Class of 2019
Orlando Alonso built a successful pest control company, National Fumigating Co., in Cuba, but he and his family left it all behind to emigrate to the United States in 1961, to flee Fidel Castro’s rule. With the family finding itself in Columbus, Ohio, Alonso took a job as a termite technician at Columbus Pest Control, rising quickly through the ranks. In 1971, two years after Owner Joe Mooney’s death, Alonso purchased the company from Mooney’s widow. By 1977, however, Alonso suffered a stroke and other health issues — and named his 21-year-old son, Lonnie, to run the company.
In 1977, 21 year old Lonnie Alsono was up to the challenge of taking over his fathers company, and at age 63 is working alongside sons Andrew and Brian to continue Columbus Pest Control’s legacy. By the time Orlando Alonso died in 2002, both father and son were well known and respected throughout the pest management industry, especially in keeping up with state and national regulatory affairs. Lonnie is currently the Ohio state policy affairs representative (SPAR) for the National Pest Management Association.
Hard work realizes the American dream
Lonnie Alonso and his late father, Orlando, are Cuban immigrants who have never taken success for granted
In Havana, Cuba, the Alonso family was in the distillery business, making wine, cognac and other spirits. In the early 1950s, patriarch Felix Alonso had friends who owned La Fumigadora Nacional (in Spanish, fumigation is equivalent to pest control). They were in dire need of some accounting help, and thought perhaps Felix’s twenty-something son Orlando could be of assistance.
As son Orlando Jr. — better known as Lonnie — tells it today, the friends needed a lot more than accounting help. Orlando already knew some of the ins and outs of pest control just from maintaining distillery operations, and after spending time helping out with La Fumigadora Nacional, soon grew confident enough to buy out the owners. He left the distillery business behind to build a career in pest control.
Orlando grew the company to 11 employees, and also had his first contact with the United States by buying equipment and pest control products regularly from a New York City-based distributor. The distributor’s salesman suggested he join the then-named National Pest Control Association (NPCA, now the NPMA). Orlando traveled to Louisville, Ky., to the 1957 NPCA convention to attend and apply for membership.
Never having had a non-U.S. pest management professional (PMP) apply for membership before, the association hastily put together a blue-ribbon panel to decide whether he should be accepted. They even visited Havana to see Orlando’s business in person before deciding in favor of it. One of the panelists was Joe Mooney, owner of Columbus Pest Control in Columbus, Ohio. Mooney also owned a Roto Rooter plumbing franchise in Columbus.
He took a liking to Orlando, and convinced him to co-own a similar franchise in Havana. Mooney and his wife, Mary, looked at Orlando as the son they never had. “When all hell started breaking loose in Cuba in 1959,” Lonnie recalls, “Joe and Mary wanted to bring my sister Zuni and me to the United States for safety, but my parents were certain the political problems would blow over.”
By Christmas 1960, the Alonsos had reconsidered. On Jan. 8, 1961, Orlando flew from Cuba to New York City, taking a flight with Zuni, 7, three hours after the one his wife, Zuny, took with 5-year-old Lonnie so as not to arouse suspicion.
They left everything behind. Lonnie notes that both Roto Rooter and La Fumigadora Nacional continued for about a year until the Cuban government took them over: “Then it was all lost. Everything was totally gone.”
A NEW START
Soon after arriving in the United States, Orlando became a termite technician for Columbus Pest Control, working his way up to management. Eight years later, tragedy struck: Mooney died, and while Orlando had his employee’s license, he didn’t have an owner’s license. The test materials, he knew intensely. Unfortunately, it was an essay test — and he didn’t know his English grammar very well. Mary was looking to sell, and he was the obvious buyer, but the situation seemed hopeless.
Yet another PMP came to the Alonsos’ rescue. Dale Belknap, owner of Columbus-based Capital City Exterminating Co., was friends with Orlando and told him: “Until you pass that test, you will work under my license.” Lonnie, who today remains close friends with Belknap’s son Ron, notes that his father never forgot Dale’s kindness.
