News

Hotel Guests, Diners Blogging about Bugs

ATLANTA — A study recently released by Orkin shows that hotel guests and diners are blogging about pests in hotels and restaurants and they have zero tolerance for pests.

Orkin partnered with international hospitality and linguistic experts John Crotts, Ph.D., and Peyton Mason, Ph.D., to determine the frequency of pest mentions on travel and restaurant review blogs, and the resulting impact of these encounters on guests’ loyalty.

Using the Google blog index, more than 3 million blog postings about U.S. hotels and restaurants were reviewed for mentions of pest encounters in 2008. Then Crotts randomly selected and analyzed 500 blog narratives using language analysis, allowing the researchers to evaluate the impact of pest encounters on guests’ loyalty to those hotels, motels and restaurants.

Out of 2.89 million hotel blog posts reviewed, more than 1 in 100 mentioned a pest in the narrative. Of those restaurant patrons encountering pests, 87 percent would not dine at the establishment again, nor recommend the restaurant to others. This was 62 percent greater than if no pest was mentioned in the review.

The study found that pest encounters lead to blog narratives that focus on the pest rather than other aspects of the hotel or restaurant, such as price and service. Words such as “awful,” “dirty” and “disgusted” often appeared alongside pest mentions. In comparison, guests who did not encounter a pest at the same facility were more likely to have a positive impression.

“When a pest is present, the potential for a positive recommendation is severely diminished,” said Crotts, primary investigator for the study and professor of hospitality and tourism management at the College of Charleston. “We found when a pest was encountered, the willingness of a restaurant patron to dine again and recommend to others diminished by more than 50 percent, regardless of the quality of food, service and surroundings.”

Similarly, Crotts said, studies of other types of hotel service failures do not compare to the reaction guests have to pests. “In virtually all of the blog narratives we reviewed, attempts of hotel management to remedy the situation had no effect on recovering guest loyalty.”

According to Crotts, it is difficult to recover from a pest sighting at a hotel. Even when management apologizes or provides some type of compensation for the incident, customers are reluctant to return. For all pests except flies at the pool, 100 percent of bloggers would not stay again at the property, or recommend the hotel to others. The full research report and other resources can be accessed at FiveStarList.com.

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RISE President Allen James
Announces Retirement

Washington, D.C. — Since 1991, Allen James has been at the forefront of promoting the responsible use of pesticides and fertilizers and the valuable role these products play each day as the head of RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment).

James has officially announced his coming retirement from RISE, the national trade association representing the manufacturers, formulators and distributors of pesticide and fertilizer products, effective third quarter 2010.

James was honored during the RISE Annual Meeting, held with CropLife America, Sept. 25-30, in Orlando, Fla.

“Allen is an incredibly gifted leader who has done a great amount for RISE as an organization and for the industry as a whole,” said Bill Culpepper, president and CEO of SePRO Corporation. “He has exceeded all expectations with the things he has accomplished since joining RISE, and his professionalism and consistent quality of work have become the trademark of the organization moving forward.” Culpepper is one of the founders of RISE and a member of the initial search committee that hired James as executive director in 1991.

One of James’ major contributions to RISE was growing and expanding the membership base of the organization. When James was named the organization’s first executive director 18 years ago, RISE had 12 members. Today, RISE has more than 200 member companies, which account for more than 90 percent of the United States’ specialty pesticide production.

“The relationship between agriculture and specialty would not be as strong and as productive as it is today if Allen had not been chosen as the RISE executive director in the early ’90s,” said Jay Vroom, CropLife America president and CEO. “The extraordinary value this relationship brings to our advocacy, regulatory and communications endeavors cannot be overstated. I would like to thank Allen for making this partnership work.”

Josh Weeks, chairman of the RISE Governing Board and vice president, professional products North America for the environmental science business of Bayer CropScience, announced during the RISE annual meeting the creation of a new award to honor James’ many years of service to the industry. The E. Allen James Award will be given annually beginning in 2010 to honor an individual who makes outstanding contributions to the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry, epitomizing the essence of RISE’s first president.

