[June news]

PCT Media Group adds new assistant editor

RICHFIELD, Ohio — The PCT Media Group has hired Chuck Bowen as assistant editor for PCT and Quality Assurance & Food Safety magazines.
Bowen’s responsibilities include editing and writing news and feature stories for PCT and Quality Assurance magazines, as well as those magazines’ respective Web sites, www.pctonline.com and www.qualityassurancemag.com.

Bowen comes to PCT from The Gazette (Medina, Ohio), where he covered three school districts, the city’s government and courts. He also has contributed articles for The Indianapolis Star and wrote feature stories for the Agence France-Presse, an international wire service.

Bowen graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

“Chuck’s breadth of reporting and editing experience makes him a valuable addition to the PCT and QA staffs,” said PCT Publisher Dan Moreland. “Chuck will be instrumental in helping PCT and QA magazines better serve our readers by providing timely news stories and relevant business features.”
Bowen can be contacted at 216/925-5072, or via e-mail at cbowen@giemedia.com.

Mosaic poster available from Bell Laboratories

MADISON, Wis. — As part of its new “More Than Meets the Eye” ad campaign, Bell Laboratories is offering the first of three limited-edition mosaic posters.

The first 24- by 36-inch, four-color poster is an illustration of a house mouse gnawing one of Bell’s Contrac Blox with the caption, “Superior Technology, Product Performance & Support. Get the Whole Picture.” A closer look reveals that the art is composed of more than 6,500 photo cells of 400 photos representing scenes from Bell’s manufacturing and laboratory facilities, its products and rodents in general. The posters are designed for display in offices, training areas or display booths.

Posters are available without charge from Bell distributors.

Bill to abolish Texas structural pest control board sent to governor’s desk

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas House Bill 2458, which would abolish the Texas Structural Pest Control Board and transfer its duties and powers to the Texas Department of Agriculture, passed both chambers of the state’s legislature in May and has been sent to Gov. Rick Perry.

HB 2458, which passed the House in March, was held up in the Senate after the Senate voted in favor of a substitute bill (SB 906), which would have extended TSPCB’s life an additional four years. That bill was introduced by Sen. Kim Brimer. A Senate-House Conference Committee then was assembled and met to hammer out a compromised version of HB 2458, which passed in the House 137-2 and in the Senate 30-0.

The compromise bill established a structural pest control advisory committee consisting of nine members appointed by the commissioner, including two members who are experts in structural pest control application; three members who represent the public; one member from an institution of higher education who is knowledgeable in the science of pests and pest control; one member who represents the interests of structural pest control operators and who is appointed based on recommendations provided by a trade association of operators; one member who represents the interests of consumers and who is appointed based on recommendations provided by consumer advocacy groups or associations; and the commissioner of state health services or the commissioner’s designee.

Currently, the TSPCB is a nine-member group composed of three civilians, three pest control industry representatives and three state officials. “The new committee is very similar to (the existing one) but the difference is the Texas Structural Pest Control Board was a rulemaking organization. In this case, the new committee will just act in an advisory role,” said Mitch Wassom, president of Collins Services and president-elect, Texas Pest Control Association.

Unless HB 2458 is vetoed by Gov. Perry, the Texas Structural Pest Control Board will be abolished and its duties and powers will be transferred to the Texas Department of Agriculture no later than March 1, 2008. Wassom said Texas PCOs should not expect major changes. “The laws governing structural pest control in the state of Texas will not change,” he said. “There will be some changes to things like maximum fines, processes on cease-and-desist orders and the appeals process, but the basic framework is the same. It’s not a situation where there will be a gap in regulations. I expect it will be a pretty seamless transition.” — Brad Harbison

LESCO transaction sails through shareholders meeting

CLEVELAND — The sale of LESCO, a pest control product distributor, to Deere & Company was finalized May 3, following a special shareholders’ meeting in Cleveland.

