Terminix Reorganizes Technical Services Team

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stan Cope, Ph.D., Terminix’s director of entomology and regulatory services, had his position eliminated in December as part of a Terminix reorganization.

Cope came to Terminix in 2012 after having served as director of the Armed Forces Pest Management Board in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for all aspects of mosquito control and pest management for the U.S. Department of Defense.

A Terminix spokesperson said Cope’s position has not been filled but that the company is in the process of reorganizing its technical services team under Marty Wick, who was named chief operating officer of Terminix in 2016.

Cope said he is pursuing other opportunities in the pest control industry. He can be reached at 847/964-3353 or via email at secope29@gmail.com.

TDA Issues Statement On Pesticide Poisoning

AUSTIN, Texas — In response to the pesticide poisoning deaths of four children in Amarillo, Texas, last month, Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Commissioner Sid Miller reminded consumers of the dangers of restricted-use pesticides and the importance of hiring licensed pesticide applicators to avoid similar accidents.

“The deaths of these children are a terrible tragedy and my prayers go out to this family and their loved ones,” Miller said. “Unfortunately, this tragic situation only serves as a reminder to all Texans to be extremely cautious around any pesticide and to rely upon a state-licensed structural pesticide professional for your pest control needs. There is a system in place to ensure your family’s safety, but it begins with consumer awareness and education.”

According to reports, the pesticide applied under the Amarillo house was pelleted aluminum phosphide fumigant, a powerful agricultural pesticide that was never meant for consumer or residential use. The product is clearly labeled as limited for use only by a licensed professional applicator. The label contains skull and crossbones, a commonly recognized symbol for poison.

TDA also explained in its statement that structural pest control is a highly regulated industry. Additionally, Miller made a distinction between restricted-use pesticides and consumer household pesticides.

“We all buy pesticides at our local hardware store to use in our homes and gardens,” Miller said. “To be clear, these are NOT restricted-use pesticides like the one that caused the tragic deaths in Amarillo. However, even when using these consumer-grade pesticides, please read the instructions carefully, follow directions and look for safety information on the label.”

“Obviously, we encourage everyone to use a licensed, trained and insured pest control professional for their pest control needs,” added Don Ward, executive director of the Texas Pest Control Association. “However, if you need to do it yourself, please read the label on the product to ensure that it is safe for home use and only use it according to the label.”

Additional CEU Approvals Bring Greater Value to PCT’s Label Training Program

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio — PCT’s Distance Learning Center continues to expand as Arizona and New Jersey have approved online label training courses — 45 in Arizona and 12 in New Jersey. With these new additions, eight states now have approved online label training courses for continuing education credits or units (CEUs).

• Arizona — 45 courses
• New Jersey — 12 courses
• California — 45 courses
• Florida — 43 courses
• North Carolina — 50 courses
• Oklahoma — 35 courses
• Pennsylvania — 50 courses
• Tennessee — 6 courses

More state CEU approvals are expected. With the necessary programming to meet various state’s CEU approval requirements now complete, PCT is actively submitting its courses to those states that recognize online training for CEU credit. Keep in mind that your particular state may not currently recognize online training CEU credits, but it may start doing so in the future.

Brad Scott, a service professional at Dayton’s Pest Control, Knoxville, Tenn., said, “The training modules allow our employees to quickly and easily be trained on many different products that we use daily. Now, with the added benefit of CEUs our employees get credit for the knowledge gained and time spent while learning.”

Several training directors have found that PCT’s online label training courses complement other CEU opportunities in their states. In Georgia, for example, registered service professionals are required to attain eight HPC and eight WDO CEU credits per two-year cycle. They are allowed to attain two online credits per category as a part of this total. As Dennis Judy, technical director of Allgood Pest Solutions, Dublin, Ga., noted, “While it is pretty easy to accumulate the required needs by attending our mandatory monthly CEU training meetings, we are sometimes in need of additional opportunities when newly hired personnel come aboard late in the CEU renewal cycle. Having the availability to supplement our live training with online CEU opportunities certainly brings value to the program and gives us options for supplemental learning when the needs arise.”

Visit https://training.pctonline.com to get started.