“This award is a lasting tribute to Allen and will be given for years to come to recognize others who build upon his legacy,” Weeks said. “Allen has contributed an incredible amount to the advancement of the industry, and this award is an accolade to his accomplishments.”

A nationally known expert on the subject of pesticide and fertilizer legislation, James has worked closely with national political leaders to explain the health and safety benefits associated with the responsible use of pesticide and fertilizer products. Under James, RISE also has been actively involved in defending state pre-emption laws, whereby every municipality and county across the country has the right to use pesticide products to protect their residents when necessary.

“Allen has been constant in his service and vision, and has made great strides in providing a strong, unified voice for the specialty pesticide industry,” said Dan Rosenbaum, incoming chair of the RISE governing board and director, specialty products business with FMC Corporation.

Upon his retirement, James will move back to his home state of North Carolina with his wife, Ann. A search committee consisting of members of the RISE Governing Board will begin the task of finding James’ successor in late 2009.

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COMINGS & GOINGS

If your company has added new personnel, send a photo and press release to jdorsch@giemedia.com.

Dow AgroSciences recently announced sales specialists Rudy Subieta and Eric Hobelmann will now service Profume gas fumigant customer accounts in Florida, in addition to their sulfuryl fluoride responsibilities. Previously, Dow AgroSciences account representative Joy Rogers had been responsible for serving Profume customers in the state. She will remain the account representative in all other states from New Mexico to Georgia and southward.

The Rollins Board of Directors promoted Glen Rollins to executive vice president and Harry J. Cynkus to vice president of Rollins. Additionally, the board of directors of Orkin, wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins, announced executive transitions including the promotion of Glen Rollins to CEO.

Rollins’ other executive transitions include the promotion of six operations executives to division presidents. These include Gene A. Iarocci, president of Orkin’s Atlantic Division; Gary L. Rowell, president of Orkin’s Pacific Division; G. Harry Sargent, president of Orkin’s South Central Division; Robert T. Stevens, president of Orkin’s Midwest Division; John Wilson, president of Orkin’s Southeast Division; and D. Thomas Walters, president of Western Pest Services. Western Pest Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins.

In other company news, Rollins recently added Lee W. Crump to its executive team as the vice president of program management. Crump will manage the resources, budget, processes and reporting for all Rollins brand projects. Rollins also promoted Martha Craft to vice president of public relations and corporate communications, where she will be responsible for the strategic direction of internal and external communications for each of Rollins’ pest control subsidiaries, including Orkin.

Orkin also recently added Kim Kelley-Tunis as its Atlantic division technical services manager. Kelley-Tunis will be based in Raleigh, N.C., and work directly with Orkin’s Atlantic division branches to provide technical expertise and training on customer service and pest treatment approaches.

David Buzzelli joined DuPont Professional Products as the U.S. sales manager for the pest management market, and will oversee sales responsibilities supporting the DuPont Advion family of products. In addition, Michael Kuflik will expand his current role to lead sales management for the U.S. turf and ornamental markets.

Critter Control honored Dr. George Rambo, Critter Control of Northern Virginia, with the company’s MVP award. This valued award is bestowed upon the company’s “Most Valuable Professional” for his commitment and ongoing contributions to the Critter Control team. Additionally, Don Hudson, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, was named Franchisee of the Year for 2008.

Elizabeth Teifer joined ChemTec Pest Control, Saddle Brook, N.J., as business development manager.

Schendel Pest Services, Topeka, Kan., announced the addition of Steve Roberts as the company’s new vice president/general manager.

Truly Nolen promoted Marla McCarroll to branch manager of the company’s Chandler, Ariz., branch.

Dr. Stuart Mitchell of Springer Professional Home Services, Des Moines, Iowa; Oliver Exterminating Corp., Miami, Fla.; Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions, St. Louis, Mo.; Wanninger Pest Solutions, Omaha, Neb.; and PestWest Environmental, Sarasota, Fla., has been awarded the Board Certified in Integrative Medicine (BCIM) credential by the American Association of Integrative Medicine. The BCIM designation is reserved for those who are able to meet the stringent requirements of AAIM in the areas of knowledge, skill, education, training, and experience in their health-care specialty.

