By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
February 5, 2018, is a day that causes Wayne Hemmerly, co-founder of Crown Service Termite and Pest Control, to chuckle. Why? It was the day that he and his business partner, Stephen Corbett, started a debt-free business that by grace defied the odds and has served well over 10,000 customers. Success in the pest control industry can be extremely difficult to achieve, and they are humbled and happy to say that all the hard work has paid off.
Stephen and Wayne have both had widely varying careers. They include real estate, the entertainment business, big-box pest control, farming, construction, personal protection, and security. Wayne and his wife, Susan, have become avid fans of cruises and scuba diving, and Stephen is a champion sport clay shooter.
They specialize in inspections and providing termite letters, the document that must be submitted that attests to whether or not a property that is for sale is free of termites, and what must be cleared before a commercial or residential business closes for sale. Because of all the growth in North Alabama, they stay busy.
Keeping the business running smoothly is Bella LaFontaine, who is the office manager. She is also the mother of Willow, who is Wayne’s granddaughter, and Ledger Adam Letty LaFontaine, who just arrived in April. Both kids are their grandparents’ pride and joy, and Bella and Adam have a happy, busy blended family.
New to the crew is Tina Grigsby, whom Wayne describes as the Crown Service “den mother.” She helps Wayne, Stephen, Bella, the techs, as well as the customers, and although she hasn’t been there long, she is the first to say that it is like being part of a family, and you can tell she enjoys her work.
When Wayne continued with their story, he talked about the fact that on that first day, they emerged pretty much with just the promise of more business in the form of providing termite letters. On day two, Stephen found a termite rig and borrowed a truck from his father-in-law, and by Friday they applied a termite treatment. At first, Wayne did the inspections, Stephen did the applications, and Susan would come in and do invoices and the books after she got off from her other job. Harrison, Wayne’s son, was their first part-time employee.
They outgrew several locations, and have been happily ensconced for the past two years in the one they bought in Huntsville. There is space for everyone and everything pertaining to Crown Service, including ample parking.
If you go to the Crown Service Facebook page, besides pictures of Teacher Appreciation Week and those of a grandpa and his beautiful new little guy, you’ll find the following which was posted to celebrate their sixth anniversary:
It’s our 6th anniversary! We are beyond blessed to have been serving our beautiful, Northern Alabama area for 6 years now. We have grown so much in the last 6 years and are looking forward to continuing to do so. From assisting home buyers in the purchase of their home to getting rid of the pests that invade your home, Crown Service is here for you. Here’s to 6 years, and here’s to many more!!
What does Crown Service offer, and why should you choose them? First of all, their middle name literally is service. You talk to real people when you call, and the quotes are custom. Because they don’t have as much overhead as the national chain services, they can offer better rates while using the exact same chemicals for treatment. Bella keeps the phone numbers of customers in her cell phone, and they know they can count on her. Stephen makes sure the work is performed to the standards of the contract.
Crown Service may concentrate on termite letters and termite treatment, but Wayne has a list of favorite vectors over which he likes to win the victory. First up is fungus. “There is a lot of confusion these days between mold and wood-decaying fungus,” he said, and people are at times getting treatments that are not necessary. Second up — termites. Wayne gets a great deal of satisfaction getting rid of them so houses can pass inspections, as well as keeping them gone with ongoing protection plans that are thorough and affordable. Next in line is the category of pests. Ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, rats, mice, wasps, fleas, crickets, brown recluses, bedbugs, and earwigs don’t stand a chance. They draw the line at snakes, however. They’ll be happy to refer you to someone else for that.
Crown Service will also do crawlspace moisture management, deal with rot and damage, install appropriate vapor barriers, and provide you as a homeowner with that most important thing: peace of mind. Wayne says, “We have a goal, and that is to treat each home as though it belongs to our grandparents.” Let someone who has a heart to protect take care of your most precious possession, your home, and get a no-obligation inspection today.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
July 19, 2024
