User:KathyDevo/sandbox

PLS DON'T DELETE THIS - I'M IN THE PROCESS OF EDITING THIS..... Western Pest Services is a pest control company throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Western has Commercial, Residential and Fumigation divisions. Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, it has locations throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc.

History
Western was founded by J.E. Sameth right before the Great Depression in 1928. He was so convinced of the potential of pest control that he was able to convince his entire family to move from West Virginia to Newark, New Jersey to establish the company. J.E. was the technician, his sister was the customer service rep, and his father concentrated on sales. The company employs Integrated Pest Management principles in developing pest elimination programs for consumers and industries such as health care, education, and food processing. In 2004, Western Pest Services was acquired by Rollins Inc. and went from being a privately owned company to a public company. Prior to the acquisition, Western Pest Services was ranked as the 8th largest company in the industry

Western's name
J.E. Sameth wanted an official, professional sounding name. Several options were considered, including Eastern, Western, National and Federal. J.E. actually pulled the name “Western” out of a hat.

Brand evolution

 * Western started out with the cowboy and cowgirl branding. This was a natural tie with the company name.
 * In the 1950s the cowgirl was dropped, and they went with the “branding cowboy.” Also, it went from “Western Exterminating Co.” to “Western Termite and Pest Control.”
 * In the 1970s they dropped the cowboy and went with a “hockey sticks” brand image.
 * In the 1980s “caring people, caring solutions” was added.
 * In the 1990s a teal backdrop was tried
 * In 2005 they switched to their current company branding

Locations and branches
Western operates from Connecticut down through Virginia. They currently have 22 branches spread out over the 7 states.

Residential/Commercial Pests
Western Pest Services provides inspection and control services for common pests found in and around Mid-Atlantic homes and business including:
 * Ticks - The deer tick (black legged tick) is one of the major transmitters of Lyme Disease in the Eastern United States. They are typically found in the woods, and wait for a host to pass by to attach onto for feeding.  The lifecycle is usually completed in two years.  Eggs are laid in the spring and hatch into larvae between June and September.  The larvae attach onto small mammals such as mice, chipmunks etc. and feed for 3-9 days.  The larvae then molt into nymphs by the following spring, at the latest.  The nymphs need another blood meal to molt into an adult tick, and usually feed on mice or large mammals such as dogs, squirrels and humans.  By fall, the nymphs have normally molted into adults.
 * Mosquitoes - The Asian Tiger Mosquito breeds in shallow, standing water and is a transmitter of West Nile Virus and Malaria. They are dark colored with black and white striped legs, and a small black and white striped body.  Adult females feed on blood, while the adult males prefer sweets, such as honeydew, to biting humans.
 * Bedbugs - Bedbugs are tiny and are a reddish-brown color. They are oval and are wingless with microscopic hairs.  Bedbugs are commonly found on mattresses, bed frames, and box springs, even in the cleanest of rooms.  They live off of blood and will bite you to feed themselves in the middle of the night while you are sleeping.  These bites can cause raised red bumps and welts, and can cause a burning sensation and itching.
 * Stink Bugs - As the weather starts to get cooler, stink bugs start looking for somewhere to overwinter and they see a house as the perfect spot. They first hide in-between the walls, but as the weather keeps getting colder, they start to seek shelter directly inside the house.  While these pests do not bite or cause structural damage, they do leave a noxious odor if threatened.  When threatened, a stink bug will leave an aggregation pheromone which will signal other stink bugs to the area, eventually increasing their population in your house.
 * Termites - Termites live in colonies that can number from hundreds to millions of individuals. A typical colony contains nymphs, workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals if both sexes.  Subterranean and drywood termites are primarily responsible for damage to homes as their diet consists of wood.

Other pests that are commonly found in homes and businesses include: ants, bees, wasps, rodents, crickets, cockroaches, spiders, beetles, fleas, and centipedes.

Industry involvement
Western’s founder, J.E. Sameth, helped to shape the pest control industry. He was one of the founders of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the industry's educational affiliate, in 1933. The NPMA publishes trade material, holds certification conferences, and has state chapters.

J.E. was also one of the six original founders of Copesan in 1958. Copesan was a company formed by small, family-owned companies. Copesan acts as an “umbrella” company for small private members. It made it possible for small companies to compete with the national companies.

Western’s Commercial division is a member of numerous industry associations, including the American Council on Science and Health, American Institute of Baking,BOMA, and the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.

QualityPro
Western became QualityPro certified in 2009. A QualityPro designation is the mark of professionalism and excellence in pest management. It is available to members of the National Pest Management Association who set standards in business operations, promote environmental stewardship, and develop customer relationships through better sales and technician training.

GreenPro
Western became GreenPro certified in 2010. The National Pest Management Association only certifies existing members who are already QualityPro certified. Being GreenPro certified means that a company employs a comprehensive environmentally friendly approach to pest control, they choose minimally invasive pest control materials, and they focus on eliminating pest sources rather than eliminating pests through the use of harmful pest control materials.

PICS member
The Pacific Industrial Contractor Screening is a program for supplier prequalification, with exceptional focus on safety. The PICS participation, a company ensures a safe workplace, they are prequalified among a variety of categories such as insurance and safety programs, and they are qualified and ready to help.

BCE
Western employs Board Certified Entomologists (BCE). The Entomological Society of America conducts the BCE program to test knowledge and experience of practicing entomologists. They are required to show competency through a combination of experience, education, letters of reference, and the ability to pass a comprehensive exam.

Pest Control Technology Technician of the Year
In 2011, James Sagurton, a Commercial Technician from the Monmouth County branch, was a finalist for the PCT Technician of the Year Award. This award honors the achievements of the pest control industry's finest service professionals. In order to be considered for the award, the technician has to have a minimum 5 years in the industry, participation in industry educational meetings, exhibit excellence in safety, customer relations and leadership skills, and be active in community service.

Women of Distinction
The Women of Distinction Award recognizes women at Western Pest Services who demonstrate outstanding personal leadership, are involved in the community, help develop women leaders within the company and contribute to the growth of the pest control industry.
 * 2011 Winner - Karen DeChristopher
 * 2010 Winner - Barbara Hunter

Angie's List Award
Both the Paramus, NJ branch and JRG/Freehold, NJ branch won the 2011 Angie's List Super Service Award. Only 5% of the businesses rated on Angie's List are awarded this prestigious honor. Winners have to meet a strict eligibility requirement including earning a minimum number of reports, an exceptional rating from their clients, and abiding by Angie's List operational guidelines.

Elmwood Park Zoo
Western is a corporate sponsor for the Elmwood Park Zoo's signature fundraisers, Beast of a Feast and Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania.

Academy of Natural Sciences
In August 2011, Western hosted BugFest at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Western had one of their Entomologist's on hand to answer any question about pests. There was also one of Western's Dog Handler's and the dog Bugsy for a meet and greet and to give "bed bug hunts" demonstrations.

Haiti trips from NPMA
Western Pest Services is a proud participant in the National Pest Management Association's ongoing efforts to control the pest population in Haiti as part of infrastructure redevelopment on the island after the 2010 earthquake. The trips have included several members of the Western team, including Hope Bowman and Phil Pierce. Along with controlling structural pest populations, they also educated residents of Haiti how to manage pests over the long term. In partnership with local pest control agencies, they focused their efforts on hospitals and schools.