It took less than five minutes for shareholders to approve the sale. The meeting began shortly before 10 a.m. at The Forum in downtown Cleveland and was adjourned at about 10:04 a.m. A member of LESCO’s board of directors brought the meeting to order, then a secretary read the votes, which had been tallied before the meeting began. LESCO is headquartered in Cleveland, and the meeting took place a few blocks from the company’s offices.

More than 6 million votes were cast in approval of the sale, while there were nearly 1.7 million votes against the sale. About 87,000 votes were withheld.
It’s expected that LESCO and its 332 service centers and 125 stores-on-wheels will merge with John Deere Landscapes. The combination of LESCO and John Deere Landscapes will expand the customer base for both
LESCO and John Deere Landscapes products and services.
Deere and LESCO had announced a definitive merger agreement in February.

Karl J. Kisner appointed marketing manager for BASF Professional T&O

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals has appointed Karl J. Kisner as marketing manager. Previously, Kisner served as senior marketing manager for BASF Professional Pest Control, where he oversaw and developed overall strategy and direction for the business. Kisner’s notable accomplishments in the pest control business included the launch of Termidor termiticide-insecticide for Aventis in 2000 and the transition of the fipronil business to BASF in 2003.

“BASF’s growth for Turf & Ornamentals includes a rich product pipeline that will expand our portfolio of innovative fungicides, herbicides and insecticides very soon,” said Toni Bucci, BASF Professional Turf & Ornamentals business manager. “Karl’s expertise in product launches and market development will be key to the success of these offerings.”

Kisner’s responsibilities will include a focus on the short- and long-term marketing strategy for Turf & Ornamentals as well as planning and program development. Financial operations, forecasting and production in collaboration with manufacturing, regulatory, formulation and product labeling groups will also be under his purview.

Before joining BASF, Kisner worked in product management at AgrEvo Environmental Health, where he developed marketing programs and initiatives for the continued success of its turf and ornamental division. Prior to that, he spent eight years at the turf distribution level working for both Van Waters & Rogers and Terra Distribution. Kisner is a 1990 graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, specializing in turfgrass management.

Specialty Products Consultants releases pest, T&O industry analyses

MENDHAM, N.J. — Specialty Products Consultants (SPC) has completed its seventh syndicated market analysis of the United States professional pest management industry, and found 2006 unusually challenging for pest control operators, manufacturers and distributors alike. In addition, the firm has published the fourth edition of a market research study examining the professional turf and ornamental pesticide market in the United States. Market segments analyzed include: golf, lawn and landscape, athletic turf, institutional turf, turfgrass sod production, ornamental nursery and greenhouse floriculture production.

The structural pest control industry generated an estimated $6.73 billion in total service revenue in 2006, virtually unchanged from the prior year. Moderate revenue growth from residential and commercial pest services could not offset a sluggish pre- and post-construction termite market, the company said.

The weak housing market, coupled with an unusually weak termite swarm season across much of the country, resulted in a 2 percent decline in the total number of post-construction termite treatments preformed this past year. The pre-construction termite treatment market was especially hard hit by the more than 17 percent decline in sales of new homes in 2006 compared with 2005.

More than 800 owners or managers of pest control companies were interviewed for the study.

For the first time in recent history, total manufacturer level revenue declined from the prior year as well. The weak termite season, in combination with the expansion of generic product offerings, resulted in a one-two punch for pesticide manufacturers and distributors, the company said. Although generic pesticide products accounted for just 5.4 percent of the total manufacturer level sales this past year, they forced considerable downward pressure on the price of compounds like bifenthrin and imidacloprid.

“Given the tough year we just experienced, and the outlook for 2007 and beyond, we believe that a consolidation of the market is needed across all channels,” said Gary Curl, SPC president.

In addition to providing a quantitative assessment of service revenue and pesticide product usage, the study measured key attributes of leading suppliers to the industry. The impact of the weak housing market, a disappointing termite swarm season, new active ingredients, generic product introductions and changes in distribution are just a few of the competitive forces analyzed in the report.

Regarding the turf and ornamental pesticide market, more than 1,200 professional turf and ornamental pesticide product decision makers were interviewed for the study.

