Otto Orkin, a Latvian immigrant to the United States, starts peddling rodenticides door-to-door.

Otto Orkin, now known as “Otto the Rat Man,” opens his first office in Richmond, Va.

Orkin opens the Atlanta office of Orkin Exterminating Company, Inc. and begins establishing operations in other major southeastern cities. The company introduces the Orkin diamond as its logo (newspaper advertisement pictured).

After concentrating for years on rodents and eventually insects, Orkin begins to advertise termite service.

Throughout the 1930s, Orkin coworkers build a strong foundation of exceptional customer service and grow the company with personal touches. Letters between business leaders demonstrate Orkin’s dedication to providing outstanding service.

The U.S. War Manpower Commission declares pest control a “needed service;” Orkin provides pest control and fumigation for 150 military establishments (technicians rode bikes such as this one to deliver service, as gasoline was rationed).

First Orkin television ad airs, featuring Otto the Orkin Man, a singing spray can, with one of the most recognized jingles in advertising history.

Led by founder O. Wayne Rollins, Rollins Broadcasting, Inc. (later known as Rollins, Inc.) purchases Orkin Exterminating Company for $62 million, seven times more than Rollins revenues at the time.

Orkin’s parent company, Rollins, Inc., moves its headquarters from Wilmington, Del., to Atlanta, Ga. (O. Wayne Rollins pictured in front of new Atlanta headquarters).

Gary Rollins, son of O. Wayne Rollins and current Orkin president, COO and chairman of the board, joins the company as an Atlanta pest and termite sales inspector.

Rollins, Inc (ROL) begins trading on the NYSE (pictured L to R: Randall Rollins; John Rollins; Robert Haack, president of NYSE; Wayne Rollins; Henry Tippie; Earl Geiger).

Orkin launches its “Big Number One” advertising campaign calling attention to Orkin’s size and strength compared to the mom-and-pop companies that made up its competition.

Forbes magazine recognizes Rollins, Inc. as the “Nation’s Number One Service Company,” due to the excellent reputation of Orkin and its sister companies (customer communication piece pictured).

The Orkin Exterminator Robot advertising campaign makes its national debut.

Orkin opens the O. Orkin Insect Zoo at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

The animated “Orkin Man” dethrones the Exterminator Robot as the face of Orkin in advertisements.

The acquisition of PCO Services makes Orkin the largest pest management company in Canada.

Award-winning state-of the-art training center opens in Atlanta. In 2003, it expands to include life-size models of commercial kitchens, hospital and hotel rooms, and other indoor and outdoor facilities typically treated by Orkin (termite training pavilion pictured).

Orkin partners with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to educate the public about pest-borne diseases in and around the home.

Orkin launches two key initiatives: 1) Fight the Bite, partnering with the United Nations Foundation’s global non-profit Nothing But Nets to fight malaria in Africa, and 2) Junior Pest Investigators – a series of K-6 lesson plans designed to teach children to think “green” about pests and pest management.

New innovative domestic pest control offerings include Dry Zone (a moisture control service for crawl spaces), bird and wildlife services, and Orkin Heat (a more environmentally-friendly alternative to fumigation).

Orkin now has international franchises in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Dominican Republic, Honduras, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico (Costa Rica franchise team pictured).