Four Generations of Service & Quality

The W.B. Sprague Co. is founded in Spokane, WA by W. B. Sprague to provide pest control services to the growing communities in Eastern Washington. Soon after, Sprague opens a second location in the Tacoma, WA to serve Western Washington customers.

On July 1, 1931, the company was purchased by A.H. Treleven, Sr. On August 1 of that year, the company was incorporated in Washington state and a Board of Directors was established. A.H. operates the business out of his home on N. G St. in Tacoma, WA. The company endured and even thrived during the Great Depression by providing essential services to local business and protecting people, property, and food from harmful pests.

In 1947, A.H. Treleven Jr., a former U.S. Coast Guard pilot in Alaska, joins the family business and purchases his father’s interest in the company. In 1948, the company moved into its first headquarters in Tacoma, WA. The company also unveiled its new company service vehicle – a 1948 Plymouth Super Deluxe.

In a revolutionary move for the time, the FCC licensed Sprague to have radio towers to establish a radio dispatch system for its service technicians, creating the Sprague call sign KON518. Bernadette “Bernie” Treleven, A.H. Treleven, Jr.’s wife joined the company in 1957 as the company’s radio dispatcher. In 1958, A.H. and Bernadette’s son, Larry, joined the company as the first member of the third generation of Treleven’s to work in the family business.

On April 1, 1971 Larry Treleven joins the company full-time.  In 1975, the company purchased Bremerton Pest Control, and in 1979 it opens a service center in Olympia, WA.

1980 – Sprague purchases American Exterminating along with several smaller companies to bolster its presence in the Pacific Northwest. Sprague joined the Copesan network – a national consortium of pest control companies dedicated to providing pest management services exclusively to national commercial accounts.

1981 –  Alfred H. Treleven III, son of A.H. Treleven Jr., and Larry’s brother, joins the company full-time. Seattle service center is officially operational in January 1981.

1982 – Sprague becomes a shareholder in Copesan, and Larry Treleven is named president taking over from his father A.H.

1983 – Sprague acquires Western Exterminator and creates the Spokane, WA service center.

1984 – Alfred H. Treleven III joins the Copesan Board of Directors and served as Chairman of the Board for 13 years. Sprague continues to grow, and opens a service center in Kennewick, WA.

1990 – Sprague opens its first service center outside Washington state with an expansion into Portland, OR.

1995 – Sprague expands into the Mountain West region and opens a service center in Boise, ID.

2000 – Sprague further increases its footprint and opens a service center in Salt Lake City, UT. Ross Treleven, Larry’s son, joins the company as the first member of the fourth generation of Treleven’s.  Alfred H. Treleven III and Larry Treleven become co-presidents.

2011 – Continuing to grow in the region, Sprague acquires EnviroPest and opens a service center in Denver, CO.

2012 – A.J. Treleven IV, Alfred’s son, joins Sprague.

2015 – Angela Treleven, Larry’s daughter, joins Sprague Board of Directors.

2016 – Sprague expands into the California market with the acquisition of TMC Pest Management and opens a service center in Bakersfield, CA. Larry Treleven is inducted into the Pest Management Professional magazine Hall of Fame.

2017 – Sprague further grows its West Coast presence and opens a service center in Los Angeles, CA.

2018 – Sprague continues to grow, and opens a service center in Medford, OR.

2020 – Paul Treleven, son of Larry Treleven, joins Sprague.  Expanding into the Southwest United States, Sprague acquired ProChem Pro Active and opened service center locations in Reno, NV and Las Vegas, NV.  

2021 – Ross Treleven is promoted to President; AJ Treleven, Director of Operations; and Paul Treleven, Director of Sales.  Larry Treleven celebrates 50 years in the pest control industry.

Sprague grows its service capacity and acquires Blue Heron Pest Management and MasterCare, opening service locations in Sacramento, CA and Phoenix, AZ respectively.  To better serve Eastern Washington customers, Sprague opens a service location in Yakima, WA.

2022 – Sprague grows in the Puget Sound, and opens a new service location in Bellevue, WA.

Ross Treleven is been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA).

2023 – Larry and Alfie Treleven receive prestigious NPMA Pinnacle Award.

AJ Treleven receives prestigious NPMA Emerging Leaders Award.

Sprague expands service footprint into Montana.

2024 – Sprague opens a service center in Fresno, CA.