In total, nearly $884.8 million (manufacturer level dollars), was spent in 2006 on fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and plant growth regulators in the markets analyzed, the company said. This includes the manufacturer level value of active ingredients sold in combination with fertilizer products. It represents a 2.3 percent increase from the $864.9 million spent on pesticides in these markets in 2005. An estimated $74.1 million or 8.4 percent of the total manufacturer sales were from generic pesticide producers.

A decline in the number of U.S. golf courses, a reduction in the acreage treated and generic price pressure all contributed to making this past year increasingly challenging for manufacturers and distributors.

The professional turf and ornamental market has become increasingly fragmented, the firm reported. Golf course superintendents named 227 distinct brands of pesticides used on their courses this past year, a 29 percent increase over the 176 pesticide brands mentioned in SPC’s 2004 survey.

For more information about either report, contact Curl at 973/543-5195.

Phil Harein honored at Minnesota conference

MINNEAPOLIS — Featuring topics ranging from “How I Built My Business” to “Keeping the Bugs Out of Nature,” the 2007 Minnesota Structural Pest Management Conference and the Minnesota Food Processing Pest Management Conference were held in tandem at the Minneapolis Convention Center in mid-March.

In addition to providing educational and recertification opportunities for pest management professionals, the conferences included a special recognition of Phil Harein, to whom the event was dedicated. Harein was acknowledged for his years of service to the pest management industry and for his achievements in research and extension in the fields of stored product and structural entomology.

More than 650 people attended the two conferences: Structural sessions focused on specific pests including rodents, carpenter ants, occasional invaders, spiders, stinging insects, bed bugs, structure-infesting ants, springtails, wildlife and wood-destroying insects, as well as special sessions for fumigation, right-of-way endorsement, landscape endorsement and an insect identification workshop. The food plant sessions focused on rodents, foreign grain beetles, wasps, cockroaches and occasional invaders, as well as bio-security and bird flu preparedness, organic pest management, program result assessment, pheromone and light-trap use and a fumigation session.

The conference planning committee included representatives from local pest management companies and food plants, the Minnesota Pest Management Association, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota, which coordinated the recertification workshops through its extension service. — Lisa Lupo, PCT contributor

Confederation of European Pest Control Associations meeting held in London

LONDON — Virtually the entire world of pest control was represented at the recent Confederation of European Pest Control Associations (CEPA) general assembly held immediately following PestEX 2007, on the Sunborn Yacht Hotel moored in London.

The assembly was the first of its kind in Europe. Rob Lederer, NPMA executive vice president, accompanied by NPMA President-Elect Mike Rottler, represented North America; Peter May of Xavca represented AEPMA (Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association); and Motokazu Hirao represented FAOPMA (Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers Associations).

Robert Stuyt was re-elected as president for another two years; Marc Esculier from CS3D in France was elected vice president; and Rainer Gsell from DSV in Germany was elected treasurer.

The assembly voted to allow membership from international manufacturers, distributors and service companies. Before this meeting, membership consisted solely of European trade associations. Taking up these new appointments were Patrick Vernie of Bayer Environmental Science representing manufacturers, Serge Simon of Edialux France representing distributors and Rentokil’s Alain van Lidth de Jeude representing service companies. — Frances McKim, British Pest Control Association

NPMA’s QualityPro reaches milestone

FAIRFAX, Va. — As of April, QualityPro had penetrated the top 100 designated media markets in the United States, the National Pest Management Association said in a release.

“Consumers expect pest management providers to perform at a higher standard,” said Andrew Architect, executive director of QualityPro. “Companies who earn the QualityPro designation commit to operational excellence, superior customer service, environmental stewardship and advanced training.”

The QualityPro approval process requires that companies receive advanced training and testing, certify that they meet the program’s standards, and submit to random audits by NPMA to verify that they are, in fact, maintaining program standards.

Copesan selects PestPac Mobile to power data collection system

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Copesan and Marathon Data Systems have combined efforts and will consolidate features of Copesan’s proprietary data collection application, RapidTrax, into Marathon Data Systems’ PestPac Mobile handheld software application.

