Court Parker

He’s been known to take a phone call or answer an email from other pest management professionals (PMPs) across the country — morning, noon or night.

“That’s just who Court is,” said Jeff Phillips, an industry technology consultant who has known Parker since 2003. “He’s just someone who’s always trying to learn, trying to meet people, trying to offer assistance.”

A mix of selflessness, ingenuity and curiosity has helped Parker expand Bug Busters — a company founded by his father Neil in 1984 — into a business that fosters innovation and values community involvement in its many forms. It’s also allowed Parker to play an important role in a network of other PMPs who are navigating budgets, personnel, technology and more.

“He has an entrepreneurial spirit that allows him to see the big picture,” said his sister and Bug Busters CFO, Daphne Bertholf. “He’s always thinking about how we can grow the business and solve customers’ pest problems. How can we make sure this is a good experience for our customers? I think family-owned businesses tend to get caught up in putting out fires or dealing with issues, but Court is always planning and looking ahead.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY

When Neil Parker started his pest control company in 1984, he was the only employee on the payroll.

“I remember my dad and I were sitting around trying to come up with the name of the company,” Parker recalled. “Back then, you had to be in the Yellow Pages to do marketing. Everybody wanted to be at the front of the Yellow Pages.”

Calling the company Parker Pest Control, they realized, would mean being listed in the back of the book. The family pondered other names until Court had an idea: Like most kids growing up in the 1980s, he was a fan of the movie “Ghostbusters,” so what if they played off the name of the popular film? Court pitched his dad.

Neil loved it — and Bug Busters was born.

“My mom drew a logo and my dad got a couple of little Mitsubishi pickup trucks, and that’s how we started in the basement of the house, growing referral after referral,” said Parker.

As Parker got older, he started pitching in around Bug Busters. He folded invoices and stuffed envelopes — all the fun stuff a teenager wants to do. “When we got our first computer system, I was the one who literally typed in everybody’s information from notecards into a computer,” said Parker.

But the idea of taking over his father’s company never really entered his mind. He had his own teenage business endeavors (selling wrapping paper and giving swim lessons, among others), and he even had his own dedicated landline to take business calls at home.

After graduating from high school, Parker went to Elon University and the University of Miami School of Law with the intention of becoming a lawyer; however, after working at a small law firm, Parker was unsure about his future. He had planned on moving to Australia with a buddy who also was having doubts about his own career choice.

“I was sitting at home and my dad said, ‘Before you leave for Australia in a few months, we’re down a termite guy. If you want to fill in as a termite guy for a few months I’ll pay you,” Parker recalled.

He took his dad up on his offer — and never made the journey down under. Parker kept trying different positions within Bug Busters from technician to project manager. Working alongside his dad, Bug Busters continued to expand.

“We saw eye to eye on just about everything,” said Parker. “It was really easy to work with him.”

CHARTING HIS OWN PATH

As the family business grew, it became clear to both Parker and Bertholf that this was where they belonged. Parker joined the company full-time in 2003, followed by Bertholf in 2005. Today, Parker serves as CEO, while Bertholf is the company’s CFO.

At the time Parker came on board full time, Bug Busters had seven brick-and-mortar locations. That’s when he started to think about efficiency, with an emphasis on embracing technology.

“He’s been an early adapter of innovation and technology,” said Bertholf. “He gets really excited about new ideas and technology.”

Throughout the years, Parker has leveraged technology like handheld GPS, digital invoicing, VoIP phone systems, and AI-powered call analysis and software to streamline and make processes more efficient. He also considered whether all those brick-and-mortar locations were necessary.

Even while consolidating Bug Busters’ physical footprint, Parker didn’t shy away from making around 15 acquisitions to increase the company’s coverage area.

“I kept pushing the envelope on finding ways to have a leaner company that’s [generating] higher revenue,” Parker said.

Today, Bug Busters has about 80 employees serving the Southeast out of four locations in Georgia and Tennessee. The company also has started to offer thermal remediation for bed bugs and testing for vector-borne disease.

Throughout all the changes, the company’s mission — the heart of the business — hasn’t wavered.

“Technology serves a purpose. It allows us to continue to be a business that’s focused on people,” Parker said. “If we can be more tuned into what our customers and our team members need, it’s worth it. If we can get rid of the things that drive all of us nuts, like the monotony of having to do something over and over and if there’s technology that can do that for us, then let’s do that.”

In 2003, Parker joined the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). He has served on the board of directors and a variety of committees such as the P3 steering committee, leadership committee, WDO committee, technology committee and the business innovation committee.

