Our History

March 1958 

In early 1958, seven progressive, independent Pest Control Operators (PCOs) gathered to discuss their mutual concerns. A few pest control companies were quickly developing into nationwide entities and these indepen- dents agreed it was time to act. Their privately held companies, they thought, must develop strategies to compete with these burgeoning giants.

The seven — Dr. H. K. Steckel, J. E. Sameth, Harvey Sturgeon, B. W. Elredge, J. C. Redd, Henry Turrie and I. B. Carncross — decided to form a network to enable them to band together and sell their services to regional, national and international commercial clients at competitive prices.

Such an alliance, they thought, could effectively attract business from the nation’s ever-increasing industries — food processing, health care, hospitality, property management, chain restaurant and retail.

50 Years Later

Little did our seven “founding fathers” know that 50 years later the alliance they formed would evolve into the network of leading regional pest management companies now known as Copesan.

At Copesan, an acronym for Coordinated Pest Management and Sanitation, we now employ thousands of service technicians and support personnel in a multitude of service centers and branch offices throughout North America, and have a corporate office in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

From a simple brainstorming session 50 years ago, we have developed into a company that now offers the most extensive service coverage throughout North America, reaching from coast to coast, and from Canada to Mexico.

Strength and Uniqueness

We owe our wide-reaching service coverage to our organizational structure and alliance of Partner companies throughout North America. Our local Partners are the uniqueness and strength of Copesan. With Copesan, our clients receive the advantage of a consistent national program while at the same time benefiting from the local expertise and knowledge that are the hallmark of our strong local Partners. It’s this combination of benefits that distinguishes us from other national providers.

With so many varied companies representing Copesan in many regions across North America, we have developed firm standards of service to ensure consistency. In order to maintain our quality across the board — from a Partner company in Maine to one in Oregon — we annually evaluate the performance of our Partner companies. Quality assurance measures examined at Partner companies include service specifications and protocols that we establish for each national account. To ensure consistency, we also regularly conduct quality assurance audits and continuous training efforts. Furthermore, peer pressure and pride among Partner companies motivates them to provide the best service possible.

In 1958:

• Gasoline was 30¢ per gallon
• The average annual salary was $5,500
• The average home cost was $18,000
• A postage stamp was 4¢
• The Edsel convertible was released
• The Academy Award for Best Picture went to The Bridge on the River Kwai

In 2008:

• Gasoline is $3.72 per gallon
• The average annual salary is $48,200
• The average home cost is $218,000
• A postage stamp is 42¢
• The Academy Award for Best Picture went to No Country for Old Men