Marathon Data Systems will own the integrated application and rely heavily on the expertise of the Copesan network for future development plans. Copesan will maintain the rights to the RapidTrax trademark as well as the client portal and desktop applications that go along with it.

“With Marathon Data Systems’ expertise in the software arena, and the personnel resources they can utilize for further development of the software, we see a real benefit to this alliance that will provide for even further enhancements and maintenance of the software application that Copesan utilizes on handheld data collection devices,” said Deni Naumann, Copesan’s president.

Copesan began the development of RapidTrax in 2000, in response to the lack of an off-the-shelf program that would meet the needs of its national account clients, the company said.

NPMA announces conference to discuss ‘green’ issues

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association announced a conference that aims at tackling the growing green market segment.
The two-day conference, “Going Green — Marketing to the 21st Century Customer,” will examine green marketing trends in the United States, and how pest management professionals can create a green Integrated Pest Management offering, the association said.

“To grow our industry overall, we need to cater to the Americans’ appetite for more environmentally friendly pest management practices,” said Rob Lederer,  executive vice president of the National Pest Management Association. “IPM strategies, less invasive products and environmentally friendly services are being demanded by some customers and potential customers. This conference will provide an opportunity for you to consider strategies to address this critical market segment.”

A recent consumer attitudes survey conducted on behalf of NPMA found that those households that do not use professional pest control services are more likely to hire a “green” pest management company.

“The consumer trends are overwhelming, and the amazing thing is that most consumers are willing to pay a premium for organic and green services,” said Kevin L. Kirkland, president of Nisus Corporation, which is sponsoring the conference.

“Any time you can connect your business to these consumer shifts, you can create new areas of growth and profitability,” he added.

The conference will be held at the Westin Tabor Center in Denver, Nov. 28-30. For more information, visit www.npmapestworld.org or call 703/352-6762. 

Proceedings of Vertebrate Pest Conferences now online

LINCOLN, Neb. — The proceedings of the 19th and 20th Vertebrate Pest Conferences now are available for purchase online at http://icwdm.org/credits/store.asp.

The Vertebrate Pest Conference is a biannual, international meeting where researchers share their findings on effective methods of controlling damage caused by rats, wildlife, mice, birds and other vertebrate species whose actions conflict with human interests. These proceedings are a limited printing.

McCloud Services: 10 years of food-processing training

HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. — McCloud Services offers an annual specialized pest management conference geared towards the food-processing industry. In March, McCloud celebrated 10 years of training at its Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based seminar.

This year’s seminar included presentations by rodent expert Robert Corrigan, NPMA Vice President Greg Baumann, McCloud   Services Training Director Kim Kelley-Tunis, BASF Technical Representative Anil Menon and Rockwell Labs CEO Cisse Spragins. More than 200 attendees were present at the seminar representing food plant professionals, pest management professionals and health department employees.

This year’s hands-on training focused on rodent biology, identification and control. Lectures included information on rodents, as well as ants, food safety, food plant inspections, NPMA food plant standards, stored product pests and small flies.

One unique presentation made by McCloud  Food Safety Manager Dave Pettigrew focused on the importance of food safety considerations in pest management procedures.

For example, the proper order when servicing food-processing facilities from sensitive to non-sensitive areas and the methods technicians can utilize to minimize physical allergen transfer in allergen-free zones of food processing facilities was discussed.

McCloud’s 11th annual seminar will be held March 11-12, 2008. For more information or to register for future seminar updates go to www.mccloudservices.com.

RJM Contracting completes interstate trial using GLPs

LAKE MARY, Fla. — RJM Contracting has completed a trial project in urban pest management using Good Lab Practices (GLP) for product testing.
The company has completed a research project within the industry using GLP criteria across multiple states in a field trial focused on human health pests.

“Not only did we meet GLP criteria, we followed EPA-EUP protocols, field trial systems and processes to efficiently evaluate trial materials,” said Ray Meyers, RJM president.

The national trial tested a variety of pest control formulations for use on human health pests. GLP is a scientific method that uses laboratory methods in the field environment. Technicians are used to apply test materials in real-life situations, while the observer records the treatments, application difficulties and product efficacy.

