Wednesday, October 21, 2026

PMP Hall of Fame profile: Mark Boyd

The 2026 PMP Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony took place Oct. 19 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. This year’s inductees are Mark Boyd, founder of Control Solutions Inc.; Bobby, Raleigh and Dennis Jenkins of ABC Home & Commercial Services; Frank Meek of Rollins; and the late Gene White of Rentokil. Visit the PMP Hall of Fame website.


Mark Boyd is a second-generation pest management professional (PMP) who went on to found Control Solutions Inc. (CSI), a hybrid manufacturer offering a broad portfolio of post-patent and innovative products across pest control, turf and ornamental, animal health and consumer markets.

Mark Boyd
Boyd

After more than three decades in the pest management industry, the world-class innovator and visionary retired from CSI on Sept. 1, 2025. Scratch that; he hasn’t fully retired. Currently, Boyd is working as a consultant, helping a few companies structure their businesses for growth.

Starting young

It’s not easy to leave an industry you grew up in.

For Boyd, it all started in 1958, the year he was born. Boyd’s grandfather helped his father, Richard, purchase an existing company called Ford’s Pest Control in Pasadena, Texas. Back then, the small business earned $15,000 in revenue each year.

“It came with one pickup and one technician, RV Davenport,” Boyd recalls. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not exist at the time, and RV taught my dad how to mix the chemicals we used.”

Ten years later, not only was his father mixing chemicals for his pest control business, but he was also selling the products to consumers and PMPs out of a small storefront.

“My two brothers and I worked with my dad weekends, summers and afternoons after school, making the products and bottling them,” Boyd says.

As the only son interested in the business and a career in the pest control industry, Boyd stuck with it. His identical twin brother went on to become an anesthesiologist in Houston, Texas, and his older brother teaches at the Houston Community College, now known as Houston City College.

Boyd and his father transformed Ford’s Pest Control into a successful formulation and distribution company, and in 1976, renamed the company Ford’s Chemical and Service.

As the decade came to a close, Boyd enrolled at Texas A&M to study chemical engineering. By his sophomore year, however, he set out on a different path.

“With encouragement from my dad, I switched majors and received a degree in entomology,” he says. “My dream at the time was to get married, work extremely hard and try to make $1 million by the time I reached 30.”

One by one, Boyd realized his dreams. He and his wife, Marilyn, married in December 1979 while in their senior year at Texas A&M. They met in high school and had their first date at age 15. Their son, Blake, is 43; their daughter, Kristen, is 38, and they have five grandchildren.

In 1982, at age 24, Boyd graduated from Texas A&M and joined his father in the business full-time. The company consisted of about six trucks for the pest control service business, a small formulation facility and a retail storefront.

“A few years later I was introduced to Mel Goldberg, who was representing Makhteshim Agan Industries in the United States, and we started buying diazinon and chlorpyrifos from Israel,” Boyd says. “The relationship flourished, and every year Ford’s Chemical became a bigger company.”

Forging ahead

In 1989, Boyd and his father sold the business to Roussel UCLAF. The deal came with a three-year contract to run Roussel Non Crop in the United States. After Boyd’s contract expired, he left the company and immediately started over by launching CSI.

“We had a few years of not formulating and producing any product due to the non-compete agreement,” Boyd says. “But by 1995, CSI was off and running.”

Then tragedy struck. In 2004, a fire broke out in CSI’s manufacturing facility. No one was hurt, but the building and its contents were destroyed.

“I made a strategic decision for CSI to partner with Adama, an Israeli [agricultural chemical] company,” he says. “The partnership lasted 22 years and was very successful.”

In fact, the business grew every year; revenue started at $57 million and has grown to $275 million. Even more impressive, according to Boyd, the company’s gross margin percentage also grew.

“None of this would have been possible without the trust and respect the partners had for each other. We supported each other’s wishes and visions well,” he says. “I have tremendous pride in the team of people that has been assembled to run the complex Adama Consumer & Professional business. It is the best team in our industry by far, and the future of the company is very bright.”

(Photo: Mark Boyd)
(Photo: Mark Boyd)
From the ashes of the 2004 warehouse fire, top, rose a CSI that was even stronger and more successful. (Photo: Mark Boyd)
From the ashes of the 2004 warehouse fire, top, rose a CSI that was even stronger and more successful. (Photo: Mark Boyd)

Fulfilling a need

Over the years, CSI transitioned from a post-patent pest control solutions formulator to a hybrid supplier with a stable of novel products. The company has brought to market such innovative products as dry flowable baits, a patented Precision Delivery System, as well as encapsulated and pressurized solutions.

Pest management is just one of CSI’s product lines. Others target golf and turf, consumers and production animal. It also provides technical and custom solutions.

“I am truly blessed for the experience I had working with a great partner and very smart people at CSI over the years,” Boyd says. “I cannot imagine a more fruitful life doing anything else.”

