1927

• E.L. Bruce founds the Bruce-Terminix Research Laboratory.

1928

• Marion Wade founds moth-proofing service in Chicago.

1937

• First on-location carpet cleaning customer is served.

1947

• Company incorporates as Wade, Wenger & Associates.

1952

• First residential/commercial franchise is sold.

1958

• The ServiceMaster banner is adopted as a trademark.
• The first foreign agreement is signed as operations begin in Great Britain.

1962

• Corporation goes public and stock is sold over the counter.
• ServiceMaster enters the healthcare market as housekeeping service begins at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.

1967

• Corporate name changes to ServiceMaster Industries, Inc.

1969

• ChemLawn Corporate is formed by Paul and Dick Duke.

1972

• ServiceMaster celebrates its 25th anniversary.
• Terminix officially changes its name from Bruce-Terminix Co. to Terminix International, Inc.

1973

• The four company objectives are established.

1980

• ServiceMaster actively enters the education market, beginning with custodial, grounds, and maintenance.

1981

• Ken Wessner is elected Chairman.
• C. William Pollard is elected President.

1982

• ServiceMaster enters the industrial and commercial market, beginning with housekeeping services.

1983

• Entrepreneur Magazine ranks Merry Maids as the #1 maid service in the country.

1984

• Fortune Magazine rates ServiceMaster #1 among the "Service 500".

1985

• ServiceMaster reaches $1 billion in revenue.

1986

• ServiceMaster enters master limited partnership arrangement and becomes The ServiceMaster Company Limited Partnership.
• ServiceMaster acquires Memphis-based Terminix, a termite and pest control company, from Cook Industries to broaden services in the consumer market.

1988

• ServiceMaster acquires Omaha-based Merry Maids, a home cleaning service company.

1989

• ServiceMaster acquires Santa Rosa, California- and Carroll, Iowa-based American Home Shield, a home warranty company for systems and appliances.
• Fortune Magazine again ranks ServiceMaster #1 among the "Service 500".
• ServiceMaster Residential/Commercial Services relocates to Memphis to consolidate consumer services strategic planning and marketing efforts under one roof.

1990

• ServiceMaster acquires TruGreen to enhance its ability to serve the residential and commercial lawn care and tree and shrub care markets.
• The "We Serve" logo is adopted for use in all business unit marketing efforts.
• Terminix becomes the world's largest termite and pest control company based on revenues.
• Terminix purchases the Waste Management pest control business.

1992

• ServiceMaster acquires ChemLawn and creates TruGreen/ChemLawn, making ServiceMaster the largest professional lawn care provider in the nation.

1996

• ServiceMaster acquires Furniture Medic, the nation's largest on-site furniture restoration and repair business.
• American Home Shield acquires AmeriSpec, the nation's largest home inspection network.

1998

• ServiceMaster acquires Rescue Rooter Industries which specializes in plumbing and drain cleaning services (founded in 1975) and will be marketed under the Rescue Rooter name.
• Success Magazine names ServiceMaster the "#1 Best-Run Franchise Company in the Country".
• Financial Times ranks ServiceMaster the "Sixth Most Respected Company in the World".

1999

• ServiceMaster acquires LandCare USA, which makes TruGreen ChemLawn the nation's largest commercial landscape company.
• ServiceMaster acquires American Residential Services (ARS) and its subsidiary American Mechanical Services (AMS) making ARS/Rescue Rooter the leader in the plumbing and HVAC repair service market serving both residential and commercial customers.
• Fortune Magazine names ServiceMaster the "Most Admired Outsourcing Company in America," with particularly high marks for management, quality of service, and investment value.

2000

• ServiceMaster announces WeServeHomes.com after Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and ServiceMaster form a separate internet company that provides comprehensive on-line solutions for home services and information for customers to manage their households and purchase home services.
• Fortune Magazine names ServiceMaster the "Most Admired Outsourcing Company" two years in a row.

2001

• ServiceMaster acquires the largest Terminix franchise, Allied-Bruce Terminix Companies, in January.
• Jonathan Ward joins ServiceMaster as Chief Executive Officer in February.
• ServiceMaster acquires Sears Termite and Pest Control in August.
• ServiceMaster sells Management Services Group to ARAMARK Corporation for $800 million in October. The sale is finalized in November.

2002

• Board of Directors elects Jonathan Ward as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and names Ernest Mrozek as President and Chief Operating Officer in April.

2003

• C. William Pollard retires from the Board of Directors in January.

2004

• ServiceMaster announces in April that its TruGreen ChemLawn subsidiary has acquired the assets of Greenspace Services Limited, from FirstService Corporation. Greenspace, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, provides residential and commercial lawn and landscape services, and operates in eleven Canadian markets.

2005

• The Board of Directors ratifies the first change to the company objectives in over 30 years: The objective "Pursue Excellence" is replaced with "Excel with Customers".

2006

• Fortune Magazine names ServiceMaster as one of America's Most Admired Companies.
• Forbes names ServiceMaster as one of the 2,000 biggest companies in the world.
• In February, ServiceMaster acquires InStar Services Group, Inc., a leading direct provider of commercial disaster response and reconstruction services in the United States.
• In May, Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ward resigns.
• In June, J. Patrick Spainhour is announced as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
• In August, ServiceMaster sells its American Mechanical Services business.
• In October, ServiceMaster sells American Residential Services and acquires Safeguard Pest Control.

2007

• On July 24, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc. annnounces its acquisition of the ServiceMaster Company. George W. Tamke of CD&R assumes the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors and J. Patrick Spainhour continues to serve as CEO.