Sunair Can't Hire Top Execs

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Miami Herald reports that two of three executives tapped to lead Sunair Electronics into the pest-control business may not join the Fort Lauderdale company for a while. (Read more about Sunair in the January PCT article "Who ARE Those Guys.")

A Memphis court on Friday temporarily barred David Slott and Donald Karnes from becoming president and chief operating officer, respectively, of Sunair's pest control services division because of noncompete agreements they signed with their former employer, ServiceMaster. The pair were executives with TruGreen, the lawn care business of Illinois-based ServiceMaster, until they quit in November.

The court, however, refused to prevent another ServiceMaster executive, John Hayes, from becoming Sunair's chief executive. Hayes didn't sign a noncompete agreement.

FRIDAY VOTE. On Saturday, Feb. 5, the Herald reported that Sunair was ready to enter the pest control market after shareholders approved on Friday a deal with an investment firm led by Richard C. Rochon and Mario B. Ferrari.

Sunair, which produces high-frequency radio equipment used by the Coast Guard and others, will use the investment proceeds to acquire small to regional pest-control companies. It will continue to operate its core electronics business. But now, the company will simply be known as Sunair.

The Herald reports that Sunair already is negotiating with a Florida company that has about $50 million in annual revenue, Rochon said.

Source: Miami Herald