Branch Manager: Sprague Pest Solutions
How Nathan Went from Construction Worker to Branch Manager
In October 2013, Nathan began his career at Sprague Pest Solutions as a Bed Bug Team Heat Assistant after having first worked in the construction industry. On just his third day on the job, he had the good fortune of meeting Larry Treleven, one of Sprague’s owners—a moment he says he’ll never forget.
"I had never met the owner of a company I worked for before, so meeting Larry was so cool! He said, ‘we are in the people business and there is always something to do when you are helping people eat safer food and live and work in healthier environments.’ Larry’s words really resonated with me and I have never forgotten that moment."
Nathan worked out of Sprague’s Seattle Branch where we met Regional Special Project Manager, Ben Estibal, who, at the time was Sprague’s Seattle Operations Manager.
“My first day working with Ben, he told me, ‘I am going to teach you how to make a career out of helping people and solving problems.’ Ben helped me get licensed, taught me what Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was and how to help people get their homes and workplaces back from some pretty serious infestations. He made sure we were always focused on seeking out the source, communicating with customers and designing and executing multi-faceted treatments to solve complex pest issues.”
After four years of hard work, Nathan was presented with the opportunity to move into the role of Trainer Technician where he was able to use his passion for customer service to help with new hire technical development, earning him a spot in Sprague’s Leadership Development program.
“I learned more than I can put into words from this program. I was, and still am in awe of the emphasis and investment Sprague puts into their people. Being part of this program helped change who I am personally. I had never worked at a company that made me feel so important. I remember working closely with Sprague’s COO Jeff Miller and People Operations Director, Leila Haas. All the things they taught us in the program are still with us today. Anyone can be a leader, and everyone should be. Being a leader is not about being a manager or a boss, it’s about being a good person and doing the best you can to help be there for, support and build up those around you.”
In 2018, when an Operations Manager position became available, Nathan jumped at the opportunity to learn the business side of pest control. He worked closely with then Branch Manager AJ Treleven who helped him develop more technical pest control knowledge, people management skills and the business side of pest control. Just over a year later, AJ Treleven became a Regional Manager and Nathan was promoted to his current role as a pest control Branch Manager in Sprague’s Seattle office.
“I applied without hesitation, feeling confident in my abilities after years of experience, development, and leadership growth opportunities on the Sprague team. I’m proud to say that I’ve been leading the Seattle branch for almost a year and have a great team helping our customers in the greater Seattle area.”
One of the biggest things Nathan attributes his rise at Sprague Pest Solutions to is that at each step of the way, there was someone there who wanted to help him professionally and personally reach his greatest potential.
"I love working for Sprague Pest Solutions because no matter what position I have held in the company, everyone wanted to help me get better at what I was doing, supported me when I needed help, and taught me what I needed to know to be successful. Sprague invests in their people, and the results are a team that loves working together, loves Sprague and continues to surpass expectations."