Most little girls don’t imagine themselves growing up to work with insects. Even fewer would imagine themselves working in the professional pest management industry.
TNT Termite & Pest Control Technician Amanda Holdren wasn’t like most girls.
“I was always a tomboy and loved playing outside and with bugs growing up,” she said.
That is, until, at 6 years old, she was bitten by a carpenter ant that was crawling on her hand.
“I remember being mad and telling my mom that I thought it was my friend,” she said.
It’s no wonder that now, as an adult, she spends her days providing full-service residential and commercial pest management services in the Greater Brandon area.
“This is my dream job, and getting to know customers is an absolute bonus on top of that,” said Holdren. “Working for TNT has really been a huge blessing for me and my family.”
Holdren isn’t the only female in the TNT family. Technician Ariel Faulkner, who also professed to be a tomboy growing up, enjoys making sure bugs stay outside her customers’ homes and businesses.
“It’s especially gratifying to hire these two women and welcome them to our TNT family as we have strived to achieve diversity in our hiring,” said Co-Owner Bonnie Tekampe. “Our business model meshes well with their other responsibilities of being wives, mothers and homemakers.”
For nearly 12 years, TNT Termite & Pest Control, owned by Ed and Bonnie Tekampe, has offered comprehensive prevention and treatment solutions for Florida’s creepiest of creepy crawlies, from ants and roaches to ‘sugar’ ants and spiders.
The company also provides affordable, EPA-compliant solutions to prevent or eliminate termites from destroying a family’s largest investment. Subterranean termites, the most common termite in Eastern Hillsborough County, are responsible for most of the termite damage reported each year.
The Tekampe family, whose son, Andy, is also a certified TNT operator, has a passion for helping others.
“Being a family-owned and operated company, we value family and the community,” said Bonnie.
The company supports the community by giving back to local charities by providing free pest control to ECHO, Family Promise, Centerpoint Church and FishHawk Sports Complex.
TNT Termite & Pest Control is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
For more information about TNT Termite & Pest Control, visit www.tnttermiteandpestcontrol.com or to schedule a service appointment call 716-9196 or 760-2691.