Parker also helped formalize the U Group in 2007 with Phillips — an association of pest control professionals who share best practices and emerging technologies. The group, now nearly 20 years old, holds twice-yearly retreats where members exchange valuable insights.

“Court certainly has always been one to share, and one who is on the bleeding edge of technology,” said Phillips. “He’s always trying new technologies. He’s been way ahead of the curve on a lot of things that the industry has ultimately adopted.”

He’s also benefitted from, and contributed to, peer advisory groups outside of the pest control industry, building relationships with peers across the country and fostering a network of mutual support that continues to shape the way his business — and others — evolve. In 2016, he joined Vistage, a global executive coaching organization — and in 2021, he was recognized with the Vistage Leadership Award.

His dedication to the pest control industry was on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Wade Bradley, Vistage chair. Parker and his family spent six months traveling in an Airstream with two goals in mind: (1) visiting national parks and (2) meeting up with other PMPs across the U.S.

Despite being on the road, Parker never missed a Vistage meeting, even it meant Zooming in from the West Coast at 5 a.m. This left a lasting impression on Bradley.

“He’s really somebody who takes lemons and turns them into lemonade,” said Bradley. “And he’s an open book with all the innovation and technology he uses. If he has a competitive advantage, he’s willing to share that with the industry.”

Through his commitment to connection, learning and sharing, Parker has not only advanced his company but has helped elevate the entire pest control industry. He believes that everyone has something to contribute and something to learn.

“He’s always been an advocate for change,” said Phillips. “His take on technology has always been to push things ahead.”

CULTURE BUILDER

He felt the tone of the company started and ended with him, which contributed to a transformational shift in how he led and embraced Bug Busters’ mission.

“I felt like I took my foot off the pedal a little bit,” recalled Parker. “I was allowing other people to set our culture.”

In response, he set forth to educate himself on being a better leader. He read books, listened to speakers and did a deep dive into what company culture means. He started writing down the company’s mission, values and fundamentals.

“I got very involved in it. We plastered signs up throughout the office. We talked about it in our weekly meetings,” said Parker. “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

One goal was to document all company processes — both in traditional formats like step-by-step printed manuals, as well as visual mediums like videos — and ensure it’s readily available at all times.

“Everybody learns in a different way. Someone may learn by seeing it, some may need to go back and read it and others learn by being hands-on,” said Parker.

Another goal? To have fun. Bug Busters publishes an annual “culture book” — a yearbook of sorts. It’s full of colorful photos from company outings, activities and contests like Bug Busters’ 1980s-themed 40th anniversary party, a pumpkin decorating contest and a Super Bowl Squares contest. Having these tangible interactions has become very important to Parker, who realized that streamlining the business has had an effect on company culture.

“We don’t have as many offices as we once had, so we lost some of that culture,” said Parker. “The only way to get it back was by doing more of these events and putting them out there so everybody could see it. We have some people who only come into the office twice a month, so how do we make them feel like they’re part of the team? We have to make an effort because, if we don’t, they’re going to feel disconnected.”

Bug Busters is also dedicated to giving back to the Atlanta-area community, whether that’s through volunteering at the local food pantry or through its “Grow Together, Give Together” program, where monthly donations are given to a charity of an employee’s choice. Local charities that have received donations from Bug Busters include the Semper Fi Legacy Rescue, a local animal rescue, and The Drake House, a local nonprofit that provides resources to women and children experiencing homelessness.

Culture at Bug Busters isn’t just a poster on a wall. It’s a way of living that Parker has leaned all the way into — and the biggest component of Bug Busters being a successful company.

“If we’re not creating the culture we want,” Parker said, “someone else will.”

LOOKING AHEAD

While Parker may consider opening more brick-and-mortar locations, he views any potential new acquisitions or additional branches in terms of scale, sustainability and structure.

He’s also focused on how technology can continue to play a vital role in Bug Busters — and how those tools can help connect both customers and employees across generations.

“We’re a multi-generational company, employee-wise,” said Parker. “Technology is one of the leading ways that we are able to embrace that generational difference.”

That includes creating programs with a “gamified” approach so coworkers can track how they’re doing against each other. It also means building a content team within the marketing department to post videos to Bug Busters’ YouTube page and other social media channels.

“Our YouTube channel had 28 hours of watched content last month,” shared Parker. “One video had around 28,000 views.”

It’s clear that Parker loves what he does and sees possibility and opportunity around every corner — to provide quality pest control to his customers and to be a business where people can learn and grow in their career.

“I learned at an early age that everybody needs pest control at some point,” he said. “We’ve got to figure out how to tap into every single audience at all times. What we’re doing by leveling technology and innovation works.”