Got a pest problem? McMahon Exterminating is your local solution.
This family-owned and operated business has been providing safe and effective pest control to Evansville area families for 48 years! Not only do they take care of pests, but they also make special efforts to take care of the people they service. That’s part of why McMahon is so loved within the community. We spoke with Charlie McMahon, current owner of McMahon Exterminating, who was happy to share the story of this local Evansville business.
How did McMahon Exterminating get started?
“Well it’s funny, my dad (Jack Matthew McMahon) and I always argue about when we actually started – whether it was 1970 or 1971. We’ve landed on 1970. This business started as a partnership with his best buddy. At the time they were Target Pest Control. Six years later, my dad and his friend decided to part ways, and my dad began J.M.McMahon Exterminating as a sole proprietorship.
In 1981 I joined the team, and then my sister and brother joined later on. We’ve been running McMahon Exterminating for 48 years this year, and we now have 20 employees.”
Did you always want to be part of the family business?
“Initially I decided I was absolutely not going to be a part of the family business. I went off to college for one year, and that summer after my freshman year my dad told me he could really use me at the business. I agreed to work that summer because I had worked for him before as a teenager. However, when fall came around, I decided that school wasn’t all it was cut out to be for me. I decided to take a year off from school and help my pops. I intended to go back to school the following year, but it’s been 37 years and I’ve never gone back.
That’s how I got into the family business. There were times where I thought, I don’t know if this is for me or not. But over time I came to believe that this was for me. I’ve always had a passion for it, and I love what I do.”
What can people expect from McMahon Exterminating when they reach out to you?
“I think I have the finest team of professionals. I believe that we go above and beyond. We don’t just provide pest control service, but we’re also a friend. We treat our customers like family, and in fact, we want them to feel a part of the McMahon family. Most of our guys develop a relationship with their customers. For example, on Halloween our technicians will carry treats in their cars to give out.
Our team can be trusted because we spend a lot of time training our staff. We have an on-site entomologist, and once a week we have a training. In addition, we do continuing education training. We also have two half-day trainings per year where we spend time making sure everyone is up to date. I believe that, in addition to all the trainings, we prepare our staff with the technologically-advanced equipment they need to properly apply safe and effective pesticides in our customers’ homes. I think we’ve developed a fine group of professionals, and that’s what people get when they call us.”
What do you like about being a business owner in Evansville?
“If you look around at the pest control companies in this area, most of us are locally-owned firms. There are still the chains and large corporations, but we do pretty well around here with the locals. Evansville is a place where local is extremely important. For example, Missy Mosby is a councilwoman, and she’s always on social media promoting local area spots. Our other civic leaders are promoting local as well. This town really does a great job. If you’re a local family business, people in the community are excited to support you.
My family and I also take supporting local to heart. Last night we went out to eat at a local family restaurant – we went to a guy who we actually know rather than the big chains. We all try to help one another out. Local is definitely important and discussed here in Evansville.”
Can you speak to any highlights from your time running McMahon Exterminating?
“There have been so many highlights. Just recently my son decided not to go to college, and he decided to come work at the family business. The day he decided to come work here, it struck me that he was 18 and two months old, and that’s exactly when I started with my dad that summer when I joined the team in 1981. So, that moment just struck me as special and important.
Another highlight is all the great relationships I’ve developed with customers. Often my family will be out, and we’ll see someone and say oh that’s ‘so and so.’ It’s a great feeling. We also like participating in events that are important to our customers from a volunteer perspective. Our team will get together and volunteer for different things in the community. This makes it all worthwhile to me.
One more highlight I’ll mention is working beside my dad for years. We didn’t see eye to eye all the time, but really us working together was a match made in heaven. I don’t take for granted the time I spent working with him.”
When you call McMahon Exterminating, not only are you taking care of pest problems, but you’re also supporting a family-owned business that truly cares about the Evansville community. You can find McMahon Exterminating on Towny – the free app making it easy to choose local. App’s not your thing? No problem; jump here instead (we’ve got your covered!).