News

MORE THAN 800 ATTEND 67TH PURDUE PEST CONTROL CONFERENCE

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. — The 67th Annual Purdue Pest Control Conference featured presentations from leading professionals and showcased innovative products from various manufacturers.

More than 800 pest management professionals representing 35 states and many different countries attended this year’s event, according to Dr. Gary Bennett, coordinator, Center — Urban/Industrial Entomology, Purdue University. Attendees were able to network with one another and learn about the latest products from industry manufacturers that were on display at this year’s exhibit hall.

This year’s conference kicked off with a bang as PCT Publisher Dan Moreland and Fred Whitford, coordinator, Purdue University Pesticides Programs, presented "10 Things Your Exterminator Won’t Tell You: A Response to Criticism of the Pest Control Industry."

Last August, SmartMoney magazine ran an article titled "Ten Things Your Exterminator Won’t Tell You," which attacked the pest control industry on 10 separate issues (see September 2002 PCT, pg. 18). Many pest management professionals were upset with the reporter’s generalizations of the pest control industry.

In their presentation, Whitford and Moreland provided pest management professionals with pointers on how they can counter criticism directed at the industry by following proper treatment procedures, pro-actively communicating with customers and working cooperatively with the media.

Other highlights from this year’s conference included:

• Carl Hinderer’s presentation "New Technologies in Pest Management." Hinderer, technical director of Southern Mill Creek Products of Ohio Inc., reviewed how industry manufacturers are responding to changes in customers, the introduction of new pest species, regulatory changes, changes in research and development and the trend towards IPM programs. Included in Hinderer’s presentation was a review of the latest technology.

• Dr. Austin Frishman’s presentation, "Training Techniques for the Modern Technician — Thinking Outside the Box," detailed the benefits of creative training. Frishman, president of AMF Pest Management Services, showed how to teach product identification with a dice game. Frishman laid out a blanket divided into numbered sections and placed different pest control products in the sections, which corresponded to the dice. Trainees would roll dice to determine which product they would have to identify.

• Mark Sheperdigian, technical director, Rose Exterminator, Troy, Mich., compared and contrasted yesterday’s PCOs vs. today’s pest management professionals. Sheperdigian noted how today’s pest management professionals have to be better trained because they use a variety of IPM tools and electronic technology such as cell phones, computers and scanners/bar-coding equipment.

• A number of product announcements were made at this year’s conference. Atlantic Paste & Glue announced it has redesigned its Dynamite 911 fly trap that features rounded corners for a more attractive appearance and replaced the trap’s starter with a rapid-start ballist. Cleary Chemical announced it has reformulated the Cleary Roach terminal.

• Jim Benschoter of Benny’s Pest Control Products, Toledo, Ohio, was recognized for his 60th consecutive year of attending the Purdue Pest Control Conference. He was recognized during opening ceremonies of the Purdue Pest Control Conference by Dr. Gary Bennett.

PCT TERMITE SUMMIT SET FOR NOVEMBER

CLEVELAND, OHIO — Pest Control Technology magazine recently announced dates for its inaugural PCT Termite Management Summit. The conference is scheduled for Nov. 19-21, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas.

The PCT Termite Management Summit will feature speakers, including leading termite researchers, consultants and industry practitioners. The summit format will place an emphasis on exchanging information, reviewing the latest research findings, regulatory issues, and business management practices surrounding termites and examining the latest control solutions.

The summit promises to deliver an in-depth educational experience for attendees and the opportunity to network with some of the sharpest minds in termite management. Conference highlights include:

• Experience two full days of in-depth sessions from leading termite management experts that address the specific needs of PCOs.

• Network with fellow industry professionals and build important relationships

• Earn CEU credits from qualifying states.

• Panel discussion with technical representatives from leading manufacturers to discuss future product development.

• Return to work ready to apply what you have learned and raise the quality and effectiveness of your termite management programs.

• Registration is $295 per person or $245 per person for groups of two or more from the same company. A complete education program will be available in the coming months.

For registration information on the PCT Termite Management Summit, call 800/456-0707 or go to www.pctonline.com/events.

PCT FLY MANAGEMENT SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN MARCH

CLEVELAND — Remember that the PCT Fly Management Summit will be held next month, March 12-14, at the Sheraton Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, Ga.

Registrations are filling fast but there are still spots available. The PCT Fly Management Summit will feature presentations by leading fly management researchers, consultants and pest management professionals. Speakers include Frank Meek, Orkin Pest Control; Mark Sheperdigian, Rose Exterminator; Al St. Cyr, American Institute of Baking; and many others.

