ServiceMaster was founded in 1929 as a moth-proofing company by Marion E. Wade, a former minor league baseball player.  Wade operated his new business out of his home, had a strong personal faith, and viewed individual employees and customers as worthy of dignity and respect.

Incorporated in 1947, the company expanded its offerings to include carpet cleaning in 1952, establishing one of America’s first franchise businesses.  In 1962, the company took its expertise to the health care arena and was a pioneer in third-party outsourcing.  In 1980, ServiceMaster entered the education market and expanded its commercial services.

In the 1980s, ServiceMaster built on its original franchise business to form a network of high-quality branch and franchise-based service companies including Terminix, TruGreen and Merry Maids – and other category-leading service brands, including American Home Shield.