Pest management professionals (PMPs) know how crucial bait rotation is in their management programs to avoid aversion. Vendetta 360 is a rotational bait specifically designed for use with Vendetta, Vendetta Plus, and Vendetta Nitro Cockroach Gel Baits, as well as other cockroach baits. The innovative bait matrix changes cockroaches’ cuisine to help prevent them from becoming picky eaters.
The Vendetta family offers four baits, each with an exclusive formulation to address different infestation levels for consistent performance that works around the clock. Whether you’re dealing with a minor or severe infestation, the heat-stable Vendetta family has you covered. With highly attractive and effective matrices that provide multiple modes of action with the inclusion of NyGuard Insect Growth Regulator (IGR), you can trust the Vendetta family to provide solid solutions for your cockroach management program:
Vendetta for light infestations
Vendetta Plus for medium infestations
Vendetta Nitro for heavy infestations
Vendetta 360 for rotation
Advance your cockroach defense system with Vendetta 360. This latest addition to the Vendetta family optimizes clothianidin performance, killing cockroaches where they hide. The easy-to-use and durable formula also features NyGuard IGR — providing you with dual modes of action across your rotational plan when you choose from the Vendetta line.
About MGK
In 1902, Alexander McLaughlin went into the business of importing ground spices, plant leaves, barks, fruits and flowers for use in pharmaceuticals and food. Six years later, he incorporated the business with partners George King and John Gormley. The company, McLaughlin Gormley King (MGK), soon realized its product shipments containing flowers in the chrysanthemum family of plants were never infested with live insects.
Four generations of family leadership have guided MGK since its founding. In 1989, MGK became an affiliate of Sumitomo Chemical Co., a critical relationship to its long-term successes in chemistry, technology, sales and growth. As the MGK team notes, “advanced pest control methods that minimize environmental impact while meeting control requirements hold great promise for the future. And that is where MGK plans to be — at the forefront.”
Two words define start-up companies: overwhelming and exciting. As I continue to work with small- to medium-sized pest control businesses, the strained looks on the owners’ faces remind me of how I used to be exhausted but thrilled during the meteoric growth of Schopen Pest Solutions.
In the summer of 2012, I was tired. I had hired a couple of techs, but I was still running an $18,000 route (equivalent to $25,000 today), answering all the sales calls, doing all the billing and working 58 days straight, including Sundays.
To make matters worse, I made a sad phone call to Pest Management Professional’s (PMP’s) Publisher Marty Whitford that April, explaining to him that, after six great years, I was too busy to continue writing “Start-Up Diaries.”
Key takeaways
Define your vision: Rapid growth can lead you all over the place; you must establish a clear vision and direction to manage the chaos.
Structure your time and team: Implement structured weekly meetings and designate specific office hours to put Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on paper and stay organized.
Focus on the customer base: Upselling to current clients and consistently communicating with them are quick, proven ways to hit revenue goals and gain confidence.
Consolidate for stress relief: Prioritize steady, manageable, local growth and route consolidation to reduce stress for yourself and your technicians.
My lowest point: From needing work to burnout
On a particularly hot day toward the end of June, I was battling through a 20-client route when I got stopped by a long train in Delavan, Wis.
“Great!” I yelled, slamming my fist into the steering wheel. “Now I’m going to be late to all of my clients!”
Sitting there, staring at the 24 voicemails on my phone as the train cars passed by, I had one of the worst cases of anxiety wash over me. I remember praying, “God, I appreciate all the work you’re sending my way, but could you please give me a chance to catch my breath?”
As I sat there, defeated and on the verge of tears, Marty called me. “Hey Pete!” he chirped. “Our readers really miss you. Would you reconsider and write for us again?” I looked up to heaven, sighed, nodded my head and said, “OK, God, I got this.” I then told Marty, “Yes!” An idea for an article had just popped into my head.
Paying it forward: Turning chaos into a system
It is such an odd situation when we go from desperately needing work to shutting off our phones at night to slow the onslaught of calls and emails. Most of the companies I coached for this year’s column are in that all-too-familiar place.
