[News]

Gene Harrington Leaves NPMA After Distinguished 20-Year Career

FAIRFAX, Va. — Gene Harrington, vice president of government affairs, National Pest Management Association, left the association on Feb. 27 after a 20-year tenure. Harrington departed the association to become the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s director of state advocacy for state government affairs, food and agriculture.

Leaving NPMA was bittersweet, Harrington told PCT. “NPMA is a first-class organization that represents a fantastic industry and that’s what makes it doubly hard to leave,” he said. “I’ve certainly made a lot of friends and have an incredible amount of respect and admiration for the professional pest management industry. It’s been like a second home. The job I’m leaving for was one of those proverbial offers I couldn’t refuse.”

Harrington, a University of Maryland graduate, came to NPMA in 1994 after serving as a legislative consultant for Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.). While at NPMA, he was promoted to director and then vice president of government affairs.

During the past 20 years, Harrington and NPMA CEO Bob Rosenberg have worked with legislators and regulators to make sure the pest control industry’s voice was heard on Capitol Hill. “We appreciate Gene’s countless contributions to NPMA over the past two decades,” said Rosenberg. “Gene played an integral role in elevating NPMA’s public policy program during his time at NPMA, helping the organization score significant legislative and regulatory victories at both the federal and state levels.”

Looking back at his NPMA tenure, Harrington said a couple of successes stuck out to him: (1) NPMA’s role in getting language included in the 2014 Farm Bill that protected the industry’s uses of sulfuryl fluoride, a popular fumigant used to control a variety of pests; and (2) working with Arizona PMPs and Arizona lawmakers while the state transitioned the agency that oversaw structural pest control.

“When you reflect on your career, the one thing you realize is that it’s not the successes that you’ve had with issues and projects, but it’s the people,” Harrington said. “It’s always fun to win, but what stands out is the quality of people I got to deal with, and that was the case with those two issues.”

Rosenberg told PCT that he, along with Andrew Bray (NPMA’s new director of regulatory affairs), Andy Architect (chief industry relations officer) and Jim Fredericks (vice president, technical and regulatory affairs), all have experience with legislative and regulatory issues and this group will handle those responsibilities during the transition. — Brad Harbison
 

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PCT Announces Commercial Pest Management Virtual Conference

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio — As the economy has gradually rebounded from “The Great Recession,” so too has the commercial pest control market, becoming an increasingly important contributor to the bottom line of many pest control companies.

Are you taking full advantage of the various opportunities available in this expanding marketplace?

Find out in the industry’s first virtual conference devoted specifically to the topic of commercial pest management. The April 29 event, presented by PCT and QA magazines, features a “Who’s Who” of speakers with decades of experience serving this dynamic marketplace including:

• Pest Management in Specialized Commercial Facilities, Jay Bruesch, Plunkett’s Pest Control
• Pest Management in Retail and Office Facilities, Scott McNeely, McNeely Pest Control
• ICM: Integrated Cockroach Management in Commercial Accounts, Stoy Hedges, Stoy Pest Consulting
• Pest Management in Food Plants, Pat Hottel, McCloud Services
   

Cost is $99 and attendees will receive full access to all of the educational sessions and a complimentary copy of the PCT Guide to Commercial Pest Management, a $29.95 value.

Learn more about the virtual event. http://cpm.pctonline.com/.
 

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Second Annual Million-Dollar Club Virtual Conference to be Held in May

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio — Are you a growing pest management firm looking for advice on taking your business to the next level? A PCT virtual conference scheduled for May 20 may answer some of your most pressing questions.

PCT’s second annual Million-Dollar Club Virtual Conference, sponsored by Atlanta-based Arrow Exterminators, will focus on business development/growth initiatives specifically for pest management companies in the $750,000 to $1.25 million range.

Companies in this range face a variety of unique issues as they approach and move past the million-dollar mark. The purpose of this webinar is to provide educational content focused specifically on firms approaching this revenue milestone. Additionally, the virtual conference will provide insights to these firms so they can grow their business and reach the next milestone as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Although the event is open to companies of any size, those in the million-dollar range will reap the most benefits as the sessions and speakers are focused specifically on the opportunities and challenges for these firms.

“We talked to companies who attended last year’s Million-Dollar Club Virtual Conference and they told us these are the topics they want to learn more about,” said PCT Publisher Dan Moreland. “Hiring good, reliable employees is a major challenge for a growing number of PMPs, which is why we’ve asked Stacy Feiner, an expert in building teams and hiring great personnel, to kick off this year’s educational program.”