By April 1971, Orlando had mastered English well enough to pass the test with flying colors. And Lonnie, who had been at his side — los hombres con los hombres, “the men with the men” — since childhood, was becoming old enough to learn the ropes of the business. “Pest control is all I ever wanted to do,” says Lonnie. “I grew up really enjoying being with my dad. He taught me a lot.”
In 1978, Orlando suffered a heart attack and became bedridden. Lonnie was 21 and thrust into a leadership position. But even while convalescing, Orlando was able to impart his wisdom on Lonnie, helping make business decisions and cheering on his son from the sidelines. Orlando passed away in 2002, at age 77.
Today, Lonnie is 63 and working alongside his two sons, Brian, 35, and Andrew, 32. He looks forward to winding down to retirement to spend time with his wife, Chris, and their nine rescue dogs. He notes that his only regret is that his sons didn’t get to know his father as he had known him — strong and capable. Still, they know firsthand of his kindness and generosity, and the family keeps Orlando’s legacy alive by sharing the many stories about him.
The Alonso work ethic is near legendary in the pest control industry, whether it’s troubleshooting pests or tirelessly standing up for small business in government and regulatory matters. But Orlando and Lonnie did have another interest outside work and business: antique cars. Lonnie still owns the 1931 Model A Ford Orlando bought in 1976 as nearly a scrap heap that together they restored to its classic beauty.
Like his father, Lonnie is proud to be an American citizen: “This great country allows us all an opportunity to learn, engage and get involved in positive things, all because of the men and women who fought to give it to us. They put their lives on the line, and in times have given their lives. That’s an expensive price tag I value heavily,” he says. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about how I could be in Cuba, and yet how fortunate I am to be here instead. I hold an overall belief in life that I’m in a pretty good place.”
Quotes from fellow industry members
“What a deserving honor! I was a student at Purdue University in the mid-1960s when Orlando came to work for Joe Moody. Once Orlando took over the company, he made his presence known in a very positive way. Lonnie learned what was right and important to do in life from his dad. They both represent the meaning of giving decent people the opportunity to come to the U.S. and add positively to our country.”
— Dr. Austin Frishman, Consultant, PMP Hall of Fame Class of 2002
“As we all go about our business protecting health and property, we have no better advocate than Lonnie Alonso. As for Orlando Sr., in 1988, when I started with Southern Mill Creek Products of Ohio, my boss (and PMP Hall of Famer) Tom Evans said I needed to go down and meet the Alonso family in Columbus. Orlando grabbed me and said we were going out to lunch at one of his favorite restaurants, the Florentine on West Broad Street. As luck would have it, we walked in on a meeting being conducted by (PMP Hall of Famer) Jim Steckel of Torco Pest Control. Jim stopped the meeting, and he and his managers, one by one, shook Orlando’s hand before we sat down for lunch. It was obvious that I needed to pay attention to what this great man had to say.”
— Carl Hinderer, Sales Administrative Manager-ES, Univar Solutions, Berthoud, Colo.
“In my 50 years of being a part of the Ohio pest control industry, Lonnie has given more of his time, heart and soul to the industry than any other person I know. He believes that it is our duty as a free people to go to Washington, D.C., and meet with our legislators, in order to be a part of this republic. I can tell you there is no question I would trust Lonnie with my life any day of the week. His father also was a man who loved his country with all his heart. Many people don’t realize that Orlando helped write a bill passed in Congress. He was invited to go to the White House for the signing, and stood beside President Ronald Reagan while the bill was signed. A man comes to America with nothing but his family, starts their lives over with very hard work, becomes a respected businessman, then gets to meet with the President in the Oval Office. If that’s not the American dream, then I don’t know what is.”
— Ron Belknap, Capital City Exterminating Co., Columbus, Ohio
