In Memoriam: Dr. Eric Smith

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The pest control industry mourns the loss of Dr. Eric Smith, the longtime director of technical services at Dodson Pest Control, Lynchburg, Va. Smith passed away on April 3, at 80. Smith was highly regarded by co-workers and industry colleagues alike for his pest control knowledge and ability to communicate this information via training presentations, ID workshops and writing. 

An Ohio native, Smith received his bachelor’s degree in botany from Miami University (Ohio), his MS in entomology from Purdue University and his PhD in systematic entomology from Ohio State University. Smith joined Dodson Pest Control as director of technical services in August 1989, and during the next 24 years he led the company’s training program, while also handling a wide range of technical questions of importance to customers, regulators and others.

“Eric brought a higher level of technical knowledge to our company,” said Bert Dodson, president and CEO of Dodson Pest Control. “He was extremely detailed and driven to perfection. Our company improved because others in the company strived to meet his expectations.”

Smith's training impacted many others in the industry outside of Dodson. He was a speaker at industry and association meetings, past president of Pi Chi Omega, and member of Copesan’s and NPMA’s technical committees. One of his greatest contributions was and as principal author of the NPMA Field Guide to Structural Pests. This unique, 800-page reference source includes detailed information on nearly 200 different structural pests and can be found in offices and service vehicles throughout the country.

Dodson said, “I think for the industry his biggest contribution was the NPMA Field Guide that he and Dick Whitman (Whitman Exterminating, Beckley, W. Va.) worked on. He spent a lot of time, both personal and company time, on the book and it shows. The book is one of the mainstays in our industry."

In 2006, Smith received the inaugural Crown Award for Technical Excellence, sponsored by PCT and Syngenta.  In that same year, he won the Virginia Pest Management Industry Stewardship Award for his lifetime commitment and service to the pest management industry. Smith retired from Dodson Pest Control in 2013.

Smith leaves behind Deborah, wife of 34 years, along with numerous friends and family members.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, Va., is assisting the family.  To send condolences, visit tharpfuneralhome.com. To plant trees in memory, visit the Sympathy Store.

Additional source: Legacy.com