Meet Our Diamond Certified Expert Contributor

Juan Gonzalez: Family, Fish and Fumigation

By Matt Solis, Editor

Juan Gonzalez is proud of the career he has built for himself as a pest control professional, but his initial foray into the industry happened by sheer chance. “One night in 2012, I went to a video game release party and met a young man who mentioned that his father’s company was looking for help,” he recalls. “I decided to apply for the job and ended up getting hired, so that’s how I started working in pest control.”

Juan spent the next decade working for a few different companies, but when he heard that his longtime colleague Jose Flores was starting his own business, he knew it was time to make the switch to Intergrated Pest Control Management Inc. Today, he says his favorite part about his job as a field representative is helping people eliminate their pest problems. “Ultimately, my goal is give our clients back their comfort, safety and health,” he adds.

Juan relocated to the Bay Area in 2017 and currently lives in Vallejo with his wife and three children, where he appreciates the North Bay’s weather and tight-knit community. “When you really get to know the people in Vallejo, they’re very kind and gentle,” he notes. “It’s a welcoming place to live.”

Outside of work, Juan dedicates most of his free time to family activities like visiting parks, going fishing and spending quality time together at home. “Our daughter loves painting and drawing, our middle son is fascinated by cars and monster trucks, and the youngest is an infant so he’s his own little guy,” he details. “Our free time pretty much revolves around what they want to do, but my wife and I love being with them.”

Juan may fill most of his days with work and family, but he also makes sure to carve out space for a particular lifelong passion. “I actually collect clownfish and I’m into coral propagation, which is basically multiplying one piece of coral into many pieces,” he explains. “This has been my passion since I was a kid, so I’m glad that I get to experience it with my own family. We spend a lot of time cleaning my aquariums and taking pictures and videos of our fish.”

In terms of a personal or professional philosophy, Juan espouses the importance of living with intention. “I don’t believe in making excuses,” he says. “The way I see it, nothing is impossible if you work hard to make it happen.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite movie genre?
A: I like watching animated movies with my kids. My daughter’s favorite movie is “Encanto” and my son loves the “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”

Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person?
A: A dog person. I go to work with my beagle, Buzz. He gets to take a lot of walks during the day and hang out in the car with the air conditioning.

Q: What was your first pet?
A: A cockatiel named Tweety.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Napoli Pizzeria in Vallejo.

Q: Who is your favorite movie villain?
A: Darth Vader.