For instance, Matt Alexander of Blanchard, Okla.-based Arrow Pest Management has gone from zero to $500,000 in less than two years! “The things that Pete helped me with the most this year were vision and direction, because growing a new company from scratch can lead you all over the place, trying to figure out what to do,” he reports.
Daniel Nabors’ Quality Pest Control also had a banner year in 2025. The Lufkin, Texas-based firm grew by over $75,000, finishing above a record $1 million. Nabors contributes many things to his 18 percent growth, including structured weekly meetings, entomology classes, putting standard operating procedures (SOPs) on paper and focusing on company culture.
The growth pillars: Lessons from start-up success
These coaching successes highlight the specific systems and strategies that turn rapid growth into manageable, profitable success.
Focus on internal structure and organization
Portland, Ore.-based Buggin’ Out Pest grew from $275,000 last year to $375,000 in 2025. Owner Travis Kjemperud credits both implementing wildlife control and networking. So has designating office hours. “Pete knew I needed to spend some time in the office,” he says, “so devoting time to office work has helped me stay organized.”
Joel Amores of Apache Pest Control in Weston, Fla., jumped from $390,000 in 2024 to $435,000 in 2025. One of the things we worked on was hosting more productive meetings with his employees. “Pete helped us implement a monthly ‘quick’ meeting to go over routes, procedural problems, solutions to the problems and pest biology,” he explains.
Waxahachie, Texas-based Sandhoff Services implemented a new accounts receivable program this fall. This winter, Cody Sandhoff is working on SOPs and training to take his business to the next level. By the end of December, Sandhoff Services should be up 20 percent from last year and finish near $469,000.
Leverage existing clients and communication
Upselling to his current clients is something that Brian Zahringer at BugBoss in Clintonville, Wis., has worked hard on this year. His goal for 2025 was $230,000—and he hit that before Halloween! At my urging, he will also have better hiring processes, SOPs and benefits for his new employees in 2026.
Augie and Katelyn Gamelli of Gamelli’s Pest Solutions in Shelburne Falls, Mass., climbed from $215,000 in 2024 to nearly $280,000 in 2025! Another improvement has been communicating with clients. As Augie notes, “Pete has really helped us gain confidence through role-playing, scripts and training.”
Prioritize manageable, steady growth
Elliott Hahn of Bigfoot Pest Management is cooler than Fonzie on a Saturday night. His Olympia, Wash.-based firm grew by over $70,000 in 2025. He credits it to being consistent, saying, “Steady, manageable, local growth helped us consolidate our routes, reducing stress.”
More than 13 years ago, Marty convinced me to continue my pest control journey in the pages of PMP. I’m very proud of the men and women who allowed us to watch them grow this year in “Start-Up Stories.” Good luck to them and to all of you in 2026!
Schopen is founder of Schopen Pest Solutions and RV There Yet Pest Consulting, Bartlesville, Okla.
Pictured from left are Nick Aust, Dan Aust, Erich Grove, Stuart Aust and Chris Aust. PHOTO: THE AUST GROUP
Eco-Care Pest Management has been acquired by American Pest, an Anticimex Company. The transaction, facilitated by The Aust Group, officially closed on Nov. 3, 2025. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 1996 by Erich Grove, BCE, and his brother Jon, Eco-Care is a full-service residential and commercial pest and termite control business based in Ellicott City, Md. Grove, who is one of only eight Board-Certified Entomologists in Maryland specializing in Urban/Industrial Entomology, assumed full ownership of the company in 2014.
The company is an active member of both the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the Maryland State Pest Control Association (MSPCA).
“The Aust Group was a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process,” Grove said in a news release. “Their team approach was instrumental in identifying and assembling the relevant information that a buyer would look for.”
“It was a pleasure representing Erich, and we enjoyed getting to know him during this process and learning about the business he built,” said Stuart Aust, principal of The Aust Group and a columnist with his son Daniel for Pest Management Professional magazine.
About American Pest, an Anticimex Company
In 2025, American Pest, an Anticimex company, is celebrating 100 years in business this year, which marks a century of pest prevention services offered throughout the local Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., regions.
