May 11, 2023 | Company News
Each year, the National Pest Management Association celebrates women in the industry with the Impact Awards. In 2023, Northwest saw four of our teammates nominated and four of our teammates be honored with this Award.
The Impact Awards honor and celebrate exceptional women at all levels within the pest management industry, in any role, including management, technical/service, sales, or office staff. What is unique about Northwest’s four recipients is that each joined the Northwest Family from an acquisition. We are thankful for teammates like Andrea, Chrystal, Stephanie, and Mercedes for all they do to make Northwest, Northwest. Below we share more about what makes each of these four honorees extraordinary!
Andrea Arrieta, Region 12
Andrea joined the Northwest Family in 2021 and is currently the Regional Administrator for our South Florida region. Andrea personifies the Northwest Service Standards of Initiative, Open to Growth, and Embrace Change. When joining the Northwest team, she took on an interesting, dual role throughout a brand and company transition. She took on this challenge with grace, learning and shaping procedures to support her Northwest team and customers. She is patient, helpful, and understanding, consistently looking for opportunities to make processes better. Andrea completed Northwest’s Leadership Experience in 2023.
Teammates from across the region look to her for guidance and coaching. She has embraced her new role, with teammates from across the region celebrating all she has done and continues to do for others around her. She is an extraordinary addition to the Northwest Family!
Chrystal McCoy, Team Support Center
Chrystal joined the Northwest Family in 2021. She was in the pest control industry for over 20 years prior, developing a wealth of knowledge, relationships, and industry experience. Previously in an Office Manager role, Chrystal had a vast understanding of service software and office procedures that the Northwest team quickly wanted to elevate and celebrate. She embraced a new role, Operations Support Specialist, in 2022, which allowed her the unique opportunity to split her talents between operations, information technology, and accounting needs. Chrystal completed Northwest’s Leadership Experience in 2023.
Chrystal’s software understanding has been leaned on heavily throughout several brand transitions in 2022 and 2023. She embodies the Northwest Service Standards of Honor Our Teammates, Communication, Embrace Change, and Initiative. She is consistent, supportive, and a problem solver. All who know her know she is someone they can rely on. She is always looking for ways to improve herself and others around her. Chrystal makes a difference with every project she supports, and Northwest is made better with her as a teammate!
Stephanie Hill, Region 12
Stephanie joined the Northwest Family in 2021. She has previously held leadership positions within the Rollins Family of Brands and currently serves as Northwest’s Regional Director. Stephanie took on the opportunity to grow the Northwest brand with an acquisition in South Florida. With Stephanie’s PhD in Urban Entomology, she brings a firm technical understanding while also being a leader who is supportive, growth-focused, and attentive. Stephanie completed Northwest’s Leadership Experience in 2023.
Stephanie leads Northwest’s Region 12 teammates through the various procedural, operational, and brand changes with a steadfast consistency and confidence that all appreciate. She is an extraordinary example of WOW with Pride and Professionalism, Embrace Change, and Celebrate. Northwest is thankful for Stephanie’s care for others and continued leadership.
Mercedes Moreno, Region 12
Mercedes joined the Northwest Family in 2021 and is currently the Office Manager for our Miami Gardens Service Center. Mercedes has been and continues to be an integral part of MiamiGarden’s success. She consistently looks for ways to bring her team together and work toward the common goal of a successful service center. She leads by example, offering her kindness and patience to those around her and to those who need it most. She is also a 2023 Northwest Leadership Experience graduate. Her teammates are quick to recognize not only how she embraces any type of change but also how she takes the time to help those around her with it too. Mercedes is an extraordinary example and embodiment of Northwest’s Service Standards, Servant’s Heart, Open to Growth, and Embrace Change.
No matter who is asked, every teammate will agree that she is a joy to work with! Northwest is grateful for the consistent commitment and professionalism Mercedes brings to the Northwest Family.
To learn more about the National Pest Management’s Association’s Impact Award winners from across the United States, including Northwest’s four extraordinary teammates, you can read more at the NPMA’s website.
Mar 17, 2023 | Company News, Good Deed Team, Teammate Celebration
The Northwest Family is ecstatic to announce that Mike Wells, Tennessee Service Professional, has accepted the 2022 Outstanding Service Professional award for the Tennessee Pest Control Association. Mike currently works for the Northwest Hermitage office as a Service Professional and has worked with Northwest for over 7 years.
Mike is an extraordinary asset to the Northwest Family. He’s an active member of the Northwest Good Deed Team, known within his team for supporting others and creating Customer for Life experiences, and has completed the Supervisor in Training leadership program. Mike is also certified and licensed in Wildlife Management, a certification he sought and upkeeps on his own due to his love of animals. Most importantly, Mike is a teammate who everyone can count on and always goes the extra mile! It’s incredible to see his talents and passion recognized by other organizations, as every member of the Northwest Family is inspired by him and his commitment to service.
