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The Little Man is Conceived

In 1931, when Western Exterminator was but 10 years new, telephone representatives persuaded founder Carl Strom to advertise in the yellow pages of the local telephone directory in exchange for creating a Western company logo. From the pen of their artist, Vaughn Kaufman, "The Little Man with the Hammer" sprang to life.

The Name Game

The little guy with big eyes and a tall top hat was an instant success and first known as "Kernel Kleenup". He was a commanding image with one warning finger raised against a rodent, and a large mallet tucked behind his back. In 1964, a television contest was held to rename the Kernel, with the winning entry being "Inspector Holmes". Neither of these names ever really caught on with employees and he is still affectionately referred to as "The Little Man".

Big Job for a Little Man

Not only has "The Little Man" become the standard bearer for the Company, but with permission from the Board of Directors he has been featured in numerous motion pictures and as the mascot for a rock band's concert tour. Due to the efforts of Company Vice President Bob Strom, whose artistic talents developed "The Little Man" from paper into a three-dimensional figure, he can be seen at a height of 17 ½ feet, in an authoritative pose raising a warning finger at a small rodent, towering over the Bayshore and San Diego Freeways above our Burlingame and Long Beach, California offices. He is also seen in "bigger than life" format at our Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada sites, as well as Santa Ana, and our landmark Los Angeles, California offices. In a much smaller size he is found atop the chemical boxes of all Company trucks, and he has been known to make "live" appearances at various Company and community functions. Recently, he has become quite sought after by collectors of advertising memorabilia. All Company literature and advertising prominently feature "The Little Man" for he has become the well-recognized symbol of Western Exterminator Company. Printed, or painted, flat or inflated, the Little Man is still at the peak of his powers.