The Aust Group – 2020

The Aust Group is pleased to announce the most recent acquisition of their client, Regent Pest Control Inc. of Union, NJ to Excel Pest Services headquartered in River Edge, NJ.

In 1988, Richard Pavone formed Regent Pest Control Inc., a local pest control business servicing Union County, Morris County, and surrounding counties. As a member of National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and New Jersey Pest Management Association (NJPMA), Regent has provided quality and dependable service to its customers for over 30 years. Regent provides general pest control and rodent control programs to over 1,000 residential homes and commercial businesses throughout NJ.

Richard Pavone says, “When we sold our pest control company, The Aust Group proved to be an outstanding advisor. They were detail-oriented and decidedly experienced in mergers and acquisitions. Every step of the way, The Aust Group skillfully facilitated the transaction between our company and the buyer. We are confident to know our business is remaining in good hands with the acquisition by Excel. The Aust Group was courteous and made everything professional and stress-free for us. They were also a real pleasure to work with. Of notable significance was the valuable pre-market advice from The Aust Group, which helped maximize the value of our business when we made the decision to sell. Our experience with The Aust Group was absolutely terrific, and we would highly recommend them to any pest control owner that is looking to sell their business now or in the future.”

Sam Hagopian, President and CEO of Excel Pest Services, says, “The strategic acquisition of Regent Pest Control allows us to more rapidly build customer density and scale in one of our premium markets.” The acquisition of Regent Pest Control marks Excel’s second acquisition of 2020.

The Aust Group represented Regent Pest Control as the exclusive financial advisor on this transaction. The transaction closed on December 18^th, 2020 and the terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

The Aust Group is pleased to announce the most recent acquisition of their client, Doctor Dead Bug Inc., located in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania by Plunkett’s Pest Control.

In 1980, Robert and Georgia Servick founded Doctor Dead Bug, a pest control company committed to serving residences and businesses in their local community. Their son, Sam Servick, began operating the business in 2001 and expanded the business footprint into western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. Doctor Dead Bug has an excellent reputation being awarded the “Best of the Best” in Lawrence County, PA for general pest control services over the past 10 years.

Sam Servick says, “Working with The Aust Group was a wonderful experience for us. We love the excellence and professionalism they demonstrated when preparing our company for the market and getting the right offer for us. From start to finish, they provided excellent advice and direction which was extremely helpful in getting the results we wanted. We have already recommended them to friends in the industry who are looking to sell their companies, reason being – they are simply the best. The Aust Group are not only business associates but through this process we have gained new friends.”

Stacy O’Reilly, the owner of Plunkett’s Pest Control affirms, “Doctor Dead Bug in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania fits perfectly into our existing service territory and we are so excited to make this acquisition and bring in their field service talent and their customers to join our team. It is our pleasure to get to know and work closely with Sam and Melanie Servick, the prior owners of Doctor Dead Bug.” Scott Steckel, Strategic Development Director of Plunkett’s Pest Control, adds, “Plunkett’s is happy with the results of this purchase and looks forward to another transaction with The Aust Group.”

The Aust Group represented Doctor Dead Bug as the exclusive financial advisor on this transaction. The transaction closed on October 2, 2020 and the terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

The Aust Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of their client, Atlas Exterminator Co. Inc., located in Cockeysville, MD to American Pest, an Anticimex Company. 

Atlas Exterminator Co. Inc. has provided high quality and effective pest and termite control service to homes and businesses in Baltimore, MD and the surrounding areas since 1946. Bruce Morgan, the owner of Atlas, originally joined Atlas as a WDI inspector and grew the business into one of the premier pest providers in its market. Bruce was also the former President of the Maryland State Pest Control Association and helped formulate the WDI-O Credentialed Inspector Program for the Maryland State Pest Control Association.

Bruce Morgan, said regarding his experience, “When I made the pivotal decision to sell my company, I realized that the next move and most critical was finding the right advisor. From my first contact with Stuart Aust through the acquisition and beyond, these folks have been consummate professionals. Not only did they first accurately value my business so my expectations would be in line with the reality of the marketplace, but through the process of finding the right buyer, they worked diligently to see that maximum value became the reality. The Aust Group worked tirelessly though the entire process assisting and guiding me right to the closing date. So, while The Aust group negotiated with a potential buyer, I was able to stay fully focused on the performance of my company. That resulted in increased revenue and profit during the period and forced the offers to rise. The final negotiations by The Aust Group resulted in an increased offer that covered their fee. My advice is if you are looking for maximum value, do not go through it alone – hire The Aust Group and stay focused on your business.” The Aust Group represented Atlas as the exclusive financial advisor on this transaction.

The transaction closed on August 31^st, 2020 and the terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

The Aust Group is pleased to announce the most recent acquisition of their client, Twin Boro Termite & Pest Control Inc., located in Westwood, NJ to Excel Termite & Pest Control headquartered in River Edge, NJ. The Aust Group represented Twin Boro as the exclusive financial advisor on this transaction. The transaction closed on January 15th, and the terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

In 1976, Gerald “Jerry” Lubrano formed Twin Boro Termite & Pest Control, a primarily residential pest and termite control company servicing over 1,500 homes each year in northern New Jersey, specifically Bergen County. Known for their bright yellow service trucks, Twin Boro served as pioneers for marketing and advertising in the pest control industry. The vehicles became so popular among customers that Twin Boro adopted the slogan: “You’ve Seen Our Yellow Trucks.”

Unfortunately, Jerry Lubrano passed away in February of 2019 after running Twin Boro since he was 23 years old. In Jerry’s absence, service manager, Ed Heller operated Twin Boro along with key employees Teddy Calderon and Mary Lynch. Ed Heller and the rest of the staff plan to remain with Excel Termite and Pest Control and continue the legacy of Jerry Lubrano. Brady Lubrano, the daughter of Jerry Lubrano, said: “Thank you very much to The Aust Group for guiding and representing us with the sale of our father’s business. We are happy with the new owners and know Twin Boro’s existing customers will be too.”

With regards to the transaction, Stuart Aust commented, “For a company with such an incredible history, it was a real honor to serve as an advisor on behalf of Twin Boro. Growing up in Washington Township, New Jersey, my parents were clients of Twin Boro as they were the premier pest control company in our area. I remember seeing the yellow trucks everywhere – they were hard to miss! We are glad to see the Twin Boro legacy live on with the acquisition by such a reputable company in Excel Termite & Pest Control.”

“Over the past 40 years, Jerry Lubrano and the Twin Boro staff built one of the most recognizable companies in Northern New Jersey, and we are very excited to partner with them,” said Sam Hagopian, President of Excel Termite & Pest Control. “Twin Boro is a great fit because we share the same core values and commitment to both our employees and customers. With our resources, we will be able to build upon that commitment and prosper into the future together.”

Pictured left to right: Sam Hagopian, Sam Hagopian III, Ryan Fowley, Ed Heller, Jerry Lubrano Jr., Stuart Aust, Daniel Aust, Nick Aust, and Chris Aust; Brady Lubrano (not pictured)