Arrow opens Starkey Thomas National Training Center

WOODSTOCK, Ga. — For years, it has been the goal of Arrow Exterminators to open a national training center that would accommodate large groups for training purposes.

Arrow’s objective was achieved when the company purchased a building on Highway 92 in Woodstock, Ga. The Woodstock facility consists of an old stone veneer home (which houses Arrow’s Woodstock branch office) and a newer commercial structure attached to it.

Arrow Exterminators’ technical services department, new construction division and the Woodstock wildlife service center are located in the larger space along with the training facility, totaling approximately 15,000 square feet.
In late 2006, the Starkey Thomas National Training Center (named for company founder James Stark Thomas, Sr.) hosted its first training seminar. Speakers from Syngenta, Bayer Environmental Science, BASF, Whitmire Micro-Gen and Arrow’s training department conducted the classes. More than 100 employees attended this six-hour training event.

Classic bed bug book now available in paperback

LANHAM, MD. — Monograph of Cimicidae, the definitive resource on bed bugs, has been reprinted by the Entomological Society of America. As bed bug problems have grown in the United States and abroad, so has interest in this hard-to-find book.

The newly published paperback, of which there are 250 copies, is now available to ESA members for $59 and to non-members for $74, including shipping within the continental United States.

First published in 1966, this classic text by Robert L. Usinger covers the feeding habits, ecology, disease transmission, control, morphology, anatomy, physiology, embryology, cytology, systematics and taxonomy of the insect family Cimicidae, which includes human bed bugs. The 585-page book is divided into 14 chapters, and it features photographs and illustrations of both adult and immature Cimicids, treating 74 species arranged in 22 genera and 6 subfamilies.

To order, call 301/731-4535, ext. 3009; send an e-mail to sales@entsoc.org; or download an order form at ESA’s Web site www.entsoc.org/orderform.htm.

Compelling Communications attains No. 1 Google ranking

ST. LOUIS — Compelling Communications has updated www.compelcom.com, its Web site for the pest control industry, which ranks No. 1 when a user searches for the phrase “pest control marketing.”
“Because the majority of our clients come from the pest control industry, it was important to attain optimal search engine placement for companies searching for pest control marketing ideas. So we set about to do a major update to the site,” said the company’s owner, June Van Klaveren.

The updated gallery includes advertising, brochures, direct mail, catalogs, logos, newsletters, Web sites and other projects the company has produced for the pest control industry as well as other industries.

Other features include:

• Specially selected books on marketing and customer service available by clicking on Favorite Books
• Nearly 50 free marketing and customer service articles
• Marketing materials self-evaluation program
• Special marketing programs for the pest control industry including: quarterly new letter package, customer catcher postcard program, basic marketing packages and free monthly e-letter subscription.

Kevin Clark represents Steve Irwin’s foundation at Wyland wall dedication

KEY LARGO, Fla. — Wyland, the artist famous for painting huge marine life murals, recently completed the last of his U.S. walls in Key Largo, Fla.

This project was No. 95 out of 100 of his around-the-world art and conservation awareness projects. The last five walls will be painted in the Abu Dhabi, Germany, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the last will be painted in Beijing in 2008 for the Summer Olympics.

The Key Largo ceremony earlier this year included a dedication from Wyland to the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. In addition, Critter Control founder Kevin Clark showed up wearing two hats — one as the CEO of Critter Control, and the second as a newly appointed representative of Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors USA foundation.

“Steve Irwin did what only a few people — some very special people like Wyland — have been able to do before them, and that is to get millions of people worldwide passionate and enthusiastic about wildlife, and to reach out to a global audience and inspire people,” Clark said. “Steve’s energy, his passion, his love of animals and his family values have motivated people of all ages, and of all walks of life, to be fascinated by the beauty and importance of our natural world.”

