EBENSBURG, Pa. — Mark MacLaughlin, owner of MacLaughlin Pest Control, Ebensburg, Pa., was announced as the winner of  the Actisol Sweepstakes, that ran throughout September and October on PCT Online.  MacLaughlin’s name was randomly drawn from a pool of entrants. He wins an Actisol Compact Unit, a system that mixes a low volume of insecticide with a high volume of air to provide effective elimination of insects in deep harborage environments.

MacLaughlin founded MacLaughlin Pest Control in 1997 with two customers. The company has grown from those two customers to about 1,200 residential customers under contract and 500 commercial customers. He works alongside wife Kirsten and now employs another technician. “After working as a technician at a couple pest control companies in Pennsylvania, I realized I could make a better life for my family if I started my own company,” said MacLaughlin.

MacLaughlin Pest Control services residential, commercial and industrial customers and he is kept busy with carpenter ants, an especially problematic pest in Western Pennsylvania. Like many small business owners, MacLaughlin says being one’s own boss has its ups and downs, but “it's nice knowing that we built this company from nothing into what it is today. Knowing that we are able to leave this legacy to our children some day and working together as a family to make it continue to be successful,” he said.

MacLaughlin’s children, Jacob, 14, and Elizabeth, 13, are not involved in the daily operations, but they both know what is involved in running the company. “Both of them help occasionally, my son and daughter cleaning and repairing equipment and helping out in the office when needed.” In addition to pitching in to help the business out when needed, Jacob and Elizabeth are helping their dad building a jeep, from the frame up.

Visit www.pctonline.com for upcoming sweepstakes.