PCO Profile: Falcon Takes Flight

In 1969, when Charles and Jean Witherington were preparing to launch their pest control business, they chose to name the company after one of nature’s great predators — falcons.

Forty-five years later, Falcon Lawn & Pest is as fitting a name as ever for the highly regarded Orlando-based company, now under the direction of second-generation owners Louis Witherington (Charles and Jean’s son) and his wife Patti.

“Falcons are fast and keen with strong vision, which reflects us very well in our delivery of service, training and ability to change as the industry and customer needs change,” said Louis Witherington, CEO and technical director of Falcon.

Already well established in Orlando, Falcon recently announced it will be opening its second location in Wildwood, Fla., this month, which will allow the company to expand to The Villages, Lady Lake, Wildwood and surrounding areas.
   
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. The Wildwood, Fla., office is the latest feather in Falcon’s cap (pun intended), but the company comes from humble roots. In 1969, Charles Witherington, a graduate entomologist from the University of Florida and in Special Operations with the United States Air Force vector unit, had a vision to open up a pest control business that would find its niche offering innovative and high-quality pest control services.

Charles enlisted the assistance of son Louis (age 15) and began showing him the ropes. “I grew up in and around the industry, working summers for my father throughout high school and college. After developing a passion for the science, I decided to focus my studies in entomology and business to better prepare myself for a career in the pest management industry,” he said.

After graduating from the University of Central Florida in 1985, Witherington returned to Falcon full-time, working in all facets of the operation. When Charles and Jean Witherington retired in 1997 Louis and Patti purchased the company. Patti left her job as an executive for Walt Disney’s special events department, where she spearheaded film and television promotions and conventions. “Her vast experience in marketing combined with my technical background allowed us to build the Falcon brand and corporate structure into what it is today,” Witherington said.

YEAR-ROUND SERVICES. One of the reasons for Falcon’s success is that it is a true full-service operation, offering services at all times of the year. For example, during summer months mosquito and ant services are popular with clients who want their kids to be able to play outside without getting bitten or stung. During warm, humid months ant services are popular. The winter months call for peridomestic roaches and rodents. Subterranean termites start swarming in early spring, followed by drywood termite swarms. Ant issues are a year-round problem in Central Florida.

Falcon’s lawn department complements its pest control services. Witherington says the busy time for lawn pests/issues breaks down as follows:
•    Summer: chinch bugs, sod webworms and weeds
•    Fall: chinch bugs, fungus and weeds
•    Winter: fungus and weeds
•    Spring: fungus, chinch bugs and weeds

While this suite of offerings is not unique among pest control companies in Florida, what separates Falcon is its ability to deliver the service with highly skilled service professionals. “We place great emphasis on the science behind the service and provide exemplary customer service for all our clients,” Witherington said. “From the very beginning, we have concentrated heavily on the scientific side of the industry with a major focus on our customers. We strive to provide them with superior service and that isn’t possible if we aren’t constantly educating our employees and ourselves on the latest scientific advancements and breakthroughs in pest management and plant care.”

To that end, Falcon senior employees receive a minimum of 100 hours of continuing education training per year and new employees receive a minimum of 250 hours of training. The majority of employee education is in a classroom environment, which includes the University of Florida’s Pest Management University.

Falcon’s bright green and purple trucks are a valuable marketing tool, but otherwise the company does relatively little advertising/marketing, instead relying on client word-of-mouth.

“Because we are relatively small we don’t have a huge advertising budget so we rely on the honest testimonials of our customers," Witherington said.

POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT. Another important point of emphasis for Falcon Lawn & Pest is creating an enjoyable environment where employees look forward to coming to work.

“Our management holds face-to-face daily check-ins as well as weekly and monthly meetings, which give our employees a chance to socialize and learn in a light-hearted atmosphere,” Witherington said.

Also helping to foster this family environment are the many community volunteer projects Falcon is involved in, including giving of time and services to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Give Kids the World, and Homes for Our Troops (see related story, below).

“Falcon has been part of Central Florida since 1969 and we are still family owned and operated. As a family, it is important for Falcon to give back to the community that has supported us for over 45 years and to invest in a better tomorrow,” Witherington said. 

GIVING BACK TO THE INDUSTRY. Louis Witherington also has become an active association member, including involvement with both FPMA and NPMA. He is a member of The Florida A&M Entomological Field Day & Workshop Steering Committee and the University of Florida Pest Management University Advisory Committee.

Moreover, he is one of the industry’s pioneers in the use of inspection dogs, and served as NPMA’s founding chairman of the Canine Insect Detection Committee (CID), in addition to being a member of the Blue Ribbon Bed Bug Task Force, on FPMA’s committee for the development of RFP guidelines for restaurants and hotels.

Jeff Annis, president of Advanced Services, Augusta, Ga., contacted Witherington seeking advice for using canines. “I needed some business advice about using canines,” Annis said. “I contacted Louis Witherington and his help was very, very important. He spent time on the phone with me and even helped me in person during a tour of his facility.”

Witherington said he has received as much as he has given with his association involvement. “Involvement with these groups has allowed us to connect with other pest control operators from all over North America and the world,” he said.

The author is Internet editor and managing editor of PCT magazine and can be contacted at bharbison@gie.net.

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Falcon Helps with ‘Homes for our Troops’
A severely injured veteran is getting one of the biggest gifts of his life, a brand new home. Earlier this year, the non-profit group Homes for Our Troops began building a brand new 3,000 plus square foot home for Army Spc. Luis Puertas.

Puertas lost both of his legs in a humvee accident back in 2006. He was just 19-years-old at the time of the accident.

Homes for Our Troops is building Puertas a handicapped-accessible and certified green home. His electric bill should never exceed $100 a month.

Falcon assisted by donating its services.