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BC Pest Control Keeps Critters Away

Living in the desert can be a real adventure. Bill Cherwin is here to keep it from becoming a nightmare. He and his wife, Kelly, have recently opened a new business in town called BC Pest Control and he's already delivering on the promise to keep the wild things from taking over! Bill is the primary principal operator of the business, and handles the activity in the field, while Kelly takes care of the administration and dispatches Bill to calls in Boulder City and Henderson.
We recently had the chance to sit down with Bill and find out what it takes to become a licensed primary principal in the state of Nevada and why he and Kelly chose now to open their small business.
Bill is not new to the pest control game. As a matter of fact, he's had plenty of experience working for other people. As a devoted husband and father, he decided that becoming his own boss was a great way to continue helping Boulder City residents, while being able to carve out time for school drop off and pick up for his children, among other family activities. Part of the appeal of starting his own business was driven by his desire to have more time with his family. But becoming a licensed pest control principal operator is not just getting some chemicals and having business cards printed.
Bill underwent rigorous instruction, training, and testing to get his operator's license. In addition to knowing all there is to know about Nevada's indigenous insects and other pests, he learned which chemicals to deploy to deter them. He also had to pass a law test about pesticides and pest control from the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Once he was successful with all of those requirements, he had to undergo a criminal background check before his license would be issued. The learning doesn't stop with the issuance of a license, either. Bill is required to obtain 80 continuing education credits in order to maintain his license and keep his business. Primary principals are responsible for record keeping, regulatory compliance, providing training to operators, and maintaining good standards of practice across the company, per the Nevada Department of Agriculture website. A primary principal must have:
- Proof of 2 years of verified experience related to the pest control license category sought; OR,
- Proof of 6 months of experience related to the pest control license category sought AND 16 college credits in biological sciences from an accredited college or university related to pest control.
- Primary Principal applicants must pass State and Federal fingerprint and background checks. Applicants who have been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude may be denied a Primary Principal license. Fingerprinting information is included in the Primary Principal Fingerprinting Packet.
Photography courtesy of Timothy Hill, Timothy Hill Photography.