Cincinnati Yellow Pages recognizes 100 years of Rose Pest Solutions

TROY, Mich. — A lot has changed since 1860, when Solomon Rose founded Rose’s Rat Exterminator Company (which now goes by the name Rose Pest Solutions) in Cincinnati. The company now makes its headquarters in Troy, Mich., and advertises through such media as television, radio and the Internet.
But one thing hasn’t changed: The pest control company still advertises in phone books, and in May learned that it was one of the longest consecutive advertisers in the Cincinnati Bell Yellow Pages — 100 years, to be exact.

“It is the only name that has been in that directory since its inception 100 years ago,” said Russ Ives, president of Rose Pest Solutions, Troy, Mich.

Though the Rose name has existed in Cincinnati for a century, the company itself hasn’t been owned by the same management. In those intervening 100 years, Terminix, Waste Management and other firms have used the Rose name for their pest control companies in the Queen City, Ives said.

“There are several people who have paid the bills in the last 100 years,” he said.

But the company now is — sort of — back in the hands of its original family. Russ Ives’ grandfather Harlem Ives was a partner of Daniel Rose, the son of Solomon Rose. The elder Ives and Rose worked together in 1932, establishing the Detroit office for Rose’s Rat Exterminator Company.

The company has since dropped the older, if somewhat more vivid, moniker of Rose’s Rat Exterminator Company, instead opting for the more contemporary Rose Pest Solutions.

“Tradition’s not bad when you’re 147 years old, (but the new name) was more consistent with the image,” Ives said. — Chuck Bowen

MGK: New research shows Bedlam controls bed bug eggs

MINNEAPOLIS — New research on Bedlam insecticide shows excellent ovicidal activity that stops bed bug egg hatch, which expands its proven control to all bed bug life stages, the company reports.

Robert Suranyi, entomologist at McLaugh-lin Gormley King Company, reports that a recently completed lab trial shows that Bedlam reduces bed bug egg hatch by almost 90 percent. Only 12 percent of bed bug eggs treated with Bedlam hatched, compared to a 97 percent hatch rate of bed bug eggs treated with a placebo aerosol.

Suranyi said chemical control is just one component of an overall program to control bed bugs. “Due to the cryptic nature of the target pest, we recommend a lot of elbow grease … to successfully tackle bed bug infestations,” including multiple thorough inspections, tenant education, and both chemical and non-chemical treatments.

Introduced in 2006, Bedlam is the first insect control product specifically designed to control bed bugs, MGK said. Bedlam can be used wherever bed bugs travel and hide — mattresses, box springs, fabric, furniture and pet areas. The insecticide also is labeled for lice, dust mites, fleas and ticks.

Truly Nolen continues Caribbean expansion

ORLANDO, Fla. — Truly Nolen announced it has opened an office on the island of Curacao, the company’s first expansion into the Netherlands Antilles. Truly Nolen will be opening offices in the other Netherlands Antilles, which include Aruba, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustasius and Saba, said Jose Lutz, director of international franchises, Truly Nolen.

The franchise was awarded to Edison Bloem, a businessman in Curacao. “There certainly are pest and termite problems in those areas and he believed there was room for an American pest control company that provides high quality services,” Lutz said.

The Curacao office will provide commercial and residential pest and termite services. Management and employees will begin training in June, with a targeted grand opening in August, Lutz said.

He said Latin America is a key growth sector for Truly Nolen. “We are growing heavily in the Caribbean,” he said. “We already have offices in the Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands. The Netherlands Antilles will give us an even stronger presence.”
Truly Nolen Chairman Truly David Nolen, told PCT that the company now has a franchise in almost all of Central and South America, with the exception of Cuba. Nolen said he first became interested in expanding globally while vacationing in Mexico.

“I bought a vacation home in Mexico and I saw that there was no adequate pest control,” Nolen said. “I started a little company there to keep me busy on weekends. From there, I opened a franchise in Panama and Argentina.”
Truly Nolen now has 96 offices in 41 foreign countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Kuwait, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Venezuela. — Brad Harbison

Wisconsin Pest Control Association VP Poja dies at age 60

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Ecolab employee and Wisconsin Pest Control Association Vice President Michael Poja passed away in his Brookfield home of a heart attack in April. He was 60.

