By Jenny Callison
Enquirer contributor

Marina Puzon of Azerbaijan learns new pest control techniques, including use of this bait box, from Steve Scherzinger, president of Scherzinger Pest Control, during her visit to Columbia Township Tuesday. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP - Marina Puzon believes that entrepreneurship is a journey. The journey recently brought her here from Azerbaijan, where she founded her own pest control company three years ago.

Puzon was one of a group of Azerbaijani business owners visiting as part of the Community Connections Program of the International Visitors Council of Greater Cincinnati. And it led to a reunion of sorts, as she met with Scherzinger Termite, Pest Control & Wildlife Removal here.

Puzon left a secure position as a university professor to found Puzon Co. after the death of her husband, who had operated his own pest control company in the former Soviet republic. She wanted to honor his memory and continue his work, she said.

"When I opened the company, I didn't know anything about pest control," she said. "So I went on the Internet and looked through the Web sites of companies in America."

Among the many pest control companies on the Web, one with a distinctive name caught her attention. She clicked on Scherzinger's site, read about the company's three-generation history and studied information about its philosophy and techniques.

When Puzon was notified she had been selected to participate in the U.S. Information Agency's Business for Russia Program, she was in for a surprise.

"Imagine when I was told we would be in Cincinnati, and I would be with this company," she said. "It was a special American dream."

During her eight days at Scherzinger, Puzon observed every aspect of the company's operations. She followed technicians into the field, talked with supervisors and accounting personnel and took careful notes from discussions with sales manager Matt Snow. She studied procedures, pricing and calculation of overhead.

"This is a great company," she said. "It's a great team. I enjoy everything.

"We have similarities, we have differences. Some methods are very new for me, and some of these insects we do not have at home. Here it's easy because your customer can be educated. Our customers think that if they spend money that they will have nothing - no pests - forever. They expect miracles."

Some chemicals available here can't be obtained in Azerbaijan, Puzon said. But licensing and operations are less complicated.

"We have a lot more regulations than Marina has," Steve Scherzinger, president of the host company, said.

Scherzinger also shared his company's training techniques with his Azerbaijani colleague, sending her home with training videos and lots of new ideas. Puzon also spent time with Time Maintenance Ltd., a carpet cleaning company, because her enterprise has expanded into carpet and drapery cleaning.

Entrepreneurs can feel frustrated in highly structured societies such as those that emerged from years of Soviet control, said Rachel Ekeroth, the Community Connections program manager.

"This training program is designed to help these people who have shown that they are entrepreneurs or high-level managers in private companies," she said. "We want to improve their business skills so they can survive in the new market economy. Their transition isn't complete."

The Community Connections Program is funded by public and private grants through the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Azerbaijan delegation is the third from that country and the first to include women.

E-mail jcallison@zoomtown.com.