Our Story

Our Story

Bryan and Derek Vaughan may own a pest control company now, but growing up, neither of them probably thought, "One day, we'll spend our lives talking about termites and crawlspaces." Life had other plans.

Today, the Vaughan brothers are the owners of VACO Pest Management Co., a family-owned pest control company serving communities across North Carolina and Virginia with a strong focus on expertise, integrity, and treating customers like family.

Bryan's journey into the pest industry started more than 13 years ago after studying biology at Christopher Newport University and briefly considering a career in physical therapy. After realizing he didn't want to spend his life in a clinic massaging feet, a conversation with his father-in-law—who worked with Sentricon termite systems—introduced him to the pest industry. Bryan's first reaction? "You mean the guys who drive around with the giant bug on top of the car?"

Despite the skepticism, Bryan gave it a shot and quickly discovered he loved the combination of science, problem-solving, and working directly with people. He started in commercial sales at a respected Richmond pest company and steadily worked his way up through management and technical leadership roles. Over the years, Bryan became known for his deep industry knowledge, operational leadership, and ability to explain complicated pest issues in a way customers could actually understand without feeling like they needed a biology degree.

Meanwhile, Derek Vaughan was building a completely different—but equally valuable—skill set that would later become a major part of VACO's success. Derek brought experience in administration, accounting, customer service, operations, and the pest industry itself. Where Bryan thrived in technical expertise and big-picture growth, Derek became the steady hand behind organization, systems, customer relationships, and keeping the business running smoothly behind the scenes. If Bryan is the one excitedly talking about termites and moisture readings, Derek is the one making sure schedules, finances, customers, and day-to-day operations stay on track.

When the company Bryan and Derek worked for was eventually acquired by an international corporation, Bryan and his wife, Jacqueline, started discussing the possibility of building something of their own. In 2021, during the middle of a pandemic—because apparently launching a business during global uncertainty sounded like a good challenge—Bryan started VACO with a business plan, a van with a magnet logo, and a lot of determination. He worked nights and weekends while balancing a full-time job, slowly growing the company one customer and one referral at a time.

As the company gained momentum, Derek officially joined as co-owner, helping expand VACO's operations and strengthen the customer experience. In 2023, Derek opened and now manages VACO's Richmond, Virginia branch, bringing the company back to where the brothers first started in the industry. Together, they have built a business that blends technical expertise, practical solutions, and real relationships with customers.

The name VACO stands for Vaughan Company, and that personal connection matters to them. They aren't a franchise, and they don't want customers to feel like just another number on a route sheet. When customers call, they talk to real people. When problems arise, they're handled with honesty and care. And while the company has grown significantly, the goal has stayed the same: to positively impact the lives of everyone they come into contact with.

At its core, VACO is more than pest control. It's two brothers building something meaningful together—one service call, one customer, and probably one termite joke at a time.