Inching toward a big goal

When pest control executive George Pickhardt shifted his business model, to grow by acquisition, a dream-big goal was to make the top 10 on Pest Control Technology's annual top 100 list.

He's getting there.

The company, Sarasota-based Environmental Pest Service, is ranked 22nd in the magazine's annual list of the largest pest control companies nationwide by revenues. The firm had $35.1 million in 2014 sales. That put it one spot ahead of West Palm Beach-based Hulett Environmental Services, which had $34.1 million in 2014 revenues. EPS, where Pickhardt is chairman, also posted the highest year-over-year percentage growth among the top 100 with a 162% increase, up from $13.4 million in 2013.