Serving The Community For Over Thirty Three Years.
My name is Fred Willey, I have been in the pest control industry since 1989. Like many people, I can’t say Pest Control was my first choice and I ended up in a career that I dreamed of. Actually, it was more luck than anything, and probably a little steering by some mentors in my life. However, I feel blessed that almost everything I have ever done has led me to where I am today.
When Put In Charge, Take Command
I got into the pest control industry through the back door so to speak, I was an apprentice for a CPA, and my first off site placement was two and a half years as a full charge bookkeeper for a rapidly growing pest control company. My CPA boss, asked me before he sent me off to the pest control company, “Do you know what it means to be a Full Charge Bookkeeper”, of course my answer was no. I always like to interject into the story, that my boss must have known I wasn’t going to amount to much as an accountant, based on how he answered the question.
He said, well as a full charge bookkeeper, the only way you can be in charge is to know everything you can about the business you are in charge of! As general Norman Schwarzkopf liked to say, “When put in charge, take command”, and looking back, I must have taken that to heart, and I was off to work at the pest control company. Within 30 days, I had every pest control license, and was being sent off to help the technicians all the time, I did more pest and termite control than I did bookkeeping. Though I did not realize it, I was on my way to a career in pest control. It was not immediate, as I did many things between that first job and coming back to the same company as a technician for four more years before I ventured off into my own pest control company.
I am very grateful to both my CPA and the first pest control company I worked for as that is where I got the bug, pardon the pun!
Down To One Job, Pest Control
Ultimately, pest control was where I arrived when I decided I needed to have a real career and wanted to stop with the insanity of multiple jobs, including being a pest control technician, my own tax/accounting business (330 tax returns a year and 40 monthly sets of books) pizza delivery, temporary agent for an accounting placement company, 3 separate jobs for 10 plus years, working 7 days a week, and ready to settle down. I started Invader Pest Management in 1994 and within 18 months I was able to sell my tax practice and quit all the side jobs! That was an exciting day, to finally have only one real means of income and not need multiple jobs to survive.
Invader Pest Management
The growth of Invader Pest Management, and myself, has been evolutionary with many changes over the past 28 years. Our first employee was hired at 8 months in (too soon – lesson learned), and now we have fifteen employees. I would say the biggest challenge to any business is the employment factor. It certainly has it’s rewards and challenges.
As bit of a social animal and very quickly in, I got involved in Arizona’s state association and soon thereafter joined the National Pest Management Association. There many relationships have been forged and much knowledge gained. Over the years I have served in every seat in the state association(s). And became one of the founders of the current association, AZPPO Arizona Pest Professional Organization.
Recognition and Awards.
This year, I was honored to be the recipient of the 2022 Hall of Fame award from AZPPO. This organization’s top award to recipients who were found to contribute greatly to our industry. I am so excited to see where our association has come from it’s beginnings to one of the nations most respected pest control state associations. And now we have spin off groups including Pest Vets and PWIPM Professional Women In Pest Management that are really touching the lives of many people and helping in many ways of support and leadership.
Here To Serve
As always, I invite you to contact us for any pest, termite, rodent, pigeon, mosquito and even weed control problems you might encounter. We are here to serve you and have been since 1994. It is our great pleasure to C.A.R.E. for our customers and we love to get rewarded with your Five Star Testimonials.