American Pest Control was founded in 1971 by Mr. Gene Higginbotham, an Oconee County native. Mr. Higginbotham worked for a national chain pest control company for several years, traveling with his family to work in cities across the US. As he climbed the company’s ranks, he became increasingly disappointed with their lackluster attitude toward customer service and decided to branch out on his own. He and his family returned to Athens, GA, and American Pest Control was born. Mr. Gene, as he was affectionately known, passed away in 2015 after a battle with cancer. His children, Laurie and Scott Higginbotham, continue to operate the company with the same values he instilled in them and integrated into its service philosophy. A great testament to the family-oriented culture of the business is the longevity of its employees. Kathy Hollin and Doug Craft joined Mr. Gene soon after he opened the company’s doors and remain employed with the company to this day.
Of the many milestones celebrated by American Pest Control employees over the last 49 years, their team aims to make this year the most memorable one yet. The company will launch Operation 50/50 on their 49th anniversary this November 15th. The community and customer-oriented campaign will extend throughout the entire year, culminating in a celebration of their 50th year. Throughout 2021, the company will invite employees, customers, and community members to join them in fundraisers, service projects, and giveaways designed to thank the communities that have allowed them to thrive for nearly half a century. Closing out 2020 with a goal to surpass 50 volunteer hours in 50 days, the first initiative of the new year will be a charity 5K hosted by American Pest Control. They will continue to announce each 50-day long campaign throughout the year on www.operation50-50.com.
In addition to Operation 50/50, the company will be weaving the celebratory 50-year theme throughout its existing customer, community, and employee initiatives. The Gene Higginbotham Memorial Scholarship, for example, will celebrate the founding year by awarding students across the company’s broad service areas with scholarships in the amount of $1,971 for the monumental year. The American Pest Control team looks forward to the coming year and invites you to follow along on their social media platforms for updates!