Mike has previously received the Northwest Teammate of the Year Award three separate times. He was also the runner up to the NPMA (National Pest Management Award) Residential Service Professional of the Year (2022) Award.
Mike accepted the Outstanding Service Professional award amongst his managers and peers, including Regional Manager Blake Harston, Managers Billy Cox and Clinton Ford, and peers George Simpson and Blake Southerland, all Northwest teammates.
Talking to any of Mike’s managers, anyone would quickly realize how extraordinary Mike is, not only to his customers, but also to his teammates and community. We are thankful to have a teammate like Mike and are honored to have how great he is to be recognized by the Tennessee Pest Control Association. Congratulations, Mike!
Nov 1, 2022 | Company News
Northwest Exterminating will now have the opportunity to serve the south Florida community with the acquisition of 7 Hulett Environmental office locations. The seven Florida offices are located in Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Miami, Miami Gardens, Pompano Beach, and Broward, Florida. The Florida offices and teams will operate as Northwest in 2022. The entire Northwest team is excited for the opportunity to not only grow in the south Florida area, but more so to work with the extraordinary teammates and customers.
Hulett Environmental has serviced the Florida areas since 1968, focusing on healthy home solutions for their customers. This focus aligns perfectly with Northwest’s dedication to creating healthier living and working environments for homes and businesses as the Green Leader in the Southeast. Hulett Environmental will continue to operate their five Florida office locations. The Northwest goal is to continue to create the extraordinary experiences our customers and teammates expect and deserve.
Northwest Exterminating currently provides rodent control, pest control, drywood and subterranean termite control options, bed bug control, and mosquito control to Florida residents and businesses. To learn more about Northwest Exterminating services, service standard, or team in south Florida, please visit www.callnorthwest.com/southflorida.
Aug 30, 2022 | Company News, Teammate Celebration
Northwest Exterminating recently hosted its inaugural Teammate Appreciation Day across its 50+ Service Centers! Each Service Center Manager put together a surprise celebration for their office to honor their teammates in all that they do for each other, for Northwest, and for our communities.
Each manager was responsible for organizing fun activities and food for their team, with some opting for hibachi grill catering, raffle tickets, food trucks, and more! Teammates were also gifted their yearly Northwest t-shirt. While each team gets together regularly throughout the year, dedicating a day and time to truly say thank you was important because Northwest wouldn’t be Northwest without our extraordinary people.
Each manager had a blast spending time with their team and having the opportunity to show their appreciation for all that they’ve done so far in 2022. A small but meaningful way to show gratitude, the entire Northwest Team is looking forward to hosting Teammate Appreciation Day each year for more fun and quality time.
May 12, 2022 | Company News, Teammate Celebration
With our mission to create healthier living and working environments, every Northwest team strives to make a difference for their customers through innovative green services and extraordinary care. To ensure this standard of service is achieved, each of our Northwest teams are consistently evaluated by our own internal process. While every team takes great pride in their fieldwork, paperwork, customer service, vehicle, equipment, and personal appearance, it was the Canton team that received the Quality Assurance Team of the Year award after extraordinary quality scores all year.
Our Canton Team is grateful for this honor, as they have made it a priority to create a positive working atmosphere to ensure they honor their customers and teammates. This award is meant to recognize teammates who keep safety, innovation, and service top of mind, and the Canton team certainly embodies this and each of Northwest’s 24 service standards.
Being proud is an understatement when describing how Daniel Frangione, Canton Service Center Supervisor, feels about the team receiving this award. “Our Northwest Service Standards provide a blueprint to being extraordinary. The Canton Team has put in the hard work and dedication to represent the standard of what an extraordinary Team is. I am extremely proud of each one of our team members in the field and in our office for achieving this award. Thank you, Canton Team,” stated Daniel when asked about the award.
The Canton Team displays many qualities that benefit all our Northwest teammates, and they have become a Service Center that we can all look to for inspiration. We are so grateful for the efforts Canton put into place for their customers and teammates!
Dec 22, 2021 | Company News, Good Deed Team
Our Canton Service Center found a new way to give back to the seniors in their community this holiday season. When they heard that the Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency was collecting donations of socks and blankets for the Cherokee County Nursing Centers, they knew this would be the perfect opportunity to serve as a team.
Our team was able to collect and donate two baskets worth of items. While it may seem like a small way to support this cause, we are proud of our team for always continuing to look for way to make a difference.
The holiday season can be tough on many people, but these small acts can help make someone’s day. We are so grateful for our Canton Service Center joining together to collect donation items, especially when it is for such an extraordinary cause.
Dec 22, 2021 | Company News, Good Deed Team
This holiday season presented our East Cobb service center with an unexpected Christmas miracle opportunity. One of our teammates brought the opportunity to sponsor a 13-year-old child this year for Christmas with the Angel Tree program through the daycare they use.
With so much that has gone on this year, our team was so excited to make this holiday season special for our angel. Our teammates came together and purchased clothes, shoes, headphones, and books for this child!