The Wisconsin native held several jobs after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1969, but it was in 1983 that he latched onto a job with Terminix International in Hyde Park, N.Y., and started a 24-year career in pest management.

Poja spent 12 years with Terminix before moving to Sawyer Exterminators (Rochester, N.Y.) where he spent five years. After a short stint with Truly Nolen in Florida, Poja went to work for Copesan in quality control before finally joining Ecolab in August of 2004. He spent three years on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Pest Control Association and was named vice president last year.

Poja, who was district manager of Eastern Wisconsin for Ecolab, was remembered fondly by many people including his boss, Keith Benson.
“Mike was a true professional. He emphasized integrity to his team at Ecolab and was a good leader,” Benson said.

WPCA President Brent Towle (Spectrum Pest Control) echoed Keith’s thoughts, “Michael was a kind man who got things done. The attention was never on him. He will be missed by all who knew him,” Towle said.

B&G Chemicals & Equipment completes series of CEU workshops

DALLAS — B&G Chemicals & Equipment recently completed its 37th annual Pest Management Conference and Expo series, which was held in Arlington, Texas, Houston, San Antonio and Tulsa, Okla. Titled “Strategies for Success in a Changing Industry,” the courses centered around technological advances and current issues considered hot topics to the industry. Twelve continuing education classes were offered, which covered a variety of subjects from management strategies to advances in termite control.

These workshops drew more than 1,200 pest control professionals from Texas and Oklahoma as well as from surrounding areas such as Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mexico and New Mexico. An exhibit hall with more than 15 manufacturer representatives provided a place for pest management professionals to network and learn more about recent technology.

Whitmire Micro-Gen launches redesigned consumer Web site for Advance TBS

ST. LOUIS — Whitmire Micro-Gen has launched a new and upgraded Web site for consumers to learn more about the Advance Termite Bait System (ATBS). The Web address remains www.advancetermitecontrol.com.

The site answers important and frequently asked consumer questions on how to determine if termites are in the home and what damage termites can do, as well as outlining various treatment options, the company said. In the ATBS section, customers can learn about what makes the company’s system different from other products, as well as product features, photos and common questions to ask their pest management professional.

Canadian pest management industry leader Paul Maheu passed away in May

QUEBEC CITY — Paul O. Maheu, former head of Maheu & Maheu and the Canadian Pest Control Association, died May 5, of cancer.

Paul Maheu took over his father’s pest control company in the 1960s when Horace-Azarie Maheu stepped down because of  deteriorating health. Paul Maheu was active in the operation of the company until 1993, when he moved to a seat on the board of directors.

Maheu was involved in the pest management industry, was president of the Canadian Pest Control Association and organized annual conferences. He founded a figure skating club, and held many positions on the board of administrators of the “Club de golf du Lac St-Joseph.”

His public relation skills helped grow the company beyond the province of Quebec. Next year, Maheu & Maheu will celebrate its 75th anniversary. The company operates in three provinces, is the largest pest management organization in Quebec and the third largest in Canada.

Donations can be made to La fondation du CHUQ c/o Fonds spécifique des soins palliatifs de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec at 10 rue de l’Espinay, Québec (Québec) G1L 3L5.

GPCA launches Buggateer’s Club

NORCROSS, Ga. — In an ongoing effort to educate the public about insects and professional pest control, the Georgia Pest Control Association has introduced a new children’s program to the state’s public schools. Called The Buggateer’s Club, the program is designed for kindergarten through second grade students and includes information and photos of insects, and explains the role professional pest management plays in health and safety.

GPCA members Danny Nix of Arrow Exterminating, Eunice Hall of Dow AgroSciences, Jim Chase of Terminix, Robert Grizzard of T.Y. Gibson Pest Control and Julie Ramirez of Forsyth Exterminating wrote the program with Julie Ramirez providing title art work for the presentation.

“We feel this type of program presents the message that the professional pest control industry protects the health and property of Georgia citizens,” said Danny Nix, who serves on GPCA’s PR Committee.

Schools interested in having the program presented can contact the association at 800/465-9827.