About The Aust Group
The Aust Group is a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm for pest control and service related businesses that have a recurring business model. A former pest management professional himself, Founder Stuart Aust and his team guide companies that range in size from small businesses to lower-middle market through the transaction process, and help facilitate successful transactions between buyer and seller. The Aust Group also offers consulting and mentorship packages to help business owners and shareholders improve performance and prepare for an eventual sale of their business.
Ongoing training is for more than checking a box on your license renewal form. Those continuing education credits (CEUs) are essential, but they are the bare minimum that you should have. True pest management professionals (PMPs) go beyond that. They seek out new training, look for industry updates, and seek out practical insights to sharpen their skills and knowledge to serve their customers better.
Think of it this way: Pests never stop adapting, so neither can we. Staying current with new safety standards, treatment methods, and pest biology isn’t just about compliance; it’s about confidence and knowing your craft as a PMP. It’s about being ready for the next challenge, whether that’s a new invasive species you encounter or a shift in how customers want their services performed.
Key takeaways
CEUs are the minimum:Continuing education credits are necessary for compliance, but true professionalism requires seeking training beyond the required minimum.
Pests never stop: PMPs must be lifelong learners because pests never stop adapting to new environments and challenges.
Microlearning boosts retention: New formats like online microlearning can boost retention rates by as much as 25 percent to 60 percent, offering flexible training on the go.
Mix your training: The best approach is to mix valuable in-person conferences with online resources to fill in knowledge gaps year-round.
Embracing variety in training
Fortunately, PMPs can opt for training that matches their preferred style of learning. Classroom, in-person, and online methods are readily available.
The benefits of online resources and microlearning
Pest Posse TV is another online resource designed to make learning and growing in pest control easy and engaging. Built by PMPs for PMPs, members get access to new live training courses every month on real-world pest control issues you may be facing. These aren’t stuffy or fluffy lectures; they’re hands-on sessions from two industry veterans with more than 60 years of combined experience.
You also get to join a community where you can connect, ask questions, and swap ideas with others who understand what it’s like to be in the trenches every day.
Another Pest Posse TV membership benefit is the microlearning format of the training courses. Instead of sitting through hours of content, you can watch or even listen to short, focus-based lessons that fit into your schedule, not someone else’s. Studies show online learning can boost retention rates by as much as 25 percent to 60 percent, compared with 8 percent to 10 percent for traditional classroom training.
Photo: tadamichi/iStock / Getty Images Plus
With the Pest Posse TV mobile app, training becomes flexible and convenient, allowing you to apply what you learn right away in the field. Because it’s available anywhere, you can stay sharp whether you’re in the office, on the road, or between service calls each day.
Filling the gaps
I’m not saying in-person training doesn’t matter. Face-to-face conferences bring real value, too. You get hands-on learning, networking with other industry professionals, and the kind of conversations that spark new ideas. The best approach is to mix in-person conferences when you can and use online training to fill in the gaps year-round.
In the end, ongoing training is about pride in your craft. A career as a PMP is built on problem-solving, which requires a sharp mind. So, keep learning, keep growing, and use every tool available because the pests aren’t taking a day off, and neither should you from your growth.
Syngenta’s latest innovation, the trademarked Vanecto Cockroach gel bait, has received federal registration from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). State registrations are currently in progress, and Syngenta plans to share additional product information and availability details in early 2026, ahead of the industry’s peak season.
Powered by PLINAZOLIN technology, Vanecto Cockroach introduces the industry’s first new active ingredient in two decades. The product features a novel mode of action — Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) Group 30 — labeled to control a broad spectrum of cockroaches, including German, brown-banded, American and other species.
The active ingredient targets the cockroaches’ nervous systems by binding at the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor to inhibit chloride ion flow. This causes muscles to contract without relaxing, leading to exhaustion and death. While fipronil is the only other active ingredient targeting this receptor, PLINAZOLIN technology utilizes a unique binding site. Consequently, cockroaches resistant or tolerant to fipronil can be controlled with Vanecto Cockroach without cross-resistance.
