[2007 Commerical Technician of the Year] Proof Positive

The standard metaphor to determine if a person is an optimist or a pessimist is a glass of water. If the glass is half-empty, the person is a pessimist; if the glass is half-full, the person is an optimist.

It is easy to imagine Macy Ruiz as a glass-half-full kind of person. In fact, Rich Ennis, president and chief operating officer of Steritech, began Ruiz’s nomination letter with, “Known company-wide for his happy-go-lucky demeanor and passion for entomology, Macy Ruiz’s cheerful countenance graces many Steritech promotional pieces.”

Ruiz’s supervisor in Charlotte, N.C., Rod Harouff, described four of Ruiz’s qualities he sees daily. “He always has a smile on his face, he has concern for others, he wants to share his knowledge with others and he is disappointed if no one wants to talk or listen.”

EARLY LIFE. Ruiz was born and raised in Mexico, and lost his father at an early age. When his mother remarried, he was sent to live with his grandmother. “I had no one to push me, no one to tell me to go to school,” he said. Graduating from the University of Guadalajara in 1985 with a degree in forest entomology was a proud accomplishment for Ruiz.

He spent the majority of the following three years working in the Sierra de Manantlán reserve, studying bark beetles and other pests, in the forest environment.

By 1988, Ruiz’s grandmother had passed away, and his girlfriend, Gloria, emigrated to the United States. Ruiz followed, and settled at the University of California Santa Cruz, to continue his study of bark beetles. The following year, he married Gloria, but realized the days and months he spent away in the field were better suited to a single person.

At that point, he switched to agricultural pest management, earning his licensed pest control adviser certification. In 1993, Macy and Gloria decided to leave California and moved to North Carolina.

LIFE AT STERITECH. Ruiz responded to a help wanted ad in the newspaper for a pest prevention service specialist, and even though he had no previous experience, was hired by Steritech. “I felt like part of a family here,” Ruiz said. “All employees were important and welcomed, and everyone was willing to help.”

In 2001, Ruiz was promoted to senior service specialist, “and is close to achieving his master specialist designation, the highest ranking a Steritech service specialist can hold,” Ennis said.

A positive attitude is an asset, but Ruiz proved he had the “quality of work that goes along with it,” Harouff said. “He’s the whole package.”

Ruiz services about 120 clients each month, ranging from the Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte Bobcats Arena (home of the NBA team), Central Piedmont Community College and most of the hospitals in the city.

“It’s easy for us to say that Macy is a shining star at Steritech,” Ennis said. “His performance record month after month is without tarnish — low extra service requests and no cancellations reflect his exceptional service ethic and that his clients trust and value his expertise.”

Since starting at Steritech, Ruiz has continued his own education, and he revels in sharing knowledge with others. “There are so many opportunities for all of us,” he said. “Knowledge is something you need to share with everyone else. Don’t be selfish,” he advises.

Harouff said Ruiz is definitely the leader of the 11-person commercial service specialist staff in the Charlotte office. “Peers call him with questions,” he said. Ruiz leads any field training and stresses teamwork. In addition, Ruiz routinely leads the monthly training sessions in the branch, and contributes articles to the Steritech internal newsletter.

EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY. This enthusiasm spills out into the community also. Ruiz donates time at Discovery Place, which includes the Charlotte Nature Museum, one of his clients. Participating in the museum’s insect day, supplying insect samples, or helping to identify samples brought in by patrons are a few activities he enjoys. “I love doing this. If they need me, I’m there,” says Ruiz. “This gave me credits toward my Board Certified Entomologist (B.C.E.) certification.” 

THE FUTURE. Ruiz will continue his education, and share that knowledge with co-workers, the industry, and his clients, as he’s always done. He feels driven to change any negative perceptions of the pest control industry. Right now, he estimates that 40 percent of his clientele listen and understand the methods employed through IPM (Integrated Pest Management), but there are 60 percent he’s still working with. And since he’s the glass-half-full kind of person, he’s not giving up.

Nor does he give up when he sees his team treated with lack of respect. When that happens, he encourages his team, reiterating that they are the professionals, and they need to speak and act as professionals, and by adhering to that code, can change attitudes. He admits it can be discouraging when people don’t appreciate the knowledge, and think that they know more, but he never gives up.

“Macy has a lot of passion and zeal for the industry, then the company and then his clients,” Harouff said. “There are very few who live and breathe our industry. He is eager to teach anyone who will listen and there is not a better ambassador for our industry than him.” 

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine.

Accomplishments
1985: University of Guadalajara, Bachelor of Science, Forest Entomology
1998: Purdue University, Advanced Level Urban & Industrial Entomology IPM Course
2003: Board Certified Entomologist certification, became member of ESA

Personal
Wife, Gloria, married 18 years
Sons, Favio, 16, and Alex, 14; daughter, Emilia, 11
Enjoys reading, focuses on motivational books

Environmental Steward

Steritech focuses on the relationship between pest management and the environment and was recognized by EPA’s Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program for for reducing the risks associated with pesticide usage. Macy Ruiz understands the importance of Integrated Pest Management and says helping clients understand the benefits of IPM are a favorite part of his job. “This is an opportunity to get clients involved and get them to understand what I do,” says Ruiz. “It’s very important, for health and safety and saving money.”

As environmental sustainability becomes more of a worldwide priority, Steritech continues to stress the importance of utilizing pest prevention methods that are both effective and environmentally responsible. “Macy Ruiz is an exemplar to all of us in finding that happy medium,” says Rich Ennis, president and chief operating officer of Steritech.