.gmtoday.com