CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Pest Control Association (GCPCA) recognized Hank Althaus, president of Cincinnati-based Scherzinger Pest Control, with the Tom Evans Award at last night’s annual awards banquet.
 Maryrose Sylvester, daughter of the late-Tom Evans, presents the Tom Evans Award to Hank Althaus. |
Althaus, who served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service, began working for Scherzinger Pest Control in 1975 while he was in college at the University of Cincinnati. He stayed on board at Scherzinger after college and has served in just about every capacity within the company during the last 40 years. In 2012, he was named president of Scherzinger Pest Control, where he works closely with third-generation Scherzinger Pest Control leaders Kurt and Eric Scherzinger.
Additionally, Althaus has been an active member of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the Ohio Pest Management (OPMA), where he was instrumental in helping OPMA form the Future Pest Managers of Ohio (FPMO), a group that brings together unique, industry specific educational and developmental opportunities to the up and coming leaders of pest control industry in Ohio.
“I was fortunate to have Ed Scherzinger develop me and I’ve really enjoyed having an opportunity to develop others,” said Althaus, after he accpeted the award.
The Tom Evans Award is presented annually to individuals or groups who have made sacrifices of their time and energy and talent for the good of the pest control industry, and is named after the late-Tom Evans, the longtime president of Southern Mill Creek Products, which was acquired by Univar in 2010. On hand to present the award was Maryrose Sylvester, Evans’ daughter, who thanked GCPCA for naming the award in her father’s honor and keeping his spirit alive. “One of the reasons the award came about was because my dad was a driving force for change,” she said. “When he had something he believed in he would put his good will and his mind and his passion behind it. I know that at one time this organization had ceased, but he helped bring it back."
In all, 31 individuals have been recognized with the Tom Evans Award, including:
1996 – Carl Hinderer
1997 – Lonnie Alonso
1998 – Pest Control Magazine and PCT Magazine
1999 – John Patton
2000 – Jim Steckel and John Gedeon, Sr.
2001 – Chuck Kettler
2002 – Bettie Portwood
2003 – Ohio Pest Control Association Wood-Destroying Impact (WDI) Report Committee: Carl Hinderer, Ron Belknap, Lonnie Alonso and John Moran
2004 – Bob Caldwell, William L. Kirchner and George Ross
2005 – Jim Betts
2006 – John Gedeon, Jr.
2007 – Steve Scherzinger
2008 – Mike Grace
2009 – Ron Belknap
2010 – Scott Steckel
2011 – Belinda Jones, Capitol Consulting Group, Executive Director of OPARR
2012 – Andrew Christman
2013 – Ohio Pest Control Association Nuisance Wild Animal Control Committee: Belinda Jones, Andrew Christman, Lonnie Alonso, Scott Steckel and Mike Faler. Rich Kozlovich also was recognized with a Tom Evans Award.
2014 – Gerry Wegner
2015 – Hank Althaus
Latest from Pest Control Technology
- TAP Showcases Unique EPA-Registered Insulation Solution
- Atticus' Growing Pest Management Product Portfolio
- Bobby Jenkins Named the 2025 Crown Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
- Abell Pest Control Marks Five Years of ‘12 Days of Giving’
- Built-by-Owner Home? Look for Surprises
- The Pest Rangers Acquires O.C.E. Pest & Termite Control
- The Professional Pest Management Alliance Expands Investor Network
- Big Blue Bug Solutions’ Holiday Lighting Event Sets New Viewership Record
