Our guest today is Ross Treleven. Ross was named President of Sprague Pest Solutions in January 2021 and named CEO in May 2024. Treleven joined Sprague in 1998 for a summer job in high school, becoming a technician in college, where he attended Gonzaga University completing a Business Marketing Degree. He also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Denver.
After graduating from Gonzaga in 2004, Ross moved from technician to sales, further learning the business from the ground up. He became the Branch Manager for the Seattle branch in 2006 and then the Denver branch in 2011 before being named District Manager for the Mountain Region in 2015. He then went on to become the Regional Manager and built our internal Operations Center at the home office. In 2016, he was promoted to General Manager before being named Vice President of Operations in 2018, and Executive Vice President in 2019.
Ross is a recipient of the 2021 SouthSound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and 2018 Vistage Impact Award (Puget Sound). He currently serves on the board of directors for Cambium Endeavors, Sprague Pest Solutions, the TMC Corporation, and the Treleven Family Foundation; and volunteers his time with Degrees of Change and the Annie Wright Schools’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee in Tacoma, Washington.
In this episode of Family Business Today, you will learn:
The key leadership principles that have led to multiple successful leadership transitions
How Ross’s family practices balance and transparency in the business
The difference between preparing a family member to own versus lead the business
Specific moments that helped shape Ross’s leadership development
The innovative ways Sprague Pest Solutions prepares leaders and cultivates the Next Gen’s interest in the business
And more….
To learn more about Ross and his business, visit https://www.spraguepest.com/.
At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES, their business performs and working together they create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit www.tncfb.com.
If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant.
Until next time, There’s No Business Like a Family Business…. We Know!