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OPMA Raises
Nearly $6,000 for
Past President’s Scholarship

NEWARK, OHIO — The Ohio Pest Management Association this summer held its annual summer meeting at the Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, Ohio. One of the highlights of the meeting was the auction held to raise scholarship funds. A silent auction first yielded $2,457, and then auctioneer and OPMA president, William Kirchner Jr. of Cleveland Chemical Pest Control, worked the crowd to bring the grand total raised for the scholarship fund to $5,932. The item commanding the single highest bid of $750 was a scale model of the WWII aircraft carrier USS Hornet, assembled by Kirchner and populated with bald-faced hornet “jet fighters,” damselfly “helicopters,” field ant “crew,” and a long-horned beetle “auxiliary antenna” by Dr. Gerry Wegner of Varment Guard Environmental Services.

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New Book Covers Brown Recluse Spider Control

LAWRENCE, KAN. — Jamel Sandidge, Ph.D, an expert on brown recluse spiders, has released a new book and resource guide, “Brown Recluse Spiders: A Knowledge Based Guide To Control And Elimination.”

Sandidge says it is possible to eliminate brown recluse spiders from a home or business, but only when armed with the correct tools and knowledge. He has spent the last 10 years researching the spider and developing treatments for infestations.

The book offers real-life examples and practical tips, and aims to educate both pest management professionals and home-owners on how to eliminate brown recluse spiders from structures while minimizing efforts and saving time and money.

Sandidge says he has seen success using these methods in his own pest management company. In addition to owning and operating a pest management firm serving Kansas and Missouri, Sandidge also provides consulting services. For information, visit www.brspest.com.

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ARS Investigates Plant Oils That
Repel Mosquitoes, Fire Ants

GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have teamed up with researchers from a company in American Samoa to investigate the chemical makeup of a mosquito- and ant-repellent essential oil from a native Samoan plant.

The ARS scientists and researchers at Agro Research, in Pago Pago, American Samoa, discovered that the oil from a local plant repelled mosquitoes and pest ants in preliminary studies, which were conducted under a material transfer agreement. The isolation and identification of the active component(s) will be done as part of a one-year cooperative research and development agreement. The plant is one of the 540 native species of flowering plants in American Samoa, a U.S. island territory in the South Pacific.

ARS chemists Robert Vander Meer and Ulrich Bernier at the agency’s Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville are working with Agro Research’s Pemerika Tauiliili to identify the active ingredients in the plant essential oil.

Two mosquito species — Aedes aegypti and Anopheles albimanus — were used to evaluate the essential oil’s repellency. A. aegypti transmits viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya. A. albimanus transmits malaria parasites and is not as susceptible to repellents as many other mosquito species.

The essential oil was also tested on the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Significant repellency was observed with concentrations diluted more than 100-fold.

While American Samoa is malaria-free, mosquitoes pose significant problems for the Samoan population due to transmission of dengue virus.

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Brownyard Group Offers Equipment Breakdown Coverage

BAY SHORE, N.Y. — The Brownyard Group, a program administrator providing specialized insurance coverage for select industry groups, is offering Equipment Breakdown coverage for its pest control operator (PCOpro) program.

The Equipment Breakdown policy covers financial losses caused by electrical arcing, mechanical breakdown, power surges, centrifugal force, boiler overheating, cracking, bulging and sagging, and other equipment, machinery and system breakdowns, the company says.

“Businesses of all types, including those in pest control...rely heavily on costly equipment and new technologies,” said Peter Young, account manager/underwriter of Brownyard’s Commercial Auto and Property Program.

“With this reliance come significant financial implications if and when there are equipment breakdowns, many of which are excluded from standard policies. This coverage provides valuable protection when these breakdowns occur,” he said.

According to The Brownyard Group, a wide variety of equipment is covered under the policy, including boilers and pressure vessels, water heaters, heating and cooling systems, refrigeration units, all types of computer and communication systems, and more.
For more information visit www.brownyard.com.

