Kansas distributor Rhodes Chemical Company was founded in 1962 by Roland Rhodes.

Editor’s note: Kansas-based Rhodes Chemical Company just celebrated 50 years as a distributor to the structural pest management industry. The following article, reprinted with permission from the Missouri Pest Management Association, tells the history of Rhodes and its founder Roland Rhodes.

Roland Rhodes graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1949. Before establishing Rhodes Chemicals in February 1962, Rhodes was the Research and Quality Control Manager for an insecticide formulation company (1956- 1961). The company, “Real-Kill Company” sold retail products to treat household insects.

Rhodes’ first NPCA conference was in October 1957, his first attendance at a Purdue PCO Conference was in January 1958. He was a charter member of UPF&DA in 1968. He has been the Treasurer of UPF&DA for about 20 years. He has been a member of RISE for many years as well. He joined the Entomological Society of America in 1971 and was also an early member of BCE.

Rhodes Chemical Company has continued to support Purdue University, the Entomological Society of American, NPMA and seven state pest management associations in the upper Midwest. Rhodes has continued to supply PMPs in this area with technician training, technical information, products, equipment and other services during these 50 years.

Rhodes has established six college scholarships, majoring in entomology and pest management – Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska and Iowa State University.

Missouri Pest Management Association (MPMA) President Bryan Ninichuck, president of Wingate Environmental Pest Control, Columbia, Mo., said MPMA has benefitted from Rhodes’ commitment to education and promoting the industry. “This commitment to the industry is obvious. It starts with Roland at the top and trickles down throughout the entire company,” Ninichuck told PCT.