EXHIBIT   99.1









CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 1350 OF CHAPTER 63
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                      OF TITLE 18 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE



I, Jonathan P. Ward, the chief executive officer of The  ServiceMaster  Company,
certify  that  (i) the  Quarterly  Report  on Form  10-Q for the  quarter  ended
September 30, 2002,  fully complies with  requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 and (ii) the  information  contained in
such  Form  10-Q  fairly  presents,  in all  material  respects,  the  financial
condition and results of operations of The ServiceMaster Company.








                                                            /s/ Jonathan P. Ward
                                                              Jonathan P. Ward
                                                              November 14, 2002