Sponsors for the summit include Whitmire Micro-Gen, Univar USA, Wellmark International, Bayer ES, B.& D.A. Weisburger Insurance, Farnam Products, No Howe Products, Gardner Manufacturing and Gilbert Industries.

For registration information on the PCT Fly Management Summit, call 800/456-0707 or go to www.pctonline.com/events.

ORLANDO ALONSO, FIRST INTERNATIONAL NPMA MEMBER, DIES

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Orlando M. Alonso, former owner and president of Columbus Pest Control, passed away at his home on Dec. 17. He was 77.

In addition to running a highly successful pest control business, Alonso was a leader in national, state and local pest control associations.

Orlando and wife Zuny brought their family to America 42 years ago following the Communist takeover of Cuba and the nationalization of all assets and property (foreign and domestic). In 1956 he became the first person outside of the United States to apply for membership in the National Pest Control Association (NPCA) and in 1957 he became the first member of NPCA from outside the U.S.

Orlando first became involved in pest control in Cuba at age 25, working for La Fumigadora Naccional (The National Fumigating Co.) and eventually purchased the business. A major portion of his business was in the treatment fumigation of food and tobacco products for export to the United States. Thus, he developed relationships with many members of NPCA, including Joseph Mooney, founder of Columbus Pest Control.

After arriving in the U.S. in 1961, Alonso moved his family to Columbus, Ohio, and was hired by Mooney. Alonso began as a technician for Columbus Pest Control in 1961 and quickly rose through the management ranks. Following Mooney’s death in 1971, Alonso purchased Columbus Pest Control.

Orlando’s son, Lonnie Alonso, owns Columbus Pest Control and is a 1997 PCT/Syngenta Professional Products Leadership Award winner. Alonso is also survived by his wife of 51 years, Zuny; children, Zuni (Terry) Corkerton of Dublin, Ohio; Gloria M. (Tim) Cannon of Hilliard, Ohio; seven grandchildren; and many others.

Contributions may be made in Alonso’s name to Mount Carmel Hospice, c/o Mt. Carmel Health System Foundation, 793 W. State St., Columbus, OH 43222-9988 or to The American Heart Association, Ohio Valley Affiliate, P.O. Box 182039, Dept. 013, Columbus, OH 43218-2039.

PCT TO NAME ‘40 UNDER 40’ IN UPCOMING ISSUE

CLEVELAND — In a first-ever event for the pest management industry, the PCT Media Group later this year will honor the next generation of industry leaders through its "40 Under 40" program.

"40 Under 40" will recognize the accomplishments of 40 pest management industry professionals under the age of 40. Each of these individuals will be profiled in the October issue of PCT as well as at a special awards ceremony in November in Houston, Texas, Nov. 18-19.

"Recipients of this award are the movers and shakers of the industry and they are setting the new standards the industry will follow in the years ahead," said PCT’s Dan Moreland. "They are thinking big, moving fast and rewriting the rules of owning and operating a pest management company in the 21st century."

The 40 Under 40 Special Awards Ceremony and Roundtable will be held Nov. 18-19, in conjunction with the PCT Termite Management Summit (see news story on page 23). The awards reception will take place on Nov. 18, the night before the termite summit starts.

The award recipients and a guest will be invited to attend a reception and dinner where they will receive their award and have the opportunity to network with their peers.

The following morning a special breakfast roundtable, moderated by Dan Moreland, will be hosted for the "40 Under 40" recipients. The roundtable will provide a forum for discussion of current industry "hot" issues as well as the direction these "up and comers" feel the professional pest management industry is headed in the years to come. The proceedings of the round-table will be featured in a future issue of PCT.

Do you know someone who is making a difference in the structural pest control industry? Is that person you? To nominate someone for the 40 Under 40 Awards, see the nomination form on page 77 of this month’s issue or visit the PCT Web site at www.pctonline.com/40under40 to nominate someone.

NEPMA ESTABLISHES IPM REGISTRY PROGRAM
AMHERST, MASS. — In an effort to promote the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to pest management professionals, pest control businesses and the general public, the New England Pest Management Association has introduced the NEPMA IPM Registry Program.

Now in its second year, 71 pest management professionals, representing 25 pest control businesses in all six New England states, are registered and another 14 more are in the process of being registered, according to the program’s coordinator, Craig Hollingsworth, an extension entomologist at the University of Massachusetts.

For IPM practitioners to become registered they must be licensed by the state to apply pesticides, pass the IPM Registry examination and obtain three additional IPM contact hours above the state license requirements. Records of service performance are submitted every three years. Registered IPM practitioners must be employed by a registered IPM business.