American Pest Acquires GreenStar Termite & Pest

FULTON, Md. — American Pest announced the acquisition of GreenStar Termite & Pest Control, a family-owned pest control firm located in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

GreenStar was founded in 2007 and has a solid reputation among its residential customers for offering high-quality pest control and termite services, American Pest said.

“With the acquisition of GreenStar Termite and Pest,” says Matt Nixon, CEO of American Pest, “we will significantly strengthen our market position and increase our presence in Northern Virginia. We are excited to be teaming up with the team at GreenStar and welcome them to the American Pest family.”

The acquisition of GreenStar Termite and Pest Control is American Pest’s second expansion in northern Virginia within the past five years. The company previously acquired Barrier Termite & Pest Control in November 2011.

Paul Giannamore of The Potomac Company represented and acted as exclusive financial adviser to GreenStar Pest Control.

NPMA Executive Leadership Program Class of 2017 Announced

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) announced selection of the association’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP) inaugural class of participants, marking a strategic step toward cultivating a representative pipeline of candidates for leadership opportunities within NPMA for years to come.

“The value NPMA brings to our memberships is directly correlated with the quality of diverse experiences and unique industry expertise that our members bring into the association’s leadership roles,” said NPMA CEO Dominique Stumpf. “The participants of the ELP’s 2017 class will play an important role in a broader plan to ensure our association maintains a pipeline of leadership candidates that are well-positioned to help our members successfully navigate an ever-evolving industry.”

The 10 candidates of the ELP’s inaugural class were selected through a rigorous application process, which vetted more than 40 applications from across the country. Applicants were selected based on broad criteria, which accounted for leadership potential, industry participation and commitment to professional development, among other factors.

The Executive Leadership Program Class of 2017 includes:

• Michael Bullert, president, Big Time Pest Control (Anderson, Calif.)
• David Flynn, operations manager, Burgess Pest Management (Bridgewater, Mass.)
• Audrey Hall, president, Eco Serve Pest Services (West Seneca, N.Y.)
• Daniel Hill, service supervisor, Dugas Pest Control (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Jeffrey King, president, The Pest Rangers (Hanover Township, Pa.)
• David Marshall, co-founder/president, Arizona Pest Squad (Tempe, Ariz.)
• Ashley Morrison, director of operations, City Wide Exterminating (Locust, N.C.)
• Bill Olesen, A.C.E., chief operating officer, Chuck Sullivan Exterminators (Olympia, Wash.)
• Emilio Polce, owner, EcoChoice Termite and Pest Control (Coventry, Conn.)
• Kyle Varona, general manager, Fahey Pest and Lawn Solutions (Sarasota, Fla.)

During the two-year curriculum, candidates will participate in training sessions and courses designed to cultivate skills and knowledge essential to successful organizational leadership within NPMA and beyond. Training will encompass a comprehensive range of competencies including: the history of NPMA and its future plans, industry trends and consumer insights, inclusion and diversity training, executive etiquette, public policy and legislative issue navigation, and community engagement, along with a suite of skills related to strategic management and planning.

The Executive Leadership Program is an NPMA initiative designed to find passionate, committed and engaged individuals from all parts of the country who want to enhance the association and the membership experience. Applications for participation will be accepted on an ongoing annual basis. Visit http://npmapestworld.org/about-npma/executive-leadership-program/ to learn more.

2017 IPM for Food Plants Seminar Announced

HERSHEY, Pa. — RK Pest Management Services is bringing together experts in the industry to share their knowledge with those interested in improving understanding of science-based pest management strategies.

Integrated Pest Management practitioners currently working in or looking to get involved with the food industry will benefit from this seminar, the organizer says. This workshop is intended for food safety and quality assurance managers, pest management professionals and other personnel who work in food processing plants, food distribution, packaging facilities, pharmaceutical plants, retail food establishments and food-service operations.

Visit with suppliers of pest management materials to find out what is new and talk about your challenges. A hospitality suite will be available on the first night of the seminar to allow for relaxed and open discussion with presenters and other participants.

This seminar will be approved by state agencies for pesticide applicator recertification and CEUs. Call 866/800-7378 or 631/421-1120 or email: pestpro@rkchemical.com to verify state recertification credits and category approval.

The IPM in Food Plant Seminar will be held at the Hershey Lodge, 325 University Drive, Hershey, Pa. To learn more, call 631/421-1120 or visit www.rkchemical.com/seminar.