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Target’s Golf Tournament Raises $52,000 for
American Cancer Society

SANTA FE SPRINGS, CALIF. — One hundred and forty-four golfers turned out for Target Specialty Products’ 10th Annual Charity Golf tournament in July at Tustin Ranch Golf Club in Tustin, Calif. The event raised more than $52,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The tournament was dedicated to the memory of Curtis Orrben, former national sales manager for DuPont Professional Products, who lost his battle to cancer in November 2008. The event also celebrated the lives of cancer survivors, Julie Hooper, Speckoz, Alpharetta, Ga.; Buzz Rasmussen, H.R. Packaging, Huntington Beach, Calif.; and Pastor Tom Brashears, Red Hill Lutheran Church, Santa Ana, Calif.

In addition, Jayne Lastusky, vice president of the American Cancer Society’s Los Angeles Region, shared information about the Society’s mission and its support programs for cancer victims and their families.

“We appreciate all of you for coming out and supporting this tournament and to those of you who sponsored this event. We also appreciate the cancer survivors who shared their stories this evening. You remind us why we are here to host this tournament, and why early detection is so important in improving cancer outcomes,” Target President Lon Records said.

The tournament’s Malcolm Stack Award went to Bryan Houtchens, Chad Powell, Steve Sellers and Matt Bellsmith of Team Too in Corona, Calif. The award, named in honor of the late president and founder of Bell Laboratories Inc., goes to the foursome with the low gross.

Since it began in 2000, the tournament has raised more than $397,000 for the American Cancer Society. Bell Laboratories and the Malcolm Stack Foundation were the platinum sponsors for this year’s tournament.

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Honey Bee Genetics Provide Clues to CCD

BELTSVILLE, MD. — The first hard evidence of what is happening physiologically inside bees during Colony Collapse Disorder was published in a new study by Agricultural Research Service and University of Illinois scientists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study also looked at differences in activity levels of critical genes in CCD and healthy bee colonies.

Using a tool called a genome-wide microarray, the scientists found a large amount of abnormal ribosomal RNA (rRNA) fragments in the guts of honey bees in CCD colonies. Ribosomes are the cellular factories in which proteins are made, guided by rRNA, and a large amount of abnormal rRNA fragments means the protein construction system is compromised. This indicates that honey bees in colonies diagnosed with CCD have reduced ability to synthesize new proteins.

The gut is the primary entry point for pathogens and pesticides in honey bees and it also provides a means for measuring the bees’ stress response systems. The honey bee has two separate response systems: one to environmental stresses, such as pesticides, and a different one reacting to pathogens, such as viruses.

This was the first time RNA levels have been measured in honey bees as a way of tracking whether it is the bees’ pesticide response system or their pathogen immune response system that is reacting in CCD, according to ARS geneticist Jay Evans, who works in the Bee Research Laboratory at the ARS Henry A. Wallace Beltsville (Md.) Agricultural Research Center. Evans was part of a team that included entomologists May R. Berenbaum, Reed M. Johnson and Gene E. Robinson from the University of Illinois.

In CCD colonies, the bees had a higher overall level of viruses and other pathogens than non-CCD colonies. Furthermore, bees in CCD colonies did not show significantly active pesticide response genes.

The loss of ribosomal function would explain many of the phenomena associated with CCD, according to Berenbaum. If the bees’ ribosomes are compromised, then they can’t overcome exposure to pesticides, fungal infections or bacteria or inadequate nutrition because the ribosome is central to the survival of any organism.

The study did not establish a direct cause-and-effect link between the abnormal rRNA and CCD. But colony surveillance by assays of rRNA and other markers expressed by bees could provide the earliest indication of CCD found so far, perhaps in time for beekeepers to take actions that might reduce losses, Evans suggested.

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PCO News

Adams Bird Control & Consulting, Fort Collins, Colo., which provides construction-based bird exclusion solutions for commercial businesses, recently used “green” bird control measures to eliminate birds and bats nesting on Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Greeley, Colo.

JP McHale Pest Management, Buchanan, N.Y., has launched a blog at http://nopests.com/blog/. The blog is updated daily with news articles, pest information for consumers as well as multimedia files. Customers who visit the site also can submit their pest-related questions to be answered by JP McHale experts.

