ServiceMaster
A U.S.-based home and commercial services group focused on restoration, cleaning, moving, pest control, and specialist property services.
Last updated October 18, 2026
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Overview
ServiceMaster is an American service-services group whose operating brands provide residential and commercial cleaning, disaster restoration, moving, pest control, indoor-environment services, and trauma and biohazard remediation. The company developed from a Chicago moth-proofing business founded by Marion E. Wade in 1929 and gradually built a franchise-centered model that allowed specialized services to be delivered through local operators supported by a national brand and training infrastructure. The business expanded beyond its original treatment work through carpet cleaning franchising in 1952. During the late twentieth century it pursued a broad services strategy, acquiring or developing businesses in household cleaning, pest control, lawn care, home warranties, inspection, furniture repair, plumbing, and restoration. This diversification made ServiceMaster a large provider of outsourced and recurring household and facility services, although the portfolio changed substantially over time as businesses were spun off or sold. Historically associated brands included Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic, AmeriSpec, and ARS/Rescue Rooter. TruGreen became independent in 2014, American Home Shield was separated into a standalone public company in 2018, and Terminix was separated from the ServiceMaster group in 2020. The modern portfolio is more concentrated in restoration, cleaning, moving, and specialist remediation. Brands operated by ServiceMaster include ServiceMaster Clean, ServiceMaster Restore, Merry Maids, Two Men and a Truck, Indoor Science, and Aftermath Services. ServiceMaster became privately owned after an acquisition led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2007, returned to the public markets in 2014 as ServiceMaster Global Holdings, and was later taken private again after Roark Capital Group acquired the business in 2020. The group moved its headquarters from Memphis, Tennessee, to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2020. It operates through a combination of company-owned operations and independent franchise locations. Reference material describes a network of more than 7,000 locations worldwide, approximately 13,000 corporate employees, and more than 33,000 additional workers employed independently within its franchise system; these workforce and location figures are not assigned a specific current reporting period here. ServiceMaster's positioning is based on trusted, locally delivered services for situations that often require speed, specialized equipment, compliance procedures, or recurring maintenance. Restoration work responds to water, fire, smoke, mold, and other property damage, while cleaning brands serve homes, offices, and commercial facilities. Its additions of Two Men and a Truck, Aftermath Services, and Indoor Science broadened the group into moving, trauma and biohazard cleanup, and indoor environmental assessment.
History
ServiceMaster began in Chicago in 1929, when Marion E. Wade established a moth-proofing business. The company was incorporated in 1947 and entered franchised carpet cleaning in 1952. That move established a repeatable model in which a central organization supplied brand standards, operating systems, training, and marketing while local franchisees performed services in their communities. From the 1980s onward, ServiceMaster pursued a broad acquisition and development program. It acquired Merry Maids in 1988 and American Home Shield in 1989, acquired Terminix in 1986, and later added or developed businesses in lawn care, home inspection, furniture repair, plumbing, restoration, and related property services. TruGreen joined the portfolio in 1991. The strategy made the group a diversified provider of services that households, property owners, insurers, and commercial customers could outsource. The portfolio subsequently became more focused. Rescue Industries and American Residential Services were combined and later sold in 2006. A Clayton, Dubilier & Rice-led investor group acquired ServiceMaster in July 2007 and took it private. In 2011, Hank Mullany became chief executive officer across the ServiceMaster brands, followed by Robert J. Gillette in 2013 and Nikhil Varty in 2017. ServiceMaster also announced a plan in 2017 to separate American Home Shield from the Terminix and Franchise Services Group; American Home Shield became an independent public company in 2018. ServiceMaster Global Holdings returned to the public markets in June 2014, when it priced an initial offering and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under SERV. TruGreen became a separate private company at the beginning of 2014. Terminix was separated from the group in 2020. That same year, Naren Gursahaney was appointed chief executive officer, Roark Capital Group acquired ServiceMaster Brands, and the headquarters moved from Memphis to Atlanta. Under Roark ownership, the group expanded its franchise portfolio with the 2021 acquisition of Two Men and a Truck. In 2022 it acquired Aftermath Services, a trauma and biohazard cleanup provider, and Indoor Science. In 2023 it sold Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec to Eagle Merchant Partners. The resulting business centers on ServiceMaster Restore, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Two Men and a Truck, Aftermath Services, and Indoor Science. Its operating model combines company-owned locations with a large independent franchise network serving residential, commercial, insurance, and property-management customers.
- 2023
Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec divestiture
[1]The two brands are sold to Eagle Merchant Partners.
- 2022
Aftermath Services and Indoor Science acquisitions
[1]The group adds trauma and biohazard cleanup and indoor-environment services.
- 2021
Two Men and a Truck acquisition
[1]ServiceMaster Brands acquires the moving-franchise company.
- 2020
Roark ownership and Atlanta headquarters
[1]Roark Capital Group acquires ServiceMaster Brands and the headquarters moves to Atlanta.
- 2014
Return to public markets
[1]ServiceMaster Global Holdings completes an IPO and lists as SERV on the NYSE.
- 2007
Taken private
[1]Investors led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquire ServiceMaster.
- 1989
American Home Shield acquisition
[1]ServiceMaster acquires American Home Shield.
- 1988
Merry Maids acquisition
[1]Merry Maids joins the ServiceMaster group.
- 1986
Terminix enters the portfolio
[1]ServiceMaster acquires Terminix.
- 1952
Franchised carpet cleaning begins
[1]ServiceMaster expands into franchised carpet-cleaning services.
Products and positioning
A franchise-led provider of specialized residential and commercial services, with particular emphasis on property restoration, cleaning, and urgent remediation.