These angel donations help provide the magic of Christmas for thousands of underprivileged children and seniors. If you would like to help donate or learn how to adopt and angel for Christmas 2022, please visit https://angeltreeatlanta.org/ to learn more.
We are so thankful for our extraordinary teammates who look for every opportunity to make a difference, and we can’t wait see how they will continue this in the new year.
Dec 20, 2021 | Commercial, Company News, Pest Control
Derek Foster was named the 2021 PCT Commercial Technician of the Year due to his dedication to service, safety, and industry leadership. Derek has been a Northwest teammate for almost 10 years and has served with our Commercial Pest Control division since the beginning. The entire Northwest team is excited to celebrate his win, as he’s continued to push our team to new heights, to honor our customers, and to create extraordinary experiences everywhere he goes. Learn more about PCT’s Commercial winner this year in this Teammate Q&A!
NW: How did it feel to find out you were named the 2021 PCT Commercial Technician of the Year?
Derek: When I found out that I had been named PCT Commercial Technician of the Year, it completely blew me away. I was kind of speechless at first, like, ‘Are You Serious? You’re not kidding me?’ What an honor! When I started asking questions, I thought back with how honored and thankful I am to all the people that have helped me along my journey here at Northwest for the past 9 years. I’m extremely proud to work here at Northwest Exterminating and receive this recognition for hard work. I can’t even describe how thankful I am to receive this!
NW: What made you choose Northwest initially?
Derek: I chose Northwest Exterminating 9 years ago (September 2012) because I was looking for a change from my prior 14-year career. I managed a fence manufacturing/distribution location and wanted something different where I could get out of the office, travel around a bit, be hands on, and interact with people. After interviewing and meeting multiple people at Northwest, I knew this was it and has been exactly what I wished for. Since then, everyone I have met and had the opportunity to work with within the company have been awesome.
NW: What is your favorite Northwest Service Standard?
Derek: #7 Golden Opportunities “We view a complaint or a callback not as a hassle, but as a golden opportunity to create a Customer for Life. These opportunities are our time to shine and show the customer the Northwest Difference.”
This is my favorite Northwest Service Standard because in our industry, the customer doesn’t always get a visual result for what we’ve done during their monthly or quarterly service aside from web brushing. When we receive a callback or we are approached by potential customers, it is our chance to shine! From our response time getting to those customers to our genuine concern to help them in any way that we can to make things better, the call back or customer approach also gives us some personal face to face bond time to educate and explain what we will do to take corrective action for any issues rather than just say ‘You should be good now.’ This is recognized by our customers and builds trust and value for them to know that we are there for them.
NW: What’s some advice you’d give to someone wanting to join our industry?
Derek: If I were to give someone wanting to join our industry advise, I would say be open to educate yourself in all areas and to accept knowledge and experience from others. Own your role, manage your time well, be accountable and take responsibility for all that you do, and learn from mistakes or practices that didn’t work for you in the past. Try new things and be open to growth. Find passion for what you do, have fun, and enjoy it!
NW: Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?
Derek: Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family. I enjoy boating on Lake Lanier, fishing, dining, and swimming. Being from the islands, I love the beach and pretty much anything to do with water like water skiing, wakeboarding, or jet skiing. Scuba diving is probably one of the things I miss most and need to plan a dive trip the next time I’m in Florida, which is where I enjoy vacationing the most. I’d like to teach my wife and kids how to dive so they can see the underwater world. On my own time, I have a passion for wood working, concrete projects, and home improvements.
NW: Where will you be in the next 5 years?
Derek: In the next five years, you’ll find me in a management position for the 3rd Commercial Service Center here at Northwest, this with be known as Commercial North. (Editor’s Note: Derek was recently promoted to Service Supervisor of our two Atlanta Commercial locations. This vision casting is slowly but surely coming true for him and Northwest because of the team’s hard work and this type of dedication!)
Derek’s consistency in the type of teammate he shows up as for his team, customer, and community is what the Northwest Way is all about. To see this consistency, and his dedication, career enjoyment, and expertise honored by this award is something all of his Northwest Family is proud of and excited for. Derek is beyond deserving, and we’re grateful to call him part of our Northwest Family!
Congratulations, Derek!
Sep 14, 2021 | Company News, Good Deed Team
With the beginning of every new school year, school supply needs go out for every classroom. At Northwest, our teammates enjoy partnering with local schools any way we can. Our teachers are true superheroes, and the start of any school year is typically some of their busiest times. This is why our Dallas team came together to donate supplies to Dallas Elementary School.
The Dallas team reached out to the assistant principal to learn what items students needed the most. After learning that earbuds for students were in need, they collected 56 pairs to donate!
We know that any help for these teachers means a lot. Our teammates enjoyed the opportunity to serve their local elementary school and look forward to partnering with them again in the future. Thank you to our Dallas team for finding opportunities to serve where you have passion!
