When Marion E. Wade founded the ServiceMaster Clean™ franchise in 1929, he applied his strong personal faith and a desire to honor God in everything he did; including the way he operated his business. His view of individual employees and customers as being made in God’s image--worthy of dignity and respect--continues today, not only in ServiceMaster’s corporate objectives, but those servant leaders who live the objectives in their daily lives.

ServiceMaster of Shenandoah Valley owner Rusty Arbaugh “is what Marion Wade envisioned when he created our network of franchises, which would impact lives as true servant leaders, serving customers and employees while serving the Master,” wrote Regional Director David Meyer when nominating Rusty for the Marion E. Wade Award in 2009.

Rusty Arbaugh began at ServiceMaster of Shenandoah Valley in 1971, thinking it was to be a temporary job. “I graduated from Virginia Tech in December 1970 with a teaching degree, but since it was mid-year, there were no teaching positions available”, Rusty recalls. “A friend worked for ServiceMaster in Waynesboro and gave me the idea of working there until I could start teaching.”

Rusty’s wife, Clemi, went on to teach, but Rusty stayed in the business and bought his employer out in 1973, making $40,000 the first year. Since then, working alongside dedicated employees-some of whom have served for more than 30 years-Rusty has grown the business to the point that he operates along almost the entire Shenandoah Valley I-81 corridor, serving more than 250 miles from one end of Virginia to the other. He acquired the Winchester office in 1997 and recruited his daughter, Tobye David, also a Virginia Tech graduate, to manage it. Tobye had previously been employed as a social worker in Pulaski County, VA but moved with her husband to Winchester. “My father told me that he had the perfect opportunity for me, and he was right”, she says. In 2004, he purchased the Roanoke territory and brought along son Jeb Arbaugh to manage it. Jeb was a recent Virginia Tech graduate and had worked in the Waynesboro office as a teenager.

“It couldn’t be done without all of the people who work for me”, Rusty said. “It takes an entire organization to accomplish this. I’m a good example of how no matter how big or small your organization is, success can happen to you. I’m very proud of how we grew from a very small organization to what we are today.”

Rusty has had several long term employees, including Waynesboro office manager Kay Conner. Kay had worked in the insurance industry prior to joining ServiceMaster of Shenandoah Valley over 33 years ago. She remembers each of Rusty’s children as they grew up in and out of the office, and now has the pleasure of working with Tobye and Jeb as they manage their respective offices.

“The key to this business is doing the right thing-customer service,” says son Jeb. “We take special care of our customers and employees and give them the special attention that’s needed. My father taught me that and has reinforced it in the way he treats his employees and they way he lives his life.

Rusty says ServiceMaster’s Corporate Objectives play a part every day in every way. “If we take the first objective, ‘To Honor God in all we do’ and if we attempt to do that every day, the other three objectives naturally fall into place. One of my favorite verses from the Bible is Galatians 6:9-10: “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

It was with that pride and humility that Rusty, Clemi, Tobye, Jeb and several other dedicated employees accepted the Marion E. Wade Award in 2009 as the nation’s top franchise, and it is that is with that attitude that they continue to serve.