Category Archives: Meet A Joe

**Our Meet a Joe blog series introduces you to one of the people that make Mosquito Joe great. From our technicians to our Corporate staff to our hardworking franchisees, we think our company is full of people you ought to know!**

Meet Eric Strumpf

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Strumpf, owner of Mosquito Joe of Ft. Collins-Greeley in Colorado. Eric is in his first year as a Mosquito Joe franchisee and will soon be retiring from a 20-year career in the United States Air Force. Before he joined the Mosquito Joe family as a franchise owner, Eric was already a four-year customer! He was so satisfied with the service and interested in the solution Mosquito Joe provides communities, that he decided to become a part of that solution and buy a franchise.

Extracurriculars

A bit of a renaissance man, Eric’s interests and hobbies spread far beyond mosquito control. In addition to his career as a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force, he recently completed his MBA degree at UNC Chapel Hill, started to play the violin, and enjoys lacrosse and exercise. This is not to mention his wife and three children (8, 21, and 27 years old) and all the activities that fatherhood entails. Eric is also an author, writing For My Daughter: Lessons for Life’s Journey in 2012.

Eric’s Mosquito Joe Business

Eric’s Mosquito Joe operation is unique because although his franchise location is in Colorado, he and his wife live full-time in North Carolina where they moved recently after years in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area. Family in the Ft. Collins area and unavailable Mosquito Joe territories locally both contributed to Eric’s decision to take his business west. Jaime, Eric’s sister-in-law, is the office manager that keeps things running day-to-day. Hers will most likely be the  friendly voice you hear on the phone if you call for service.

Eric is the first to admit that there are challenges to managing a Mosquito Joe franchise this way, “Overseeing our territory in Colorado while geographically separated has been very challenging. There’s the daily issues that you either can’t deal with in person or worse, go undetected because you’re not there to see them for yourself. I’ve been out there six times this season and each trip is jammed with value-added efforts from beginning to end.  I look forward to post-retirement so I can pop in any time I want and maybe even have some down time to just enjoy being there.”

After his retirement from the Air Force, Eric’s main focus will be on the future growth of Mosquito Joe. He is going to continue developing the northern Colorado market where elevation is lower and mosquitoes are more of a pest than they are in the mountainous regions to the south.

Mosquito Joe of Ft. Collins-Greeley provides mosquito control services to the Ft. Collins, Greeley, Larimer County, Weld County, and Boulder areas. If you’re interested in mosquito elimination services to rid your yard of pesky mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, visit their website or call their office at 970-316-0770 for more information.

**Occasionally we like to provide a blog post that will help you get to know Joe. From our technicians to our corporate staff to our hardworking franchisees – we think our company is full of people you ought to know!**

Meet Chris Phillips and Nancy Abercrombie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Phillips and Nancy Abercrombie, co-owners of Mosquito Joe of the First Coast in Jacksonville, Florida.  After a 23-year career in banking, Chris dove head first into the franchising world by acquiring an American Leak Detection franchise, where he was owner for 18 years.  Chris’ retirement was cut short by Mosquito Joe after the brand’s concept and growth potential convinced him to return to franchising.

Nancy is no stranger to the business world either.  Director of Business Development at Avondale Travel, a career with American Express, and Director of Human Resources for the Duval County Supervisor of Elections are just some of the highlights on her resume.  She is a member of the local businessmen’s club and is very active in the local business community.

The husband and wife team decided to purchase a Mosquito Joe franchise after discovering the opportunity in a Wall Street Journal article.  Chris said, “It sounded like a great opportunity, and after looking further into it, I liked the idea of a seasonal business where you get to have a few months off.”  He added that although there are other pest control companies in his area, none specialize in mosquito control like Mosquito Joe does, creating a real need for his services.

When you call Mosquito Joe of the First Coast, you’re likely to be greeted by Heidi, the Office Manager.  Heidi is originally from Oshkosh, WI, but moved to Florida to become the Office Manager of Mosquito Joe.  The technicians, Curtis and Kely, provide excellent mosquito control services to their customers to help make outside fun again for everyone.

Mosquito Joe of the First Coast launched in the spring of 2015 and provides mosquito control services to Clay County, Nassau County, St. Johns County, and the greater Jacksonville area. If you’re interested in mosquito elimination services in the Jacksonville area to rid your yard of pesky mosquitoes, ticks and fleas, visit Mosquito Joe of the First Coast’s website or call their office at 904-236-4110 for more information or a free quote.

And if you live in the area, be sure to check them out next week, March 17, on First Coast Living (WTLV Channel 12) where Chris and Nancy will be talking about their business in mosquito control.  The segment will air at 11am and 2pm local time.

**Occasionally we like to provide a blog post that will help you get to know Joe. From our technicians to our corporate staff to our hardworking franchisees – we think our company is full of people you ought to know!**

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Clark. Steve has been an entrepreneur since the age of twelve when he starting mowing lawns in his neighborhood with his brother. He eventually turned that concept into a successful lawn and landscaping business, while teaching high school agriculture and biology on the side.  After deciding to stop teaching and put full energy into his business, he became aware of mosquito control treatments and saw the opportunity to add a complementary service to his business portfolio.  After reading an article about Mosquito Joe in Kiplinger magazine the wheels started turning, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Meet Steve Clark of Mosquito Joe of East Memphis, TN

Steve graduated from the University of Tennessee with Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, where he continued to mow lawns and keep yards looking pristine. After graduation he started his lawn company Southern Lawn and Pest Inc. where his interest turned to weed control and fertilization and other practices that help maintain the overall health of a lawn.

Flash forward a few years…after attending a concert with his daughter that had been treated for mosquitoes, he realized how wonderful it was to enjoy being outdoors without swatting and just how much Memphis could benefit. With his clients established on the lawn care side, he could not only keep their lawns healthy, but he could keep his customers healthy (and itch free!) too.

“We decided to add a Mosquito Joe division to our Southern Lawn & Pest business because we knew it would be a perfect fit for our clients,” says Steve, “We also see it as a great opportunity to reach out to more potential lawn care customers through Mosquito Joe. Each business is really going to help grow the other.”

Mosquito Joe of East Memphis launched in the spring of 2014 and Steve maintains his southern charm with his business. He prides himself in putting the customer first and giving great service at a good value.

We couldn’t be happier to have Steve and his team as part of the Mosquito Joe family and wish them the best of luck. If you’re interested in mosquito control services in the Memphis, TN area to rid your yard of pesky mosquitoes, ticks and fleas, visit the Mosquito Joe of East Memphis website or call their office at 901-881-5406 for more information or a free quote.