Sprague celebrates the retirement of two longtime team members

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPRAGUE PEST SOLUTIONS

Sprague Pest Solutions recently celebrated the retirement of two longtime team members. Bob Ruden, route manager of the Tacoma, Wash., branch, and Chris Van Antwerp, branch manager for Pasco, Wash. Both men are concluding their careers after a combined 46 years of contributions to Sprague, its customers and the pest management industry.

Ruden began his journey in 1996, joining the company as a route manager. For over 28 years, Ruden has taken immense pride in his role as the lead fumigator for the Puget Sound area. A vocal advocate for safety, he consistently worked to protect his teammates and foster a culture of safety within the organization.

Van Antwerp joined Sprague in 2006 as a route manager in Eastern Washington. With his dedication and leadership, he quickly advanced within the organization, becoming operations manager in 2013 before being promoted to branch manager in 2015. During his tenure, Van Antwerp led the Pasco branch to receive the Branch of the Year award twice — in 2015 and again in 2023.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate their retirement with us,” said AJ Treleven, director of operations. “Having employees who’ve spent decades serving our clients and mentoring their teams is incredibly meaningful. Their deep commitment to customer care and team development has elevated our company and set a powerful example for all of us at Sprague.”

About Sprague Pest Solutions

Sprague Pest Solutions provides preventive and remedial pest management and food safety consulting services to leading food processing, agriculture, healthcare, and hospitality and distribution facilities across the Western U.S. The company services commercial clients in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona and California.

According to Sprague’s history page on its website, the company was founded in Spokane, Wash., in 1926 by W.B. Sprague to serve Eastern Washington, and soon after opened a second location in Tacoma, Wash., to serve customers in the western half of the Evergreen State. It was purchased in 1931 by A.H. Treleven Sr., whose grandson Larry Treleven is a Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer (Class of 2016). Now in its fourth generation, the Treleven family still leads the company today.

<p>The post Sprague celebrates the retirement of two longtime team members first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/11/07/sprague-celebrates-the-retirement-of-two-longtime-team-members/
Sacramento CA