Pat Hottel: McCloud Services’ training guru

PHOTO: PAT HOTTEL

Title: Technical Director

Company: McCloud Services

Years in the industry: 43

Favorite part of the industry: “For my job, it would be that I’m always learning something new. For the industry, it’s the friendships I’ve developed over the years. For example, a group of retired or soon-to-be-retired professionals who have served on the Copesan Technical Committee get together once a year.”

PHOTO: PAT HOTTEL

After 43 years in the industry — 38 of them with one company — Pat Hottel wears a lot of hats. As the technical director for South Elgin, Ill.-based McCloud Services since 1980, she provides technical support and training for the company’s 200-plus employees, helps with client training programs and supports sales efforts.

She also still finds herself frequently conducting inspections for large accounts. The majority of McCloud’s accounts are commercial, so it’s no easy feat. Yet Hottel takes it all in stride.

“Over the years, it has been different,” she admits.

She’s on a team that includes a training director, several regional technical specialists and employees who are involved in quality control. In addition, she is involved with special projects for the company. For instance, she recently was analyzing the best way for McCloud to implement a remote trap monitoring program.

“A lot of companies have entered the market selling these monitoring systems, so we are testing to find the perfect system for McCloud,” Hottel explains.

Dr. Frishman’s protégé

PAT HOTTEL

Hottel got started in the pest management field at The State University of New York at Farmingdale. In 1973, she was a biology major, but took an entomology class with Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Famer Dr. Austin Frishman (Class of 2002). As a result of his mentoring, she graduated in 1975 with an associate’s degree in entomology.

She then went to the University of Georgia, but left during her junior year to work for Bermuda Pest Control in the middle of the Atlantic. The job was supposed to last one year, but she stayed two-and-a-half years, working in both Bermuda and Florida. “I went for the warmth,” the New York native says with a laugh. From there, she landed a job at McCloud. She also returned to school to earn her bachelor’s degree in entomology as well as a master’s degree in instructional technology.

Looking back on her career so far, Hottel reports that the industry “has been very good to me.” She says she is grateful to McCloud for the support and flexibility she needed to raise her three sons with her husband, Andy, and continues to enjoy her job every day.