Commercial and janitorial cleaning · 1952
ServiceMaster Clean
ServiceMaster Clean provides commercial cleaning and janitorial services, including recurring maintenance and facility cleaning. Its franchise network serves offices, commercial properties, and other institutional customers, complementing the group's residential and restoration businesses.
Disaster restoration · 2013
ServiceMaster Restore
ServiceMaster Restore handles property recovery after water, fire, smoke, mold, and other damage. The business is oriented toward urgent response and rebuilding support for homeowners, commercial property owners, insurers, and property managers.
Residential cleaning
Merry Maids
Merry Maids is the group's residential cleaning brand. Its services are delivered through local operations and franchisees and are designed around recurring or scheduled home-cleaning needs.
Moving services
Two Men and a Truck
Two Men and a Truck provides residential and commercial moving services through a franchise-based network. The brand broadened ServiceMaster's portfolio beyond cleaning and property recovery into relocation and logistics support.
Trauma and biohazard cleanup · 1996
Aftermath Services
Aftermath Services specializes in trauma, crime-scene, and biohazard cleanup. Its addition gave ServiceMaster a specialist remediation capability for situations requiring controlled handling, decontamination, and restoration of affected spaces.
Indoor environmental services
Indoor Science
Indoor Science provides indoor-environment assessment and related specialist services. The brand extends ServiceMaster's property-services offering into the evaluation of indoor conditions and environmental concerns.
Pest control · 1927
Terminix
Terminix was ServiceMaster's pest-control business after its 1986 acquisition. It was an important historical component of the portfolio but was separated from ServiceMaster in 2020 and is not treated as a current ServiceMaster brand.
Home warranty
American Home Shield
American Home Shield supplied home-warranty services during its period within ServiceMaster. It was separated from the group and became an independent publicly traded company in 2018.
Controversies
2019
Monteverde announces investigation of ServiceMaster directors and officers
In November 2019, Monteverde & Associates PC announced that it was investigating the board of directors and officers of ServiceMaster Global Holdings for possible breaches of fiduciary duty. The announcement was issued as a shareholder alert by the firm. The notice identified the subjects of the investigation as the company's directors and officers and described the potential issue as possible breaches of fiduciary duty. No findings, conclusions, or outcomes of the investigation were stated in the announcement.
Brand decisions
2023
Sale of Furniture Medic and AmeriSpecM&ABackground
ServiceMaster continued to refine its portfolio after adding moving and specialist remediation brands.
Action taken
Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec were sold to Eagle Merchant Partners.
Aftermath
The divestiture reduced the number of inspection and furniture-repair businesses directly associated with ServiceMaster Brands.
2022
Expansion into specialist remediation and indoor scienceM&ABackground
The group's restoration platform could be extended into specialized cleanup and indoor-environment services.
Action taken
ServiceMaster Brands acquired Aftermath Services and Indoor Science.
Aftermath
The acquisitions expanded the portfolio into trauma and biohazard cleanup and indoor environmental assessment.
2021
Two Men and a Truck acquisitionM&ABackground
ServiceMaster sought to expand its franchise-based residential and commercial services platform.
Action taken
ServiceMaster Brands acquired Two Men and a Truck and agreed to make charitable contributions to nonprofits associated with the acquired company.
Aftermath
Moving services became part of the group's active brand portfolio.
2020
Roark Capital acquisitionM&ABackground
ServiceMaster's portfolio had undergone several separations, including American Home Shield and Terminix.
Action taken
Roark Capital Group acquired ServiceMaster Brands.
Aftermath
The group became privately held and relocated its headquarters from Memphis to Atlanta.
2017
Plan to separate American Home ShieldStrategyBackground
American Home Shield represented a distinct home-warranty business within a portfolio increasingly organized around other service categories.
Action taken
ServiceMaster announced a plan to spin American Home Shield off from the Terminix and Franchise Services Group.
Aftermath
American Home Shield became a separate public company in 2018.
2014
Initial public offeringOtherBackground
After several years under private ownership, ServiceMaster Global Holdings pursued a public listing.
Action taken
The company completed an IPO and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under SERV.
Aftermath
ServiceMaster became publicly traded until its later return to private ownership.
2007
Private-equity acquisitionM&ABackground
ServiceMaster had developed a wide portfolio of residential and commercial service companies.
Action taken
An investor group led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquired the company and took it private.
Aftermath
The transaction began a period of private-equity ownership before the company returned to public markets in 2014.
Recent events
Reported
ServiceMaster Brands completes acquisition of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK[4]
ServiceMaster Brands completed its acquisition of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK/International, Inc.
Reported
ServiceMaster announces CEO departure and interim leadership[5]
ServiceMaster announced that CEO Nik Varty was stepping down and that Chairman Naren Gursahaney would serve as interim CEO. The company said the search for a permanent successor was underway.
Reported
Monteverde announces investigation of ServiceMaster directors and officers[3]
Monteverde & Associates PC said it was investigating ServiceMaster Global Holdings’ board of directors and officers for possible breaches of fiduciary duty.
Reported
ServiceMaster acquires Pest Pulse[6]
Pest Pulse, a Dublin-based pest control startup, was acquired by ServiceMaster. The article reports that the startup announced the acquisition that day.
Sources6 sources
- 1ServiceMasteren.wikipedia.org
- 2ServiceMaster official websiteservicemaster.com
- 3Monteverde announces investigation of ServiceMaster directors and officersprnewswire.com
- 4ServiceMaster Brands完成对TWO MEN AND A TRUCK的收购prnewswire.com
- 5ServiceMaster 宣布 CEO 离任及临时接任安排actionnews5.com
- 6ServiceMaster收购Pest Pulserte.ie
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