Anyone who has visited CSI’s headquarters cannot help but notice the showroom and office featuring more than 120 animal trophies from three continents and numerous countries. Every animal was acquired on family hunting trips, except for the Bengal tiger, which was a gift.

“My father retired after the sale to Roussel, and he immediately planned a trip to Africa to hunt,” Boyd explains. “My 8-year-old son and I went with him. Many of the animals seen in the front office came from that hunting trip to Namibia.”

Thirty years later, Boyd took his son and his 8-year-old grandson to Zimbabwe. “My son shot a 16-foot crocodile, and I hunted for 10 days to get a leopard.” On this trip, his grandson shot his first animal: a springbok, just like his dad did when they were in Namibia. According to Boyd, both catches were eaten a day later for dinner.

Like most hunters, Boyd had the focus, confidence and patience to make a killing in the pest management industry. He is quick to credit his family, partners and colleagues.

“The pest management industry was and is the foundation of CSI,” he adds. “The people in this industry have made my working years very special for me.”

Sofranec can be reached at dsofranec@northcoastmedia.net or 440-773-6337.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/ipmp-i-hall-of-fame-profile-mark-boyd/
Sacramento CA

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Rockwell Labs: BorActin Insecticide Powder

The broad label of BorActin Insecticide Powder, a long-lasting non-repellent dust, allows for a wide choice of application methods such as a liquid spray, foam or even a mop solution or drain treatment. The product combats crawling insects such as cockroaches, ants and silverfish, as well as small flies (drain flies, fruit flies and phorid flies). It can be used in residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural applications, including both food and non-food areas, and for darkling beetle control in poultry houses.

Precision milling in pharmaceutical-grade equipment yields a superfine, odorless powder with no clumping and superior “dustability.” It is excellent for void treatments.

BorActin contains 99 percent boric acid as the active ingredient and is not corrosive to stainless steel. It remains active until removed and will not break down in heat or ultraviolet (UV) light. It is available in a one-pound bottle, a five- and 25-pound pail, and in a box of 36 four-ounce mop packets.

About Rockwell Labs

Founded in 1998 by Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer Dr. Cisse Spragins (Class of 2018), North Kansas City, Mo.-based Rockwell Labs offers products that are conceptualized, developed and formulated in-house. New products undergo extensive testing in-house, in the field and at major universities before they are produced and launched in the professional market.

RockwellLabs.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/rockwell-labs-boractin-insecticide-powder/
Sacramento CA

Cetane Associates: Free Value Range Analysis

A business valuation helps owners understand what their company is truly worth, whether for a sale, succession planning, financing, or long-term growth strategy. It can also identify opportunities to increase value and improve future marketability.

Cetane provides detailed, market-based valuations backed by real transaction data and extensive mergers and acquisitions (M&A) experience in the residential and commercial service industries, giving business owners accurate insights they can trust.

About Cetane Associates

Cetane is a leading provider of financial advisory services to business owners in the propane, heating oil, pest control, lawn care, landscaping, HVAC and plumbing industries. Clients engage Cetane to advise on sales, spin-offs and acquisitions, as well as to perform valuation and ad hoc corporate finance assignments.

Cetane.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/cetane-associates-free-value-range-analysis/
Sacramento CA

Sunday, October 18, 2026

TAG facilitates hat trick for Select Exterminating

Select Exterminating, based in Franklin Square, N.Y., has purchased two New York firms — Hamburg-based Suburban Pest Control and Dunkirk-based Amherst Exterminators — as well as On The Spot Pest Control, based in Metuchen, N.J. All three acquired companies are clients of Pest Management Professional’s father-and-son columnists Stuart and Daniel Aust and their team at The Aust Group. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Founded in 1983, Suburban Pest Control has provided residential and commercial pest management services throughout Western New York for more than four decades. Under the leadership of second-generation owners Marty and Mary Ballowe, the company is the official pest control provider for several professional sports organizations, including the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres.

Amherst Exterminators traces its roots to 1994, when Ken Drummond and Rick Crandall founded Comfort Pest Control. Following the partnership with Amherst Exterminators in 2006, the company continued to expand through strategic growth before officially rebranding as Amherst Exterminators in 2020.

Established in 2010, On The Spot Pest Control serves customers throughout Somerset, Union, Middlesex, and Morris counties. Owners Chris and Andrea Piazza built the business by delivering responsive, environmentally conscious pest control solutions backed by customer service. The company is an active member of both the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the New Jersey Pest Management Association (NJPMA).

Pictured from left are Dan Aust, Stuart Aust, Mary Ballowe, Marty Ballowe, Nick Aust and Chris Aust. IMAGE: THE AUST GROUP
Pictured from left are Dan Aust, Stuart Aust, Hope Scott, Marty Ballowe, Nick Aust and Chris Aust. IMAGE: THE AUST GROUP

About Select Exterminating

Select Exterminating was originally founded in 1959 and purchased in 1990 by Lloyd Garten. Today, the business is run by his son, Matthew Garten, who oversees the firm’s strategic partnerships.