Speakers and topics include:

• Growing Pains: Hiring the Right People for Business Growth. Speaker: Stacy Feiner, PsyD, BDO USA — Management Consulting, Cleveland, Ohio
• Company on the Move: Platinum Pest Solutions, Chicago. Speakers: Jason Sayre and Mike Panichi
• Company on the Move: Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions, Pearl City, Hawaii. Speaker: Michael Botha
• Why NOW is the Time to Hire a Salesperson. Speaker: John Wright, Arrow Exterminators, Atlanta, Ga.
   

Cost is $99. To register or learn more, visit http://milliondollarclub.pctonline.com, see the ad on page 51 of this issue or call 800/456-0707.

Rentokil Acquires Buffalo Exterminating

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rentokil North America recently acquired Orchard Park, N.Y.-based Buffalo Exterminating, a pest control company in western New York. The deal closed on Jan. 6 and terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1954, Buffalo Exterminating grew to an $8.8-million operation with more than 80 employees working out of five offices, under the direction of owners Garry and Joanne Tank, and general manager John Zimmerman, who oversees day-to-day operations. Garry Tank began with Buffalo Exterminating in the 1970s and bought the company outright in 1982, when it was a $62,000-per-year business. It has since grown to become a PCT Top 100 company, ranking 80th on last year’s list.

Tank told PCT magazine that a number of factors led to his decision to sell, including his age (67); lack of successors; and having reached a saturation point in his market (Buffalo Exterminating holds a significant market share). Tank said he has long had a plan to “build the business and sell the business,” and he said that in recent years his focus has been on fine-tuning all aspects of the business in the event he would sell. After a number of his friends from Associated Pest Services began selling their businesses, including Jack Marlowe, former owner of Eden Advanced Pest Technologies (which sold to Rentokil in 2012), Tank said he began to more seriously consider selling, eventually reaching out to Lance Tullius, partner, Tullius Partners, who facilitated the deal.

“We’ve had a good relationship with Rentokil and J.C. Ehrlich, including Vic Hammel (longtime Ehrlich owner); J.C. Ehrlich is a company that we have tried to mimic,” said Tank. “When I met with (Rentokil’s) John Myers and Alex Nigh, I felt a comfort level there. It seemed like it would be a good fit for our people and it would give them great opportunities, and that was very important.”

As part of the deal, for a one-year term, Garry Tank stays on board as president, Joanne Tank remains CFO and Zimmerman will continue to serve as general manager.

The Tanks, who reside much of the year in Jackson, Wyo., added that they will continue to be involved in the pest control industry, including attending Associated Pest Services events.

Rentokil Initial released on Feb. 27 its 2014 preliminary results, which noted that the Buffalo Exterminating acquisition “gives us a market-leading position in New York state” and helps “build density in markets in which we are already active.”

Rentokil also noted in the release that “building density in the North American pest market continues to be a priority and during the year we expanded our geographic presence with seven bolt-ons in Indiana, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi, Washington and Oregon.” — Brad Harbison

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Rollins Acquires Critter Control

ATLANTA — Rollins in March announced that it had purchased Critter Control, the franchisor of the nation’s largest wildlife control company.

Critter Control was established by Kevin Clark in 1983 and is headquartered in Traverse City, Mich. The business is 100 percent franchised with 114 franchises operating in 40 states and two Canadian provinces. It is the largest wildlife control company in the United States and last year was ranked #16 on the 2014 PCT Top 100 list.

Critter Control says its certified wildlife specialists focus on ecologically sound and humane wildlife control solutions for homeowners, property managers, businesses and municipal/governmental agencies. Critter Control will continue to operate independently to preserve its brand and customers, and will be managed by Clark, Rollins reports.

Gary W. Rollins, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Rollins, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Critter Control to the Rollins family of leading pest control brands and wildlife control companies. Kevin has built a great company, and we look forward to working with him and his strong network of franchisees.”

Clark, Critter Control founder and CEO, added, “I have had an affinity for Rollins for a long time and remember how helpful they were to us, particularly in our early days, through their referrals. We are extremely pleased to join such an outstanding company.”

Bird-B-Gone Gives Back: Gifts Help Prevent Ebola

BANTA, Sierra Leone — Children of the Nations (COTN), a non-profit organization providing Christ-centered care for orphaned and destitute children, continues to operate and improve a Bird-B-Gone-sponsored orphanage in Sierra Leone.