Orkin acquired Tech-1 Pest Control of Chicago. Founded in 1898, Tech-1 Pest Control is run by the third generation of the Kaufman family. The acquisition of Tech-1 Pest Control will give Orkin’s Midwest commercial region its fourth commercial branch in the Chicago area.

Black Pest Prevention, a full-service residential and commercial pest prevention and termite protection company with operations in Charlotte, N.C. and Charleston, S.C., earned NPMA’s QualityPro certification.

Myers Pest & Termite Services, Bedford, Texas, announced its membership in the National United States Green Building Council (USGBC) which, for pest control companies, encourages and promotes alternatives to chemical pesticides application while preventing economic and health damage caused by pests. The “Myers Green” program emphasizes non-chemical control techniques and structural maintenance to help prevent pest infestations before they start.

NaturZone Pest Control, Sarasota Fla., has been selected for the 2009 Best of Sarasota Award in the Insecticides & Pesticides category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA). Each year, USCA identifies companies it believes have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category.

Arizona Pest Control, Tucson, has launched new and improved Web site, www.azpest.com. The new site includes an industry blog, photos, tips on pest control, and other pest control resources. The firm also posts customer account winners to the blog every Sunday to offer free pest control services to people that read the blog.

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PPMA Supports Science Education
with Online Contest

FAIRFAX, VA. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance announced a national contest for students on its educational children’s Web site, PestWorldForKids.org. The contest challenges students in grades four through eight to create their own educational Public Service Announcements that highlights the health and property risks posed by household pests such as rodents, ants, termites, cockroaches, stinging insects and ticks.

“The Pest PSA Contest is designed to promote the industry and engage children in understanding the importance of professional pest control,” says Missy Henriksen, executive director of PPMA. “However, it’s also designed to support science education during a time when most school budgets are being cut. We hope pest professionals will spread the word about this contest and encourage their own communities to enter to win.”

Using the Pest PSA lesson plan available on PestWorldForKids.org, teachers can assign students the task of creating 30- or 60-second television PSAs. Entries must be submitted by teachers by Dec. 23, and can be entered online or sent via U.S. postal mail.

Five finalists will win bragging rights as a top performing school in the Pest PSA Contest and will have their entries publicly posted to PestWorldForKids.org via the PestWorld YouTube channel. One school will be announced as the grand prize winner and will receive a $3,000 award for educational use in their school’s science department.

PestWorldForKids.org is a free, entertaining and educational Web site developed by PPMA for students and teachers in grades K through 8. For full contest rules and details, as well as examples of PSAs, visit www.PestWorldForKids.org.

To learn more about PPMA, visit www.pestworld.org/ppma.

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DATE BOOK

Send your announcement at least 14 weeks in advance to jdorsch@giemedia.com. For additional dates, visit www.pctonline.com/events.

Nov. 16-20: 2009 School of Structural Fumigation, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Davie, Fla. Contact: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fumigation/.

Nov. 19-20: NPMA 2009 Nuisance Bird and Wildlife Management Conference & Marketplace, Indianapolis. Contact: NPMA at www.npmapestworld.org/events or 703/352-6762.

Dec. 2-4: NPMA and PLANET (the Professional Landcare Network)’s Lawn Care Summit, Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate, Orlando, Fla. Contact: See Nov. 19.

Dec. 2-4: Kansas Pest Control Association Winter Conference and Exhibition, Kansas City, Mo. Contact: www.kansaspest.com or 785/271-9220.

Dec. 13-17: 2009 ESA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind. Contact: www.entsoc.org or 301/731-4535.

Jan. 11-15, 2010: 74th Purdue Pest Management Conference, West Lafayette, Ind. Contact:Call 765/494-9482.

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Compelling Communications Launches
Blog, Twitter and Facebook Pages

ST. LOUIS — To communicate more effectively with its customers and prospects, Compelling Communications has launched a blog and has created pages on social networking sites Twitter and Face-book.

“We believe that these efforts provide an additional means of effective communication with our customers and prospects about current projects and activities,” said June Van Klaveren, owner. “We post many marketing projects that we produce for pest control companies throughout the U.S., as well as tips and hints for customer service and marketing.”

