PMP Hall of Fame Spotlight: John R. Cook Sr.

John R. Cook Sr.

The Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Fame Class of 2015 is comprised of Dr. Laurel Hansen, Dr. Phil Koehler, John R. Cook Sr. and Noad Corley. The magazine staff will induct these deserving candidates in an invitation-only black-tie dinner and ceremony in Nashville on Oct. 19, the night before the National Pest Management Association’s PestWorld 2015 event gets underway. Our formal coverage of the inductees will be in our September issue, but between now and then, we’ll provide you with some informal factoids about them so you can get to know them better.

For example, according to the history page on CooksPest.com, “Cook’s Natural Science Museum began as an insect display for Cook’s Pest Control’s Decatur (Ala.) Office Open House in 1968. From 1969 to 1980, it was located in the back of the Cook’s warehouse and open by appointment only.”

The late John R. Cook Sr., who was at the helm of his family’s pest management company from 1950 until 1995, oversaw the 1980 construction of the current, 5,000-sq.-ft. facility, which houses a variety of natural science artifacts. At press time, construction is set to begin at the end of the month on a $15 million, 35,000-sq.-ft. facility. It is expected to be completed by 2017 (learn more at CookMuseum.org).

A rendering of the new facility for the Cook Museum of Natural Science, which is slated for completion in 2017.

Each Hall of Fame candidate was nominated by members of the pest management industry, and then voted in by the Hall of Fame committee, whose membership rotates each year. If you’d like to be part of the nomination process for the Hall of Fame Class of 2016, click here.

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• Gold Sponsors: BASF Pest Control Solutions, Control Solutions Inc. (CSI), Oldham Chemicals Co., PestPac, Purdue University, Rockwell Labs Ltd and Service Pro