[View Point] Virtual Events Connect PCT’s Readers to Industry Experts

In the last 10 years, it’s been exciting for PCT to connect our readers with some of the pest control industry’s leading speakers via web-based events. During the past decade, PCT has hosted webinars and virtual events on a variety of technical and business topics featuring presenters familiar to PCT’s readers. They’ve provided participants an opportunity to learn from, and interact with, industry experts they might not otherwise engage with because of time and money constraints. For example, we received an email from a small owner/operator in Colorado thanking us for the opportunity to participate in a webinar featuring renowned rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan, who is based out of Indiana and primarily speaks at events in locations east of the Mississippi River. We’ve also heard from several PCT webinar participants that they are more comfortable asking questions to presenters in the instant messaging format, rather than in person.

PCT is excited to announce a pair of upcoming virtual events. The PCT Commercial Pest Management Virtual Conference, scheduled for April 29, is devoted specifically to the lucrative and increasingly popular commercial market. It features a “Who’s Who” of experts in this sector, including Jay Bruesch, Pat Hottel, Scott McNeely and Stoy Hedges. Cost is only $99 and attendees will receive full access to all of the educational sessions and a complimentary copy of the highly-acclaimed PCT Guide to Commercial Pest Management, a $29.95 value. Visit http://cpm.pctonline.com to learn more.

The second virtual event, PCT’s Million-Dollar Club Virtual Conference, sponsored by Arrow Exterminators, is scheduled for May 20. This half-day event has been designed for companies in the $750,000 to $1.25 million range, and will address important business topics, including: attracting qualified employees; overcoming growth obstacles; business benchmarking; peer networking; and more. Additionally, PCOs Michael Botha, Jason Sayre, and Mike Panichi will share tips on how they’ve grown their businesses and lessons they’ve learned along the way. Learn more at http://milliondollarclub.pctonline.com.

The PCT Media Group prides itself in being able to deliver content in a variety of formats, whether they be printed materials or digital offerings. We recognize that our readers consume information in many different formats. If you haven’t done so already, I would encourage you to give the webinar format a try; the two upcoming web events offer the perfect testing grounds.
 

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Pictured (from left to right) are: BASF’s Brian Lish; Technicians of the Year Randy Jahnke, Scott Lupo and Morris Myles; and BASF’s Jonathan Sweat and Dr. Bob Davis.

I recently returned from NPMA’s Legislative Day in Washington, D.C., and one of my highlights was presenting the 2014 PCT/BASF Technician of the Year Awards to our winners: Scott Lupo, Batzner Pest Management, New Berlin, Wis; Randy Jahnke, Alternative Pest Solutions, Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Morris Myles, Terminix, Memphis, Tenn.

In addition to the actual awards presentation, we hosted our three winners (and their guests) for a special dinner in D.C. After having interviewed our winners and written their stories, it was great to be able to meet them and learn more about them personally and professionally. From our brief meeting I could tell that Scott, Randy and Morris all possess outstanding interpersonal skills, and it was easy to see why they had become favorites among customers and co-workers.

We just launched the 2015 awards (nomination form is on pages 81-82) and I encourage owner/operators, managers and technical directors to nominate your company’s standout service professionals for this year’s awards.

Contact the author at bharbison@gie.net.