Fred Surgeon, with the support of his wife Anita, owns and operates Surgeon & Associates, Inc., a family of businesses with everything from agritourism, pest control, cleaning services and behavioral health services. 

Fred Surgeon has been an entrepreneur at heart since his early days in college. He would invest in vending machines, laundromats, real estate or anything that would create opportunities for himself and those around him. Anita, a self-proclaimed country girl from Red Springs, had various administrative jobs after college and began working for Surgeon and Associates Inc. in 2007. Anita never saw herself as an entrepreneur and is more reserved by nature, but after the two were married in 2011, Anita blossomed into a visionary in her own right. 

“All of our Sweet Valley Gives Back was Anita’s brainchild,” Fred shared. “She has such a heart, and wanted to give back on a much larger scale to organizations that are making a big impact in the community. It was natural to see her get involved in that project and want to help people.” 

Anita responded, “Fred pushed me to take what I was doing to another level. He gave me the comfort to do my thing. I’m an evangelist, and we put God first in all of our businesses. We try so very hard to be pleasant for people, to be a beautiful place and to help our community.” 

Fred and Anita shared the joys of their experience building a life and businesses together. 

“She’s my biggest fan and cheerleader; she’s so encouraging. She’ll say, ‘You can do this, no matter what circumstances you go through, you can do this,’” Fred shared. 

Anita believes the success comes back to trust; she trusts Fred; even if the outcomes don’t work out, she trusts his character. 

“He takes care of a lot of people, and he carries it with ease,” remarked Anita, “It’s not easy, but he does it with ease.” Anita’s faith in God also keeps her grounded. “We already have been blessed with so much. I look at things from a spiritual way, and I know we are going to be okay.” 

When it comes to business, Fred has been building his knowledge, skills and acumen for many years. He had the privilege to learn from A.C. Gaston, the African-American civil rights leader and entrepreneur. 

“He had rules for businesses; he said ‘always look for a need.’ And that shouldn’t be self-gratification or money,” Fred explained. He said he learned these lessons the hard way. “Failure is a big teacher, particularly in my early 20s. I had to learn to align my values with the business.”

Now all of his businesses are marked by a simple principle: he puts people first. He listens to his employees and his customers. 

“The key is the people for business success; we are in the people business, from senior management to front-line employees,” Fred shared. “I care how they feel about what they’re doing and what resources they have. You have to have buy-in from all levels of the organization.” 

Fred wants his managers all over the country to feel like owners. He emphasizes they have the autonomy to make decisions, and he is there as a resource. This sort of mature delegation, as well as respectful communication, has kept people around for many years. Surgeon and Associates, Inc. has staff and service providers who have been with them for decades, and Fred believes his focus is investing resources in those people and companies. Surgeon & Associates, Inc. employs 400 people across the country, and has achieved an economy of scale to provide consolidated marketing and accounting for all of the subsidiary companies. The company’s vertical integration also allows for efficiency and quality control; for example, the Mosquito Squad and Merry Maids that he owns provide services for Sweet Valley Ranch. 

Listening to their customers is how their newest venture, The Sweet Spot Event Center, came to be. The president of Lumbee Bank asked if they had any space for board meetings. Fred and Anita decided to create a space near their animal paddock. 

The Sweet Spot Event Center will be approximately 3,200 square feet in size and will comfortably accommodate 176 seated guests using round banquet tables while still allowing space for buffet tables and guest circulation. Fred and Anita envision this to be a space for everything from business and community meetings, gender reveals, birthday parties and even weddings. The Sweet Spot Event Center is currently under construction and is expected to open in fall 2026.

The couple is grateful to have been shown by the community that they’re a valuable part of Cumberland County. They have a faithful base of customers, and the city and county have worked with them to get utilities for their county-based facilities. 

When looking to the future, the Surgeons hope their long-time employees will continue the legacy they’ve built, and that legacy includes a real community impact.