ServiceMaster's Carlos Cantu Passes Away at 69

HOUSTON — Carlos Cantu, retired president & CEO of ServiceMaster, died of cancer Thursday at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He was 69.

In 1978 Cantu was appointed president of Terminix. His vision and business sense would eventually propel Terminix into its position as a market leader.

Charlie Hromada, retired senior vice president of licensee operations and technical services for Terminix, told PCT that Cantu was instrumental in the company’s growth in helping Terminix gain the top spot.

“He always had a vision on how to grow,” Hromada said. “We decided in early 80s to be No. 1 in pest control business. Carlos took the lead in pointing us in that direction and we all jumped on the bandwagon and ran like heck to do it. He was that kind of leader.”

A combination of business savvy and people skills were keys to Cantu's success, Hromada added.

“He made people want to work for him because he was very knowledgeable, very astute and diplomatic in his demeanor,” Hromada said. “He was just a natural born leader. He was sharp in terms of looking at business operations and figuring out ways and means make them work better and more efficient.”

Cantu served as president of Terminix until 1988, when he was promoted to head of ServiceMaster’s Consumer Services Division. Six years later he was appointed president and CEO of ServiceMaster.

As president of ServiceMaster, Cantu led the successful integration and subsequent strong growth of several companies, including TruGreen, ChemLawn, Merry Maids, American Home Shield, AmeriSpec and Furniture Medic. From January 1994 through October 1999 he served as the fifth CEO of ServiceMaster, overseeing one of the strongest  periods of growth and increased shareholder value in the company’s history.

“Carlos leaves a legacy of service, care and accomplishment,” said Jon Ward, Chairman & CEO. “He was a man known for his gracious demeanor and thoughtful leadership. Carlos gave freely of his time to our company and to many worthwhile organizations. We all benefited from his involvement, guidance and consul. He will be sorely missed.”

Chief Operating Officer Ernie Mrozek echoed those sentiments.

“Carlos was a mentor to many of us and a great role model to all,” Mrozek said. “He was always eager to help and share his considerable knowledge and insight with others, looking for the best in people and helping them develop to their full potential. He handled both success and adversity with dignity, humility and courage, providing a great example to follow.”

The son of Mexican immigrants, Cantu worked his way from having a paper route in the fifth grade, delivering Western Union telegrams in high school and cleaning the campus gym as a custodian in college, to being the president and CEO of a billion-dollar company.

In 1970, Terminix purchased the second-largest pest control company in Mexico. It was Terminix’s first venture into international business, however it was a natural move for Cook, which already had strong business ties in Mexico. Two years later, the company changed its name to Terminix International. A key individual in helping to manage the Mexico acquisition was Carlos Cantu, who had been with Cook Industries before the purchase of Terminix, handling the company’s cotton trading business in Mexico. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Cantu assisted during the initial acquisition and was later named branch manager of the business. From there he quickly moved up the ranks in Terminix and went on to become president in 1978

Services for Cantu will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The family requests memorials be sent to the Carlos H. Cantu Family Foundation Fund for Gastric Cancer Research, at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.