About TAG

The Aust Group (TAG), established by former pest management professional Stuart Aust, is a family-based mergers and acquisitions (M&A) firm that specializes in advising owners and shareholders through the M&A process. TAG combines transactional expertise and pest control experience to deliver maximum value to clients. Its primary focus is exclusively on the pest control industry, and the team works alongside high-growth companies operating on a recurring business model. Additionally, TAG provides comprehensive valuation services to determine a range of values for businesses and offer strategic recommendations to optimize enterprise value before engaging in a competitive M&A process.


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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/tag-facilitates-hat-trick-for-select-exterminating/
Sacramento CA

Friday, October 16, 2026

Web-Cote leader earns statewide honors

Susan Masciarelli, president, CEO and owner of Web-Cote Industries, has been selected as one of the inaugural 50 Women to KNOW in New Jersey and is featured in the program’s hardcover publication. Masciarelli and her fellow honorees were celebrated at the Women to KNOW in New Jersey Gala on Oct. 6.

Per a news release, the program was presented by The KNOW Women, “a media company, print and digital publisher, and private networking community dedicated to elevating and connecting accomplished women. The Women to KNOW recognition celebrates professional achievement, leadership and community impact. Its New Jersey hardcover publication shares the stories of the selected honorees and recognizes their contributions. Honorees are selected through a nomination, review and interview process by a panel of previous honorees and community members. Selection considers professional accomplishments, industry leadership, community or philanthropic impact, and a commitment to supporting and empowering women, including through mentorship and advocacy.”

Masciarelli joined Hamburg, N.J.-based Web-Cote Industries in 2008 and advanced through operations and executive leadership roles. She purchased the company in 2024.

“Purchasing Web-Cote was the realization of a goal I had worked toward for years,” Masciarelli said in the news release. “Ownership has brought new challenges, responsibilities and opportunities to grow. Being included among these accomplished women gave me a moment to appreciate that journey and the people who have helped make it possible.”

Masciarelli is also very involved with the professional pest management industry. She serves on the board of the United Producers, Formulators & Distributors Association (UPFDA), where she chairs the Advocacy & Ethics Committee. She also supports the organization Women in Pest & Wildlife Control (WIP&WC) through sponsorship and partnership, helping advance opportunities for women in the industry.

In addition, through her work in helping to develop the Responsible Glue Trap User (RGTU) training program, Masciarelli advocates for “responsible, informed use of glue traps, emphasizing education, sound judgment and accountability in pest management.”

“Working in the traditionally male-dominated manufacturing and pest management industries has shown me how much it matters for women to see a path to leadership and ownership,” Masciarelli said in the news release. “I’m grateful for the people who encouraged me along the way, and I want to help other women see what is possible for themselves.”

About Web-Cote Industries

Web-Cote Industries is a woman-owned manufacturer based in Hamburg, N.J., producing glue-based pest management products for the professional pest control industry. The company serves pest management professionals (PMPs) through original equipment manufacturing (OEM), private label capabilities and the trademarked Pro-Trap branded glue-based pest management products. Web-Cote Industries is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)-certified Women’s Business Enterprise.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/web-cote-leader-earns-statewide-honors/
Sacramento CA

Protected: Reshaping consumer reaction to rodent control



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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/reshaping-consumer-reaction-to-rodent-control/
Sacramento CA

Kness Pest Defense: Snap-E and Big Snap-E

 For pest management professionals (PMPs), effective rodent control depends on reliable tools that perform consistently in the field. Kness Snap-E Mousetraps and Big Snap-E Rat Traps are engineered for precision, power and durability, giving PMPs the confidence to tackle rodent challenges across a variety of service environments. When every service call is an opportunity to deliver results and earn customer trust, having dependable equipment makes a difference. 

Give your customers the results they expect and your business The Pro’s Edge. 

About Kness Pest Defense

Per company history, the Ketch-All was invented by a young, widowed father of six, Austin Enos “Brick” Kness, in 1924. Mice were prevalent at the high school in which Kness was a custodian, “and led him to the idea of the ‘box’ trap. He built the first trap from a square oilcan, a Tuxedo Tobacco can, a spring from a curtain rod, and the wood base of a crate. The first night he set his trap, he captured five mice.

“He was elated and showed the teachers and his friends. He was encouraged to build others for his friends and to seek a patent. By 1927, Kness Mfg. Co. was formed to produce the KetchAll Automatic Mousetrap and another of Kness’ inventions, the RotoBow tree saw.”

Brick Kness was inducted into the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame in 2024.

Kness.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/kness-pest-defense-snap-e-and-big-snap-e/
Sacramento CA