MCHENRY, ILL. — The pest control industry mourns the loss of longtime industry veteran Pete Schopen, Sr., who passed away Friday, at age 69. The McHenry, Ill., entrepreneur had a two-year bout with leukemia, the family reported.
A former Orkin manager and Mid Central Pest Control owner, Schopen was an influential pest control owner/operator in the Northern Illinois market.
After working for three years at Orkin and becoming a founding member of the company's $100,000 sales club, Schopen left Orkin to start Mid Central in 1974. The Algonquin, Ill.-based company serviced thousands of clients throughout the Chicagoland area. At its highest point in 2005, Mid Central employed 25 and was about a $2 million operation.
Schopen had seven children all of whome worked at his company at various times. His oldest son, Peter, is owner/operator of Schopen Pest Solutions.
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