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Hoffman’s Exterminating Co. built its stellar reputation on its commitment to quality service, highly trained employees, and community involvement. Its beloved mascot, BugsBee, aids brand recognition.
In March, it joined the Arrow Exterminators family of companies. The Mantua, N.J.-based pest control company, which employs more than 100 team members and serves customers in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, continues to operate under the Hoffman’s Exterminating Co. brand.
Bill Hoffman, CEO at the time of the acquisition, founded the family-owned company in 1990. He did not reach the decision to sell his company lightly. Going from zero to more than $16 million in revenue took hard work, dedication and a team of skilled employees, and he did not intend to partner with a company that was a bad fit.
“This was never about simply selling a business,” says Hoffman, 64, who now serves as VP of food safety and commercial development. “It was about bringing together two great family businesses that shared similar values.”
The acquisition allowed the Atlanta, Ga.-based pest control powerhouse to expand to the northeastern portion of the country. Arrow Exterminators already serves customers in Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Considering all options
About four years ago, Hoffman and his partner began discussing their succession plan. They explored options that included offering an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), bringing in another partner, transitioning ownership to their children, and transferring ownership to a key employee.
“Ultimately, several factors — primarily the cost and risk involved — made those options less viable,” he says.
However, partnering with Arrow Exterminators made sense. Hoffman had been working with the company on projects for years, providing joint services to national and regional companies and serving on boards. He even attended a Christmas party at the home of Chairman Joe Thomas, who is a Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer (Class of 2009). These experiences not only helped build trust; they also helped confirm their company cultures, missions and beliefs were aligned.
“Selling a business is emotional, but you should never make an emotional decision,” Hoffman explains. “For many owners, the company represents a lifetime of hard work. It also may be the single greatest opportunity to provide financial security and retirement for your family, while creating more opportunities for your employees.”
Acquisition process
Hoffman says there was no single factor that compelled him to sell. “Rather, several key factors aligned at the same time and indicated we were ready for the next chapter,” he explains.
At first, his conversations with Arrow Exterminators focused on vision, growth and future opportunities. Hoffman says he had serious discussions about four years ago, but the timing was not quite right. That changed in 2025.
“I reached out again, and many of the obstacles we had faced previously had been resolved,” Hoffman recalls. “Chief Development Officer Kevin Burns and I sat down, created a list of pros and cons, agreed on terms, and started the process. We intentionally kept things simple and limited the number of people involved.”
When it came time to consider an acquisition partner, Hoffman says he had four primary priorities:
- Protect the company culture.
- Protect the company’s reputation and customer relationships.
- Take care of employees the same way they always had.
- Ensure that they continued to support and serve the community.
No stranger to the acquisition process — Hoffman acquired 15 companies over the years — he understood what to expect. Still, he relied on a team of trusted professionals that included a financial advisor, an attorney and an accountant.
“This is the time to look under the hood and honestly evaluate your business,” he says. “It takes discipline to slow down and assess both what you do well and where you can improve. Whether a transaction happens soon, later or not at all, improving your company benefits everyone.”
Resist the temptation to make major changes for the sole purpose of making your numbers look better, Hoffman adds. Selling off assets or undertaking significant operational changes could raise questions during the due diligence process. “Stay true to who you are and focus on doing it better,” he says.
Sharing the news
Once the details of the acquisition had been worked out and the deal had been finalized, the time came to share the news with employees.
Hoffman’s Exterminating Co. waited for the right time. First to get the news was the leadership team, which found out the night before. The next day, the announcement was made to all employees as part of a joint meeting with Arrow Exterminators’ leadership team.
“As expected, the news was difficult for some employees. Reactions ranged from excitement and optimism to fear and uncertainty,” Hoffman says. “I believe there is no ‘perfect’ way to deliver this kind of news. In my situation, the most important factor was remaining calm, positive and committed to our people.”
Hoffman and his team also personally contacted the company’s top customers and communicated with many others via email. Every email included his direct email address and cell phone number.
“Our message was simple: Hoffman’s is here to stay. Our people remain in place, our brand remains strong, and our commitment to serving customers remains unchanged,” he says. “Overall, customers responded very positively.”
Communication was instrumental in reassuring employees and customers, as a joint email blast from Hoffman and Arrow Exterminators CEO Emily Thomas Kendrick reinforced the two companies’ commitment to quality, community and their people.
“I do think that ‘walking the walk,’ as I remained actively engaged by meeting with customers, working alongside our team and consistently reinforcing the reasons behind the decision, kept people engaged and less stressed,” Hoffman says. “Our goal was to create more opportunities for employees and customers alike, opportunities that would extend well beyond my years with the company. By staying visible, accessible and committed, we were able to build confidence throughout the transition.”
While keeping the lines of communication open helped customers and employees feel better about the deal, there were some unknowns.
“The most difficult part of the transition was understanding exactly what would happen during the first 90 to 120 days,” he says. “That includes changes in staffing, leadership, corporate processes and any new policies or practices introduced by the acquiring company.”
Hoffman reiterates that partnering with Arrow Exterminators was the right move: “Change is difficult for everyone, but standing still can be even more challenging in the long run.”