Each registered IPM business must have a registered IPM practitioner at each business location and demonstrate IPM compliance in performance. Every business names an IPM coordinator for each site. Businesses initially must submit one set of account records that document their practice of 1) monitoring and inspection; 2) appropriate treatment; 3) recommendation of cultural practices; and 4) consumer education. A three-year review requires submission of 10 such records.

To prepare pest management professionals for the test, NEPMA and members from the NEPMA IPM Registry Committee conduct training sessions on the principles and practices of structural integrated pest management.

"They cover all aspects of IPM including inspections and monitoring, cultural recommendations, other appropriate treatments and record keeping," Hollings-worth says.

The test that practitioners must pass includes 100 questions. Upon satisfactory completion of the application and examination, the IPM registered practitioner/business will receive a certificate, a wallet card and a set of patches.

FMC SPONSORS  LEGISLATIVE DAY
PHILADELPHIA — FMC Corporation’s Specialty Products Business will once again show their support of the pest management industry as the premier sponsor of the 16th annual NPMA Legislative Day, announced Director Don Claus.

"Legislative Day continues to be the single most important event in our industry," Claus said, "and we are proud to sponsor an event of this magnitude that helps preserve the future of our industry."

Legislative Day will be held Feb. 24-25 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in the Washington, D.C., area. This two-day event provides a forum for pest management professionals from across the country to meet with legislators to discuss laws and regulations governing the industry.

Scheduled to speak this year are Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC talk show Hardball and NBC’s The Chris Matthews Show; Karen Hughes, former White House Communications director and counsel to President George W. Bush; and Jay Carney, award-winning congressional reporter for Time magazine and CNN. Also invited to speak is the Honorable Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House.

Last year, despite travel concerns, almost 400 industry representatives participated in Legislative Day. This year’s attendance is expected to return to levels achieved in 2001, although indications point towards the potential for record-breaking attendance levels according to Bob Rosenberg, director of government affairs for the National Pest Management Association.

Additional information about Legislative Day contact NPMA at 800/678-6722 or visit www.pestworld.org. For information about FMC Corp., visit www.fmc-apgspec.com or call 800/321-1FMC.

NPMA RELEASES SALARY, OPERATING RATIO SURVEYs
DUNN LORING, VA. — The National Pest Management Association recently released two research surveys about the professional pest management industry: the 2002 Nationwide Salary and Benefits Survey and the NPMA Operating Ratio Survey: Results and Analysis.

The salary and benefits survey takes a look at how the industry compensates its employees. More than 475 pest management firms participated in the survey.

Regional and national profiles in the survey include statistics on the average weekly rate paid to beginning and experienced technicians, holidays offered, benefits provided and how commissions are calculated.

According to the operating ratio survey, pest management companies are, on average, more profitable than lawn and mowing services or fertilizer and pesticide application companies. The research also offers a clear look at pest management today, analyzing business expenses, service revenues, wages and profitability.

The survey looks at revenue sources, chemical costs, employee expenses, overall profitability, and compares pest management with other industries. More than 275 NPMA members participated in the survey. The results were analyzed and compared with benchmark studies NPMA did in 1993 and 2000.

Both surveys are available for $125 for NPMA members and $175 for non-members. For more information call 800/678-6722. In addition, watch for an upcoming story in PCT regarding these surveys.

INDIANA CONSUMER CHOICE AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. — Arab Termite & Pest Control was recently awarded the 2002 Consumer’s Choice Award in the category of "pest control services."

Syed A. Shah and Janet M. Shah, president and vice president of the firm, respectively, were given the award by Hon. Todd Rokita, secretary of state of Indiana during a black tie banquet at the Indianapolis Westin Hotel.

Market Facts Inc., an independent research company, surveyed 1,350 local residential and commercial pest control consumers and determined the selection of the award’s recipients.

6th FUMIGANTS & PHEROMONES cONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN JUNE

COPENHAGEN — Thirty international speakers will present new and innovative techniques to protect stored products from insects and other pests at the next Fumigants & Pheromones Conference to be held June 3-5, in downtown Copenhagen at the famous Børsen.

Insects Limited Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind., and Tanaco Danmark A/S are the organizers of the conference and workshop. More than 250 attendees from 26 countries attended the last conference and workshop in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2000. Previous conferences were held in Greece, England, Germany, Italy, and the United States.

Sessions on alternatives to methyl bromide, a stored product research update, a museum pest management workshop, as well as other topics, will be held at the conference.