“While we still have not seen a case of Ebola in the villages we serve, (the pest management industry’s) support has been essential for preparation, education and emergency relief,” said Bruce Donoho, Bird-B-Gone owner.

Thanks to donations and support by members and friends of the pest management industry, Donoho said, much has been achieved including:

• The first full shipment of food and emergency supplies has arrived, to be distributed strategically to quarantined families in need.
• The group has purchased a truck for general use, and designated another vehicle for emergency use while waiting for the organization’s ambulance to arrive.
• The staff has completed a second round of Ebola prevention training seminars in various villages.
• The center was given permission from the Sierra Leone government to provide interim care for Ebola orphans, which began last month.
   

Donoho said he would like to ask family and friends in the pest control industry to offer prayers and continued support for COTN’s efforts in Sierra Leone.

Those who would like to give a gift to help prepare and protect the children from Ebola can do so through the Emergency Preparedness Fund at www.cotni.org/node/275542.
 

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PCT Publishes Spanish-Language Edition of Technician’s Handbook

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio — The PCT Media Group announced the publication of a Spanish-language edition of the popular PCT Technician’s Handbook, A Guide to Pest Identification & Management (Manual Del Técnico, Una Guia para la Identificacion y Manejo de Plagas).

Already in print for two years, the fourth edition of the Technician’s Handbook has become a “must-have” pest control educational resource. The 340-page, practical guide to the biology, behavior and control of structural pests provides service technicians, managers, technical directors and owners/operators with quick access to pest identification and control strategies.

Written by renowned entomologist Richard Kramer, Ph.D., and son Joshua Kramer, the Spanish-language edition brings this valuable resource to a growing segment of the pest management industry.

“For many years, PCT’s readers have been asking us to publish a Spanish-language edition of our popular PCT Technician’s Handbook, and I couldn’t be more excited to announce that the book has become a reality,” said PCT Publisher Dan Moreland. “We’re confident this valuable new addition to the industry’s technical library will become a daily reference source for PMPs in this important demographic.”

The book includes chapters on Pest Management and Society; Integrated Pest Management; Inspection and Monitoring; Pest Control Equipment; Identification and Control; Safety; and Pest Management Case Studies. It also contains a full-color pest identification section; taxonomic key; and two-page pest profiles for 100 pests that technicians encounter in their daily work.

The book is priced at $16.95 (U.S.) and volume discounts are available. Call the PCT Books Department at 800/456-0707 for pricing and quantity discounts.
 

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Darrell Ennes, Longtime Terminix Employee, Passes Away

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Darrell Ennes, director of government affairs for Terminix International, died on Feb. 7. He began his long career in pest control in 1968 while in high school, washing trucks for the Delk Terminix franchise in Visalia, Calif., his hometown. Ennes then worked as a route technician while continuing his education at College of Sequoia (then Fresno State University) and began working full-time for the Delk Terminix franchise in September 1972.

Ennes spent his entire 43-year career with Terminix in California, first as a service technician then, in 1977, he was promoted to branch manager. Over the next 14 years, he successfully managed four Terminix branches in Central and Northern California, which led to his promotion to region manager in 1991. He served as region manager for the Sacramento region through 2001, earning Region Manager of the Year in 1991. In 2001, Ennes was promoted to director of government affairs for Terminix in California, where he reported to Norman Goldenberg, Terminix senior vice president of government affairs, through 2013.

“For my last 13 years while at Terminix, Darrell was one of my direct reports. He never refused a request, whether from me or any other colleague in the industry. Darrell was a private man but confided in me with many of his personal concerns. He was as lovable and friendly as he appeared — always smiling, offering assistance, just being a great friend,” Goldenberg said.

This past year, he began reporting to Dr. Stanton Cope, director of entomology and regulatory services, who said, “Darrell’s affable personality, coupled with his experience and knowledge of regulatory issues, made him a very important cog in our corporate technical team. It will be difficult to replace him personally and professionally.”

Ennes’ willingness to help others and his friendly demeanor attracted many friends both within Terminix and the regulatory community in which he was actively involved. In 2008-09, he served as the president of the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC), and for the past five years was chairperson of the PCOC Legislative Committee. His leadership in the industry also was reflected with active participation in the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) and the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL). — Stoy Hedges