John Ashcraft

I am John Ashcraft, father of two wonderful young men and husband to Tammy.  I was born in Moundsville WV and have lived very nearly all of my life in Central Virginia.  I graduated high school from Fork Union Military Academy.  I have also been privileged enough to live in Tennessee, North Carolina, North Dakota, Maryland, Texas, Louisiana and Cairo, Egypt.  But my heart was always in Appalachia.  

I got into Pest Control as a short term gig back in 1991…  (I apparently don’t quite understand the definition of “short term”)  You see, I had just completed 6 years of service in US Marine Corps aviation.  Unfortunately, I got out just after Desert Storm and could not find employment in aviation due to industry downsizing.   I saw an ad in the paper for employment in pest control and since I still had bills to pay, thought “I could spray houses and sell pest control until aviation opens up”.  It seemed simple enough.  That is when it happened….

I got bitten by the proverbial “bug”.   I was fortunate enough to go to work for some great folks who taught me that if one was going to truly do pest control right, there was a lot more to it than just “spraying houses”.  There was a real process and science to it.  I began to learn more about chemistry, biology and entomology.  I learned that besides our brain, a flashlight is our most important tool.  I also learned about the symbiotic nature between insects, our homes and the environment at large.  Not all bugs and rodents are pests, they have their place in the cycle of life.  As professionals, it is our responsibility to educate the homeowner, identify conducive conditions and contributing factors and locate possible entry points.  Not Just Spray!  Taking the time follow those steps allows for better, long term results.

In an attempt to become an even better Pest Control Professional, I have taken the time and initiative to complete Perdue’s course in Pest Control Technology and attend Master Technician classes at Virginia Tech.

I have held positions in the industry with;

Orkin as a Sales Inspector, Pest Control Route Technician, Termite Technician, Branch Service Manager  

Dodson as a Sales Inspector and District Manager (managed the Office of the Year for the company 2 of my 5 years in the position, as well as Most Professional Office in the Region three of those years)

Holistic Pest Solutions as a founder and owner

Now Tammy and I have decided to simplify our lives and get back to the basics of life and family.  We want to be able to give our customers (many of whom have become friends) more personal attention, while having the time for family, as well as, tend to our vegetable gardens, fruit trees, fruit garden, three dogs and two cats.

Tammy I and I have spent our lives in the service of others because it is not only what we do, it is who we are.