His unusual, fifth-generation name has become well known around the globe for top-rate pest and termite control, as well as state-of-the-art lawn care for both commercial and residential applications. It also represents a family business rooted in Nolen's personal creativity, keen market sense and good humor seen in bold advertisements and bright yellow cars that look like mice.

Family History

Nolen, who received a degree in entomology at the University of Florida, got his start in the business working for his father, Truly Wheatfield Nolen. The elder Nolen was initially in the sanitation business in Indiana but moved the family to Miami during the Great Depression and established his own pest control business, the Truly Nolen Exterminating Company, in 1938. Clients respected the company for its method of trapping pests and rat-proofing homes instead of relying on poisons that could harm children or pets.

But after working for his father's business for two years, the junior Nolen found himself without a job. "I had a big mouth," he explains with a smile that could be described as sly.

A magazine article about the termite problem in Arizona sparked the young Nolen's next career move. He questioned the article's accuracy because he thought Arizona's dry weather would be a poor breeding ground for the water-seeking insects. He decided to travel to the area and find out.

Having verified that the article was indeed true, in 1955 Nolen established his own pest control business in the growing Arizona market. After years of steady expansion into other states, in 1966 the company expanded to Florida, where it would develop one of its largest markets.

Nolen also assumed his father's business, as his own children rose to leadership roles within the company. Son Scott, a strong advocate of environmentally-sensitive pest control, is president of Truly Nolen of America, Inc., while son Truly William is active in the domestic franchise operations. Yet another son, Really, heads his own engineering company that designs extermination equipment.

Nolen oversees his business from Naples, where he lives full-time. The company's domestic operations are officially headquartered in Arizona. There are presently branches across the nation representing $60 million and more than 1,000 employees.

The company's largest operations, Nolen says, are still residential and commercial pest control. But the company has also made successful forays into an individual termite control division and a lawn and landscape control division.

Eleven years ago, Truly Nolen moved into international territories by establishing an office in South Buenos Aires -- not an easy task given the incredibly high inflation rate in Argentina.

Nolen says he decided to take on the market when he met the right man, Jose Lutz, who he holds in high respect. Today Lutz is head of Truly Nolen International, where he has been instrumental in the development of international franchises in South and Central America, the Caribbean and Saudi Arabia, totaling about $8-9 million in operations. Nolen says the company next plans to pursue markets in Western Europe.

Research and Training

In an attempt to stay one step ahead of the bugs, the company invests considerable amounts of time and money into research. Simply killing insects isn't good enough -- the company is also continually seeking the safest and most environmentally sound chemicals and methods. It's a necessity in a world of lawsuits and increasing regulations, Nolen says, and it's also a mark of quality to customers, who are more environmentally conscious then ever. "The market's always changing," Nolen says. "I think people are much more aware of pesticides."

The trend in pest control has been toward exclusive practices -- for example caulking outside a house or treating wood before a house is built -- and away from the continual interior spraying of harmful pesticides that most people associate with the pest control business.

The change in method has brought a challenge to educate customers about how the process works. For example, some customers will repeatedly ask why a pest control service man has not sprayed around the baseboards of interior rooms -- it then becomes the service man's responsibility to explain the system he is using and how it will work.

Truly Nolen therefore invests about 10 percent of profits into extensive employee service training. "We spend a lot of money on training employees," Nolen says, "because they, in turn, train customers."

Talk about Marketing ...

Bold primary colors, creative ideas and a sense of humor have become trademarks for the company. Marketing and advertising efforts have proven an ideal way to offset the somewhat unpleasant nature of the business while building par-none brand name recognition.

Nolen chanced upon his best-known marketing method one year when he forgot to list his business in the Tucson Yellow Pages. He painted the information on the side of a vintage car he bought for his wife. When the car broke down, Nolen left it on a visible lot instead of fixing it. The result: free, instant exposure to all passers-by. Today the company has about $1.5 million invested in similar vintage marketing mobiles.

In 1961, Nolen took a fancy to a trendy German car, the "Beetle." But instead of trying to eliminate this insect, he painted on a silly face and added ears and a tail -- the bright yellow Truly Nolen "mouse" car was born.

Today sales people from around the globe drive hundreds of mice cars, trucks and vans. With their hinged ears (they flop back for highway driving) and long tails, the automobiles draw just as much attention as they did back in the 1960s.

Not one to stay behind the times, Nolen recently invested in 50 of the newest Beetles. "I'm going to get a convertible for myself," he says.

What Customers Want

Despite the unusual names and brightly-colored cars, Truly Nolen says his business is based on the age-old business strategy of keeping a focus on what the customer wants. The logical approach is to maintain a spotless business reputation and as much direct contact as possible.

Nolen recommends staying away from voice mail -- have a real person on the other end of the telephone when a customer calls. Moreover, if you are late, make sure to let the customer know. "We have cellular telephones now," he says with a grin.

And the attention to the customer shouldn't stop after the transaction. "After a sale is made," he advises, "call or send out a card and see if they are happy."

The company tracks its past and present customers through an in-hous