 At the Opening General Session, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, General Russell Honoré gave an inspiring presentation on leadership. Honoré was Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina. |
NEW ORLEANS — Attendees at NPMA PestWorld 2011, held in New Orleans in October, reflected back on 9-11 during the opening ceremony at the association's annual convention and exposition. The last time PestWorld took place in New Orleans was October 2001, one month following the September 11 terrorist attacks. In the weeks following 9-11, airlines suffered, hotels suffered and convention attendance suffered. In fact, for the week of Oct. 28, 2001, 11 conventions were scheduled to take place in New Orleans but only one actually occurred: NPMA PestWorld 2001.
NPMA Executive Vice President Rob Lederer recalled the days following 9-11 when he was on a conference call with NPMA leadership to decide the fate of PestWorld 2001. "Their answer was swift and it was unwavering: NPMA would not give into terrorists and their threats. We would move ahead with our convention plans."
NPMA proceeded to change the theme of the conference to "United We Stand" and booked Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to give a patriotic presentation on unity. "I remember the sense of pride that we as an association and an industry… ignored the warning threats and instead elected to turn to each other, and to their association, in a moment of unity, comfort and strength," Lederer said.
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Potter Receives NPMA's Highest Honor
The award honors an individual who has contributed not only to the success of the association but to the industry as a whole over a lifetime or career. In presenting the award, NPMA President Ray Johnson said Potter "embodies all of the qualities" the award represents. Recognized by PCT Magazine as one of the 25 most influential people in the pest control industry, Potter's career began in the agrichemicals industry as a research entomologist and manager of insecticides at Union Carbide in Raleigh, N.C. He then accepted a position as national technical director with Orkin. He left Orkin in 1991 for a unique opportunity at the University of Kentucky, where his position included urban, medical and horticultural entomology. Johnson added, "[Potter] leads cutting-edge research on perimeter treatment for termites and authored a revision of the Termite Chapter of The Mallis Handbook. He's also one of the world's leading experts on the global bed bug epidemic and provides counsel to NPMA, the hotel industry, homeowners, and property management firms worldwide." In accepting the award, Potter said, "I look at the people in the past who have won this award and I am truly honored to be named in the same company." |
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) presented Dr. Michael Potter with its 2011 Pinnacle Award at PestWorld.
NPMA's October return to New Orleans was equally as successful as nearly 3,100 pest management professionals — including a record number of international representatives — navigated more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. With expert-led sessions featuring interactive forums, hands-on workshops and seminars, and recertification credits, attendees learned cutting-edge pest management techniques and discovered the latest business trends. New this year were NPMA's House of Learning, a unique educational format, staged to represent a true field environment, and its Bed Bug Forum, a focused series providing the latest research, control techniques, and information on bed bug-related legal implications for pest control companies.
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Jennifer Leggett Presented with 2011 NPMA Women of Excellence Award
NPMA President-Elect Laura Simpson, Dugas Pest Control, Baton Rouge, La., and John Wilson, president of Orkin USA, presented the award to Leggett. Leggett first became a service technician in 1987 and bought her company in 1992. Since that time, she has been very active in the industry through participation in state, national and international initiatives to advance the industry and its professionals. Examples of her involvement include her current position as chair of NPMA's Professional Women in Pest Management and president of FPMA. |
Jennifer Leggett, president of Lindsey Pest Services, was presented with the Women of Excellence Award at PestWorld 2011 in New Orleans. The award, presented by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and Orkin, is given annually to a female pest management professional who has made significant contributions to the pest control industry. The international honor was open to women across the profession. NPMA received numerous nominations for talented female professionals who make notable contributions to the development and growth of the profession and other women.
Additionally, PestWorld featured General Session speakers Lieutenant General Russel Honoré and Richard Picciotto for stories of leadership during chaos. Honoré shared his experiences as Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, while FDNY Battalion Commander Picciotto provided a spellbinding account of September 11.
 LEFT: Kevin and Mary Beth Kordek at the Final Night Banquet, sponsored by BASF Pest Control Solutions. MIDDLE: NPMA President Ray Johnson performed a guitar medley of patriotic songs at the PestWorld Opening Ceremony, sponsored by Bayer. RIGHT: During the Industry Awards and General Session, sponsored by BASF Pest Control Solutions, the audience heard from Richard Picciotto, the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse, and the last fireman to escape the devastation. |
Next year's PestWorld will be held in Boston, Oct. 17-20, 2012.
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