[Viewpoint] Family Business Summit Offers Learning Opportunity

The history of the pest management industry, in large part, is the history of individual families, businesses handed down from generation to generation. Businesses shaped by the relative competence or incompetence of immediate or extended family members, prompting some to succeed beyond all expectations and others to fail miserably. Perhaps more than any other entity, the industry’s past — and future — has been shaped by the contributions of second-, third- and fourth-generation families. Their names read like the “Who’s Who” of the pest management industry: the Tindols, Dolds, Rottlers, McClouds, Cooks and Ogles, just to name a few. The industry owes a debt of gratitude to these and hundreds of other families who have worked tirelessly on behalf of their colleagues, as well as the National Pest Management Association, to drive the growth and development of this essential service industry, a legacy that continues to this day with the likes of Joe and Emily Thomas of Arrow Exterminators, Harvey and Tony Massey of Massey Services, Larry and Alfie Treleven of Sprague Pest Solutions, and Bob and Andy Klein of Assured Environments. Families have been so central to the success of the pest management industry that PCT magazine recently decided to devote an entire conference to the challenges and opportunities of operating a family business, the first and only conference focusing exclusively on the issues affecting family-owned pest control businesses. Featuring keynote speaker Ira Byrck, director of the Center for Family Business at the University of Massachusetts, the three-day conference will cover a wide range of subjects of critical importance to family-owned pest control businesses, and feature a speaker faculty of some of the most respected names in the pest management industry.

Topics to be covered include: “Successful Marketing Strategies for Family Businesses” featuring Scott Stevenson, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick, Maine; “Sales Programs That Work” by Joey Harris, Cook’s Pest Control, Decatur, Ala.; “Add-On Services: Providing Additional Opportunities for Family Members” featuring Chuck Russell, Eradico Services, Novi, Mich.; “Avoiding the Pitfalls of Family Transitions” by Robert Dold Jr., Rose Pest Solutions, Chicago, Ill.; and “Building Wealth in Your Family Business” featuring Daniel Gordon of PMP Wealthbuilders, Newton, N.J. Additional educational sessions will focus on “Conflict Resolution in Family Businesses” (yes, conflict happens), “Succession Planning” and “Quality Assurance Programs That Work.” There will be ample time provided for questions and answers, so attendees can interact with their peers and learn what it takes to ensure their businesses will be around for future generations.

Since balancing work/life issues is such a critical part of any successful business venture, the final session of the conference will feature Randy Moser, who will lead a workshop titled, “Are You Winning? The Battle for Work/Life Balance.” A well-known figure in the pest management industry, Moser will provide attendees with executable ideas to enhance the quality of their work and family life.

You won’t want to miss PCT’s Family Business Summit, scheduled for Nov. 14-16 at the Sheraton Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, Ga. For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.pctevents.com.

The author is publisher of PCT magazine.