Users may sign up for the RSS feed at www.compelcom.com/blog to keep up-to-date with the firm. Facebook members also can search for Compelling Communications to access the company’s page and click to become a “fan.”
Van Klaveren will e-mail a free marketing e-book to each person or company that posts a comment on Compelling Communications’ Facebook page or blog.

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Waltham Services’ Tom Wetherbee Recognized by U.S. Coast Guard

WALTHAM, Mass. — This past spring, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarist Tom Wetherbee of the Quality Control & Technical Group of Waltham Services received a special award from the U.S. Coast Guard. The “Station Gloucester Sailor of the 1st Quarter Award” had never before been given to a civilian at Gloucester Station, one of the oldest Stations in the Coast Guard’s network of stations.

Wetherbee was involved in radio communication during the U.S. Coast Guard’s Jan. 3 search and rescue mission to recover the Patriot, a 54-foot commercial boat that sank off the coast of Gloucester, Mass., resulting in the loss of two lives. Wetherbee was a steady hand on the radio helping direct rescue attempts that failed for a number of reasons he had no control over. The memorandum noted Wetherbee’s calm, steady hand in an extreme, high-pressure emergency situation and described his outstanding support of the station and its mission.

Wetherbee received the award just prior to the Festival of St. Peter annual blessing of the Gloucester fishing fleet, in which the Guard plays an instrumental role providing oceanside security. Enlisted Coasties who receive this award qualify to be considered for Sailor of the Year recognition, which is a national award given to the best of the best from across the entire Coast Guard service corps. (Unfortunately, civilian Wetherbee doesn’t qualify for the national award competition.) Wetherbee has been active with Coast Guard Station Gloucester for 14 years, putting in approximately 9,000 hours of volunteer time over the years.

Urban Pest Management Resources Now Available on eXtension Web site

Lincoln, Neb. — “Pest Management in and Around Structures” is a new resource from eXtension (pronounced E-extension, located at www.extension.org) that links visitors to urban IPM Web sites in each state and offers a glossary.

Visitors can ask an expert a specific question or search in the frequently asked questions (FAQs) that have been compiled from existing urban extension material. They address topics such as general household pests and wood-destroying organisms.

This new resource is designed to aid decision making about pest management and is based on a comprehensive approach that includes sanitation, maintenance and, if needed, pesticides.
Experienced researchers and U.S. extension personnel contributed to the new site. The experts are based in universities, education centers and the USDA-CSREES.

The Web site www.extension.org is a national project of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System and is customized with links to local Cooperative Extension sites. Urban Integrated Pest Management is one of many Web communities within eXtension. This educational partnership includes more than 70 land-grant universities providing access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities.

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Georgia Association Awards Scholarships
NORCROSS, GA. — Seven worthy students will receive $1,000 each from the Georgia Pest Control Association (GPCA) scholarship fund. The students are children of GPCA members who are pursuing higher education in Georgia.

The scholarship winners are Rachel Isdell (Augusta State University); Douglas Payne (Brewton-Parker College); Robert Boone Jr. (Kennesaw State University); Jordan Roberts (South Georgia College); Kayla Minchew (Georgia Highlands College); Andrea Davis (North Georgia College and State University); and Courtney Hoffman (Kennesaw State University).

The award was established in 1986, in honor of Glenn Burnett who served as executive director of GPCA for almost 20 years. Since the inception of the program, GPCA has awarded 93 scholarships, totaling $87,000, to its members’ children. Totally funded by a share of the proceeds from the annual GPCA charity golf tournament, the scholarship has grown in recent years to seven $1,000 awards.

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AMS Launches New Web Site

AMERICAN FALLS, IDAHO — AMS, a manufacturer of augers, bait station install kits and soil sampling equipment, launched a new Web site at www.ams-sampers.com, to help pest management professionals navigate through the company’s product information more easily.

The new site features a drop-down “Items by Industry” menu, so pest control customers can quickly find the AMS equipment they need.

An “Events” page now announces when and where the company will be participating in trade shows and conducting product demonstrations. And the company has added a “Clients” page to promote the company’s loyal customers and their work.