RYE, N.Y. — Norm Cooper, whose 63-year pest control career included time spent as a PCO, consultant, and NPMA President, passed away on April 5, at 85. Cooper had been suffering from a blood disorder called MDS for about a year. Widely considered one of the pest control industry’s greatest ambassadors, Cooper created NPMA’s longtime “Guardians of the Environment” branding initiative during his presidency.
A native New Yorker, Cooper in 1954 launched Abby Exterminating Services, a company he owned until January 1971 when he sold it to ESCO (Exterminating Services Co.). He stayed on board at ESCO, eventually becoming president of the exterminating services division. He retired from ESCO in 1996, and launched a highly successful consulting business, Norman Cooper & Associates.
Cooper served as NPMA (then NPCA) president in 1991-1992 and during his presidency created the branding “Guardians of the Environment” — which included the logo and tagline — an initiative many credit for improving the industry’s image.
Russ Ives, president of Troy-Mich.-based Rose Pest Solutions, and a former NPMA president, said he believes this was Cooper’s greatest contribution because of what it said about, and to, the pest control industry. “While there were many who said at the time that it was a bit off center to the message we had previously been promoting about protection of health and property, it did put our contributions into the discussion which so-called environmentalists had co-opted. It helped us develop our own arguments about our industry's contributions, and added a new topic of environmental responsibility into our operational discussions. And, as Norm did so well, it added pride and positivity into our messages which had been getting increasingly defensive.”
Through his consulting firm, and through his many national and international speaking engagements, Cooper remained close to the pest control industry through his entire life. He and wife Marilyn traveled throughout the U.S. and the world, where Cooper spoke on the industry’s behalf in countries such as Japan, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore, China, and Ecuador. For these and other contributions, in 2014, Cooper was presented with NPMA’s first-ever Global Ambassador Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2015, he was recognized by PCT and Syngenta with the Crown Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award. At last year’s NPMA PestWorld in Seattle, Cooper was presented with the Pinnacle Award, the association’s most coveted and prestigious accolade, which honors an individual who has contributed not only to the success of the association but to the industry as a whole over a lifetime or career.
Mike Katz, recently retired from Western Exterminator, said Cooper was an important mentor to him and others in the pest control industry and within NPMA. “People who never knew Norm really missed out, because he was a kind, down to earth man who had a passion for the pest management industry and the people in it. It didn't matter who you were. He treated everyone the same way. I'm really going to miss his smile when he saw me, and our conversations about basketball and the world. I will remember him as a good man, and a good friend.”
Cooper is survived by wife Marilyn, their two sons and daughter, and grandchildren.
The family will be receiving visitors from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m on April 12 and April 13, at the home of Marilyn Cooper, in Rye, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to support research being led by Norman’s doctor to find a cure for MDS. The address is: Dr. Lewis Silverman Research Program, Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave Levy Place, BOX 1079, New York, NY10029
(Pictured: Norm and Marilyn Cooper in 2015, after Cooper was recognized with the PCT/Syngenta Crown Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award.)
Norm Cooper Memories
"Norman spent many years in the pest management industry. He had the ability to identify and communicate with people in small businesses, medium businesses and large businesses. His communication skills were his strongest suit, and the friendly manner in which he used them was one of his strongest assets. People genuinely liked Norm Cooper." – Harvey Massey, chairman and CEO of Massey Services "When I first became involved in the NPCA in the 1970s Norm Cooper was already a prominent industry leader and highly regarded. After meeting Norm for the first time, I immediately understood why. He had a deep interest in anyone with whom he was speaking. That was reinforced on me the second time I spoke with him because he remembered so much from our first conversation. Norm’s sincere interest in people combined with his long-term commitment to the pest control industry are among the qualities that made him a man who was respected and influential for so many decades. He and Marilyn were beloved by many - certainly Dena and me included." – Victor Hammel, retired president of Rentokil North America "In 1992 during Norm’s presidency he succeeded in changing the NPMA logo from the torch to the Guardians of the Environment which remained our logo for many years. He conveyed a clear and concise message to the public that the people in the pest management industry were the true guardians of the environment. Norm was a remarkable and devoted individual who like Ronald Reagan was a great communicator. This quality not only carried over to the people in our industry in the United States, but to the pest management industry worldwide. He traveled all over the world as a tireless advocate for the industry and the environment." - Phil Gregory, co-founder, CEO and chairman of Gregory Pest Solutions "Norm had a positive and progressive vision for our industry. His presidential speech was the most inspiring speech ever given by an NPMA President. In fact, his NPMA convention speech inspired me to become more active in NPMA. His vision and ability to articulate our industry’s challenges and our role in protecting the environment and public health were the cornerstone of his term as NPMA President. For me, his leadership and vision helped make our industry the public health industry we are today." – Donnie Blake, president of OPC Services "He was one of the people who reached out to me when I was getting started. He was very kind to me, and he encouraged me to get more involved. He was a very well-known figure, yet he treated me as an equal and helped make me feel very much a part of our industry. We soon found out that we were both big NBA fans. He was a Knick fan, and I was a Lakers fan, and I can't tell you how many great conversations we had just about basketball." – Mike Katz, former president of Western Exterminator "Norm Cooper was extremely nice and helpful to me when I first got involved in NPMA. Back then the board was much smaller and for me being from a Terminix franchise getting on the board was tough. Norm became my advocate and pushed me constantly to get more involved. An odd couple with me being from the South and Norm very much a New Yorker; but Norm was a very civil, gentlemanly person and I thoroughly admired and respected him. He had a huge influence on my dedication to NPMA and the industry at large.I'll surely miss him." — Tommy Fortson, ice chairman of the board of directors, Terminix Service "Norm and I met in the 1970s and was introduced to him by Bruce Nelson who worked for Western (Sameth). Norm and I spent countless hours over the years on working on various committees for NPMA and I have the highest respect for his insight into this Industry as well as being one of my great friends. Norm’s greatest contribution to our association in my opinion was the 'updating' of the NPMA logo. He was an outstanding leader the year that he served as president of our association as well. Image and art were very important to him as well as how the pest management Industry was perceived. Norm was very interested in art and was good at it himself. He even had a cartoon that was published at onetime in Playboy magazine." — Larry Treleven, Sprague Pest Solutions ***article updated on 4/10 with additional colleague comments***
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Brad Harbison
