Conroy joins growing list of those challenging Holden this fall

John Conroy, founder and owner of Pestop Do-It-Yourself Pest Control, is joining several other declared candidates in running against Mayor Kip Holden this fall. Conroy announced his candidacy today, saying in a prepared statement that his platform will focus on crime, infrastructure and creating a pro-business environment. “Crime is escalating, our permitting and inspection process is anti-business, our infrastructure needs are approaching critical levels, and there is a total disconnect between the mayor’s office and Metro Council, district attorney and the sheriff,” Conroy says. “The mayor’s office must be a place for solutions, not a place for bickering with other city officials. The solution is here. It always has been. We need to have a chief executive who really cares about all of Baton Rouge.” Other announced candidates include Sarah Holliday-James, president of the Capital City Republican Women; Jim Mayer, former owner of Mayer & Co. Clothiers; Gordon Mese, owner of Garden District Nursery; and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker. Conroy founded his business in Baton Rouge in 1993, and says it has since grown into one of the largest retail pest control companies in the South, with five locations in Louisiana and plans for additional expansion. Before founding Pestop, Conroy spent more than 20 years in the health care industry, serving in executive roles including CEO and CFO. With his wife, Olga, Conroy also recently founded Grand Coquette, a ladies boutique in Baton Rouge.