News

02/01/2012

Termite season has begun and Termites are swarming in the Central Florida area.

No matter how your home is constructed, where it's located, or how old it is, it could be attacked by subterranean termites. They are a threat across 70 percent of the world and in every part of the United States except Alaska. They cause $5 billion worth of damage each year in the U.S. alone-damage not covered by homeowner's insurance. And damage that can go undetected while it grows for years on end. It's their ability to so masterfully avoid detection that makes termites so insidiously destructive.

Call Today and one of our professionals will Inspect your home Free of charge.

11/07/2011

Drake and its team members participated in another Fiesta at Lake Eola over the weekend and would like to thank everyone for their support. We met some great people and strengthened our connection with the community.

11/01/2011

Robert (we call him Bob) Hederman is the General Manager for Drake Termite & Pest Control in Orlando. Bob has been in the pest control business for 22 years and has gained a long list of credentials.

These include:

• A.I.B. Certified
• Perdue Basic
• Perdue Advanced
• A&M Termite
• Serve Safe
• Best Management Practices Trainer
• Certified Pest Control Operator in all categories
• State of Florida CEU provider

And most currently Bob has obtained his Associate Certified Entomologist degree with the Entomological Society of America. Bob is one of the few certified entomologists within the state, let alone the entire United States.

Bob's experience and impressive schooling ensures our service and technicians receive the most up to date product testing, treatment procedures and on going training.

Congratulations Bob!

09/16/2011

Read the full article.

Drake offers a $1,000,000 Repair Guarantee for the Life of Your Home.

09/12/2011

Occasional Invaders are insects and other arthropods that sporadically enter structures, sometimes in large numbers. At this time of year when we receive an abundant amount of rainfall here are some pests to watch out for.

Large Roaches (also referred to as Palmetto Bugs) have wings and sometimes fly. These pests prefer running to flying, however.

The American cockroach is the largest home-infesting cockroach. Males and females are about the same size (approximately 1 1/2 inches long) and look very similar.

Although a palmetto bug may have set up camp in your home, this pest generally lives outdoors. If indoors, American cockroaches like to stick to food preparation areas like restaurants, grocery stores, and bakeries. They also like warm, moist locations like boiler rooms and sewers.

Earwigs can easily be recognized by their pincers at the end of their abdomen. Their pinchers are harmless to humans although it is a myth that earwigs do bite. Earwigs are mostly active at night and they eat dead insects and decomposing plant materials. They are also attracted to light. If earwigs appear in the house, it is safe to say that they came from the outdoors through an entry points (i.e. doors, crack and crevice, window sills, drains, utility pipes and windows).

The hairy, fleet, Wolf Spiders are very common outdoors under leaf litter, rocks, and logs. When they come inside, they normally stay on the ground floor and are active in dim light. Large Wolf spiders often frighten people. If handled, they give a painful bite but it is not dangerous.

09/01/2011

Protect your home and family with Drakes Total Home Protection Plan. When you purchase Pest Control and Termite Protection for your home you Save $100 on your Initial Services.

08/05/2011

Brett Clausen has been promoted to Service Manager in the Orlando office. An 8 year veteran in the Pest Control industry, Brett has demonstrated his willingness to deliver uncompromised customer service on a consistent basis. As a Certified Pest Control Operator, his continued training efforts and eagerness to perfect his profession have made him a stand out in his class. Brett is currently studying to obtain his Associate Certification in Entomology.

Congratulations Brett!

05/03/2011

Drakes new Irrigation Division is trained, equipped and ready to offer repair, installation and maintenance service for all your irrigation needs. Their staff of professionals are licensed with the State of Florida to ensure you receive the proper service every time. To receive this license you must have worked in the irrigation field for multiple years and pass a series of tests. Drake is very conscious about delivering quality service to its customers so they made it a point to employ some of the best Irrigation Technicians in the industry.

Now is a perfect time of the year to have your system inspected. The temperatures are rising and this will result in plant loss if your irrigation system is not working properly. Protect your landscape and have the experts at Drake provide a detailed inspection.

04/19/2011

The professionals at Drake are now able to accommodate all your sod installation needs. Our consultants will meet with homeowners to recommend the type of sod which best suits their landscape conditions and the necessary steps in which to take to ensure a successful planting. Drake representatives will see the process through to the very end which includes a treatment to protect their investment after the sod has been installed.

This service really compliments our Lawn Care program perfectly says Bob Hederman, Lawn & Ornamental Service Director, because so often we gain new accounts where the homeowner has problems with their existing grass and are relying on us to come up with a solution. This now enables us, in combination with our Lawn Care service, to satisfy all their needs and ultimately provide to them a beautiful looking lawn.

03/07/2011

The Challenger Division was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League to enable boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, ages 4-18, or up to age 22 if still enrolled in high school, to enjoy the game of baseball along with the millions of other children who participate in this sport worldwide. Today more than 30,000 children participate in more than 900 Challenger Divisions worldwide.

