Michael Poja, Wisconsin Pest Control Association VP, Dies at Age 60

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Ecolab District Manager Michael Poja, current vice president of the Wisconsin Pest Control Association, died of a heart attack at his Brookfield Wis., home in April. He was 60 years old. 

The Wisconsin native held several jobs after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1969. But it was in 1983 that he latched onto a job with Terminix International in Hyde Park, N.Y., and started a 24-year career in pest management. 

Poja spent 12 years with Terminix before moving over to Sawyer Exterminators (Rochester, N.Y.) where he spent five years.  After a short stint with Truly Nolen (Florida), Michael went to work for Copesan in quality control before finally joining Ecolab in August of 2004.  He spent three years on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Pest Control Association (WPCA) and was chosen as vice president last year. 

Poja, who was district manager of Eastern Wisconsin for Ecolab at his passing, was remembered fondly by many people including his boss, Keith Benson. “Mike was a true professional,” Benson said. “He emphasized integrity to his team at Ecolab and was a good leader.” 

WPCA President Brent Towle (Spectrum Pest Control) echoed Keith’s thoughts, “Michael was a kind man who got things done.  The attention was never on him.  He will be missed by all who knew him.”