The cost of the conference is $645 for all three days, or $225 for the workshop only. Visit www.insectslimited.com or call David Mueller at insectsltd@aol.com or 317/896-9300 for more information.

RHODES ESTABLISHES ENDOWMENT IN FRED CLUTE'S NAME
KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Rhodes Chemical Company has established endowment scholarship funds in the name of Fred Clute at five Midwest universities.

Clute, a 37-year employee with Rhodes Chemical Co., passed away Sept. 17, 2002. During his tenure, Clute educated, trained and provided customer service and support, to thousands of PCOs. He received many awards from state pest control associations throughout the Midwest.

All contributions to an Endowment Scholarship Fund are tax-deductible. Contributions can be sent to the following institutions:

UIF/Fred Clute Memorial Award Fund, University of Illinois Foundation, Harker Hall MC-386, 1305 West Green St., Urbana, IL 61801; Fred Clute Memorial Scholarship in Entomology, University of Missouri, Attn: Gail Martin, 306 Reynolds Alumni Center, Columbia, MO 65211; Fred Clute Memorial Entomology Fund, Iowa State University Foundation, Attn: O. Richard Bundy III, College of Agriculture, 310 Curtiss Hall Ames, IA 50014; Fred Clute Endowed Scholarship in Entomology, Kansas State University Foundation, Attn: Vaughan Studer, 2323 Anderson Ave., Suite 500, Manhattan, KS 66502; and Fred Clute Memorial Scholarship Fund, University of Nebraska Foundation, P.O. Box 82555, Lincoln, NE 68501.

PCOs TAKE ON NEW YORK ‘SUPER NEST’
ROCKFORD, TENN. — The story of the upstate New York "super nest" began in the early 1990s when a property owner began filling in a large gully with tree stumps, excess building material and other waste. Once the two- to three-acre ditch was nearly full it was covered with gravel and dirt. And as many pest management professionals could have guessed, the landfill turned out to be an ideal habitat for American cockroaches.

"The heat and moisture generated by the rotting tree stumps made for an environment in which cockroaches could really thrive," said Russ Grow, owner of Extermitrain, an environmental consulting firm. "It’s warm, full of fungi and other nutrients, and provides shelter from the elements. It’s an ideal setting for a super nest."

Grow and others have estimated a cockroach population numbering in the millions.

"We’ve baited traps with bread and beer around the nest and have caught hundreds of roaches in a night," said Grow, who has a Ph.D. in entomology. "We’re dealing with a tremendous population."

Craig Thomas, owner of Craig Thomas Pest Control in Hyde Park, N.Y., treated the "super nest" with new Niban from Nisus Corp., beginning with weekly treatments of 140 pounds of granular bait in and around the nest for the first month. Niban is granular bait containing only weatherized coarse particles, which is good for outdoor broadcast perimeter applications. Niban-FG is made up of very small particles that allow it to be used in dusting equipment, Nisus Corp. says.

"With a problem like this it was important to go with a treatment that would have a low toxicity," Thomas said. "With such a large area using a traditional pesticide could have created a substantial environmental hazard, and that was something we definitely wanted to avoid in this situation.

"We’ve witnessed immediate acceptance of the bait and can actually scoop up dead cockroaches off the ground," Thomas said. "This project will take a good deal of time, but I’m confident the new Niban will be the best strategy for handling it."

BRIGGS NAMED DIRECTOR OF BASF’s SPECIALTY PRODUCTS DEPARTMENT

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — BASF Corporation recently announced the appointment of Stephen Briggs as director, Specialty Products Department (SPD), which incorporates the company’s professional turf and ornamental, vegetation management/forestry, pest control and turf fungicide businesses.

In his new role, Briggs will be responsible for all aspects of the department’s current operations, in addition to orchestrating the merger of TopPro Specialties group into SPD. He will also oversee the anticipated acquisition of the noncrop fipronil business that BASF is currently negotiating with Bayer CropScience AG.

Briggs brings more than 10 years of senior level experience to his position. Most recently, he served as vice president of TopPro Specialties, Memphis, Tenn., a unit of the Micro Flo Company and a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF Corporation. While at TopPro, he directed the Specialty Group, with generic product responsibilities including general management, sales, marketing and strategic direction.

Prior to TopPro, he was vice president and general manager of the SPD group of American Cyanamid, Parsippany, N.J., where he provided direction for the Vegetation Management, Forestry, Professional Turf and Amdro fire ant Consumer businesses. Briggs also spent more than six years at the University of Illinois as an extension entomologist.

Briggs will be relocating from Memphis to BASF SPD Headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C.