Teams are set up according to abilities, rather than age, and can include as many as 15-20 players. Challenger games can be played as t-ball games, coach pitch, player pitch, or a combination of the three.

In a Challenger game, each player gets a chance at bat. The side is retired when the offense has batted through the roster, or when a pre-determined number of runs have been scored, or when three outs are recorded. Little League recommends that no score be kept during Challenger games. The Challenger players wear the same uniforms, shoulder patches and safety equipment as other Little League players.

One of the benefits of having a Challenger Division is that it encourages the use of "buddies" for the Challenger players. The buddies assist the Challenger players on the field but whenever possible, encourage the players to bat and make plays themselves. However, the buddy is always nearby to help when needed.

Drake and its employees are proud to support the Pirates team this year and look forward to an exciting season.

Additional Photos

12/06/2010

Toys for tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one. He did. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign. That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located. Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.

Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas. Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

Drake Termite & Pest Control and all its employee’s are proud to participate in the Toys for Tots program this holiday season.

During the mid 1800's a man named William Booth, along with his wife, began helping people in need. They started their journey in England by giving spiritual guidance. Their good deeds quickly attracted followers to join them on their quest to help people. Originally called the "Volunteer Army" they began to spread out of the East end of London into neighboring areas and then to other cities. In 1878 Booth decided to change the name of his organization and penned the name "Salvation Army". By the late 1800's the Salvation Army had spread through much of Europe and the United States. Today you can find them in virtually every corner of the world.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving the team members of Drake are giving to the people in need this Holiday season by donating clothes and non-perishable foods to the Salvation Army. There is a drop off center at their corporate headquarters located in Orlando. Drake welcomes anyone and everyone to stop by and contribute to this great foundation.

6/11/2010

The BMPs or Best Management Practices are a science-based educational program for Green Industry workers (lawn-care and landscape maintenance professionals), brought to you by the University of Florida-IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program. The BMPs teach environmentally safe landscaping practices that help conserve and protect Florida’s ground and surface waters. They can also save the Florida homeowner money, time, and effort; increase the beauty of the home landscape; and protect the health of your family, pets, and the environment.

This training is designed to provide corporate, governmental, environmental, and other personnel the Best Management Practices for lawn and landscape. Developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and endorsed by the pest control industry, this training is brought to you by UF-IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping program.

Every Drake Lawn Technician has successfully passed and received their BMP certification, through the tutelage of their Lawn & Ornamental Service Director who is a certified BMP trainer, to deliver the most responsible lawn care service to its customers. Senate bill 494 requires all lawn care professionals to be BMP certified by January 1, 2014. Drake is proud to be ahead of the curve and one of the very few companies that has taken this pro-active approach in being environmentally responsible.

4/05/2010

Drake Termite & Pest Control will be attending their first annual Spring Fiesta. And their cute and fuzzy mascot will be making his debut appearance. Drake will also sponsor a Duck Hunt for the kids and give away some exciting gifts. We look forward to seeing everyone for a fun filled weekend.

Come enjoy one of Orlando's longest running Free events in the heart of Downtown Orlando at beautiful Lake Eola. Stroll through the park among artists and crafters, and grab a bite to eat along the way.

For more information click on the link provided.  http://k92fm.com/markets/orlando/springfiesta

4/01/2010

Drake is proud to announce the addition of another service center located in Leesburg. This branch will cover all of Lake and Sumter Counties. Drake has been servicing customers in Lake County for several years now but has been primarily focused in Clermont, Mt. Dora and Eustis. The addition of this office is due to an ever growing demand of referrals from current customers already a part of the Drake family.

Drake would also like to announce the promotion of Brandon Williams to Branch Manager for the Leesburg office. Brandon has been with the company for nearly 3 years. He started as a Lawn Technician, was promoted to the Lawn Supervisor in Orlando, then Lawn Manager in Orlando and now into his current role. Brandon has a passion for delivering quality service and this will be quickly recognized by the new customers of Lake and Sumter.

As with their other service locations Drake is excited to bring all the economic positives with them such as jobs to the community, purchases of goods and services by the company and employees and future involvement with charitable organizations.

3/09/2010

Join the Drake family and all its fans on Facebook. Here you will find informative yet funny story lines from characters like the Drake Duck and Fullowood the Termite. Right now Fullowood is planning an attack on the homes of Central Florida and the Drake Duck is on a mission to stop him and his friends. See how the story ends.

3/01/2010

When you purchase Termite Protection you will now receive One Million Dollars of Coverage for the Life of your Home. And this includes transfer of ownership, which is an appealing benefit when selling your home. “No other company offers termite protection for the life of your home without some fine print” says Ken McMaster, Drake’s Termite & Pest Control Service Director. “We have made protecting your home from termites very easy and customer friendly. If termites damage your home we will repair it. It’s that simple. And when you review our agreement you won’t see all of the exclusions that are hidden in so many of the termite contracts other companies offer.”

