Kemp Anderson Leaves Scotts

COLUMBUS — Kemp Anderson, who joined Scotts in 2013 as vice president of business development, has left the company.

 

Anderson was hired by Scotts to facilitate the company’s formal entry into the pest control market via acquisition of a large platform company, followed by a series of tuck-in acquisitions not in the footprint. In January, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company announced that its Scotts LawnService business had acquired the assets of Action Pest Control, one of the largest residential pest control providers in the Midwest with seven offices, 125 employees and annual revenues of $12.6 million (see related story).

 

But one month after the deal was finalized, on Feb. 4, Scotts Chairman and CEO Jim Hagedorn intimated the company was changing course with its pest control plans, and that it did not intend to make another significant pest control acquisition in 2015. During that call, Hagedorn said Scotts was weighing “the cost to build a deep presence in pest” versus investing in other areas of the business.

 

A longtime M&A professional, Anderson came to Scotts after having served as director of acquisitions for Rollins, Inc., parent of Orkin, where he was responsible for expanding the company via merger and acquisition activity throughout North America and the Caribbean. Prior to that he worked for Middleton Lawn & Pest Control as business development and manager of legal affairs.

 

Anderson said he will continue working in the pest control industry. “It has been an honor to be an active part of it and I plan on staying very involved in the industry. The industry has been great to both me and my family.” — Brad Harbison