The addition of this type of termite protection to Drake’s already successful services reinforces their dedication to providing the most reliable pest control for Central Florida residents. “We have unmatched services and the guarantee’s to back it up”, says President Brandon Hill. “If you compare any of our services to any other company, and I mean really compare apples to apples, you won’t find anyone that meets all the requirements we do.”

12/01/2009

Toys for tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one. He did. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign. That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located. Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.

Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas. Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

Drake Termite & Pest Control and all its employee’s are proud to participate in the Toys for Tots program this holiday season.

During the mid 1800's a man named William Booth, along with his wife, began helping people in need. They started their journey in England by giving spiritual guidance. Their good deeds quickly attracted followers to join them on their quest to help people. Originally called the "Volunteer Army" they began to spread out of the East end of London into neighboring areas and then to other cities. In 1878 Booth decided to change the name of his organization and penned the name "Salvation Army". By the late 1800's the Salvation Army had spread through much of Europe and the United States. Today you can find them in virtually every corner of the world.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving the team members of Drake are giving to the people in need this Holiday season by donating clothes and non-perishable foods to the Salvation Army. There is a drop off center at their corporate headquarters located in Orlando. Drake welcomes anyone and everyone to stop by and contribute to this great foundation.

Drake is now offering both monthly and bi-monthly lawn & shrub care services. When the company first opened they only offered a bi-monthly service to consumers. After a few years they realized there was a demand for a monthly program and decided to offer this service exclusively. “Customer after customer kept requesting us to come out monthly, so after thorough research and testing, we finally decided to offer a monthly program which would put us on another level in terms of pest control service for your lawn” says President Brandon Hill. And a monthly program was the only service Drake offered since March 2008.

After several years of listening to their customer’s requests and concerns for both types of services Drake is now letting consumers choose the service frequency they would like for their landscape. “Both our monthly and bi-monthly programs come with unmatched guarantees. And whether its preference or economics Drake wants to accommodate every consumer we meet” says Brandon Hill.

Drake opened its second office in Osceola county this month. The company has been servicing customers in the Kissimmee area from their Orlando location since opening in 2004. Although Drake has never really been aggressive in this market they have always been happy to service customers in this area knowing they would one day open a service location here. Despite a down economy Drake has experienced growth in their Kissimmee service routes and now have sustainable revenue to accommodate an entire branch. This new branch also meant promotions for current employees and the ability to geographically service further into the Osceola area.

The company is also pleased to now be spending money in a community where customers are spending money with them. Drake now leases a building in Kissimmee and purchases things on a daily basis such as fuel, supplies, food & other goods from local retail centers. Thank you to all our customers in Osceola county for your support.

“When you purchase Pest Control for your home with Drake you get a guarantee that is unmatched in the pest control industry. If we don’t eliminate your pests within 30 days we will refund 100% of your money back. It’s that simple”, says Vice President Jerry Tucker.

Drake hired longtime pioneer in the industry Ken McMaster in August 2008 to spearhead the pest control division. Since then Ken has implemented intense training for the technicians that specialize in pest control for your home. He has also developed some specific service procedures and quality assurance programs which allow Drake to confidently offer their money back guarantee. “My technicians have the professionalism, company support, service systems and maybe most importantly, the care and willingness to solve customers pest problems” says Ken McMaster.

Drake has incorporated a new software system which will allow its customers to access and manage their account. Through a secure login process customers have the ability to do things like pay invoices, review billing history, update credit card information, see when future services are scheduled and request additional services. This customer friendly process allows access after hours and on weekends.

The Central Florida Knights are a youth baseball team that in recent years have won 2 State Championships.
They have had a fantastic season and are headed to what they call “the greatest tournament in America” in Cooperstown, New York on June 6th 2009. The Knights have yet to win this tournament but are determined to
come home with a victory. When the 12 and under teammates said they needed some help with traveling
expenses for the long trip Drake was happy to make a donation. Go Knights!

Drake is excited to launch its debut in the world of television advertising. Beginning in April of 2009 Drake has developed and began airing 2 commercials. One for Lawn Care service and one for Pest Control service. Both are :30 second spots which will give the customer some insight on the professional, convenient and reliable service they will receive from Drake. They have laid out an 8 month campaign and have plans to add new commercials later this year. "We are very pleased with the outcome of the commercials. And this is an excellent way for Drake to introduce themselves to potential customers that weren't aware Drake should be a choice for their service needs." says President Brandon Hill. Click here to view commercial.

On December 1, 2008 Drake moved into its new 8,000 sq. ft. facility located on Edgewater Dr. in Orlando. This building will serve as Drakes home office for its Orlando customers and the companies corporate office. Drake has plans to expand from here with satellite offices in the greater Central Florida area which include Lake county, Osceola county and Polk county. These additional offices will provide these communities with career oriented jobs, the purchases of goods and services from Drake and current employees with the opportunity of advancement.

Lesco, the world's largest fertilizer distributor, recognizes the success of Drake.
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