Key product features
EPA Reduced Risk Status: The product has no signal word on the label and requires no personal protective equipment (PPE).
Resistance Management: Its novel mode of action makes it an essential rotation partner for populations with suspected or known resistance.
Bait Matrix: The formulation is designed for high palatability and consumption to ensure thorough population control.
Horizontal Transfer: A non-repellent formulation with ingestion activity allows for secondary and tertiary transfer, reaching less mobile nymphs more effectively than other gel baits.
Flexible Label: Applications are permitted on residential, commercial (including food-handling), industrial, and agricultural accounts.
Following a year’s hiatus, the Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Fame committee has proudly voted in the distinguished Class of 2026.
This time around, the committee recognizes six inductees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication and industry influence:
Mark Boyd
Mark Boyd
This second-generation pest management professional retired Sept. 1, 2025, after more than three decades as a world-class innovator and visionary. Mark Boyd grew up in the business with his father, Richard, who transformed Pasadena, Texas–based Ford’s Pest Control into a successful formulation and distribution company in the 1960s. With that experience under his belt, Mark went on to found Control Solutions Inc. Under his guidance, CSI has grown into a powerhouse hybrid manufacturer, offering a broad portfolio of post-patent and innovative products across pest control, turf and ornamental, animal health and consumer markets.
Bobby, Raleigh and Dennis Jenkins
Pictured from left are Dennis, Raleigh and Bobby Jenkins, standing behind their mom, Sandra Jenkins, this summer after a successful “Brothers Bike” charity fundraising tour.
As the three sons of PMP Hall of Famer Bob Jenkins Sr. (Class of 2005), the “Jenkins brothers” are individual industry leaders in their own right. Each has built successful, industry-leading independent companies in the Austin, Houston, and Dallas, Texas markets, respectively. The trio has been consistently generous with their time, talent, and treasure, which is evidenced by each brother having served a term as president of the National Pest Management Association. They are also known for their charity work and their current status as monthly columnists for PMP magazine.
Frank Meek, BCE, PHE, PCQI
Frank Meek, BCE
Meek’s career began in October 1986, and since then, this talented entomologist has served as a beacon of training, troubleshooting and support for thousands of pest management professionals — including a multi-year stint as a PMP columnist. Meek currently serves as the senior technical advisor for Atlanta, Ga.-based Rollins Inc., the parent company of Orkin Pest Control, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Critter Control, Western Pest Services, and more.
Posthumous Inductee: Gene White, BCE
Gene White, BCE
The industry felt a profound loss when Gene White died unexpectedly Sept. 20, 2022. During his 41-year career, he was not only the global director of vector management for Rentokil, but also a respected and passionate trainer and a talented photographer whose high-quality photos of various structural pests are still in use today. A frequent article contributor to PMP magazine, he was a friend to everyone he met and touched many lives.
The formal induction of the Class of 2026 is set to take place in October in Grapevine, Texas. Learn more about the PMP Hall of Fame online at PMPHallOfFame.net. More information on the ceremony will be published as it becomes available.
When Jurjen van der Velde stepped onto the stage at London’s Alexandra Palace during the World Darts Championship, he brought an unexpected piece of equipment: a can of bug spray. Hoping to avoid the wasps that have plagued the tournament, he sprayed the oche area before throwing his first dart.
It didn’t work.
Despite the impromptu treatment, wasps continued to buzz players throughout the event, forcing swats, dodges and even one mid-air dart strike. Van der Velde ultimately lost his first-round match 3–1, proving that aerosol insecticides are no match for an active wasp issue — especially in a large, open venue.
Why the wasps didn’t go anywhere
From a pest management standpoint, the outcome isn’t surprising. Off-the-shelf wasp sprays are designed for direct contact, not long-term control or colony elimination. Spraying an open area without addressing the nest, entry points or attractants offers little more than temporary relief.
In environments like Alexandra Palace, a large, high-traffic and food-adjacent area, wasps are likely responding to odor cues, lighting and accessible food sources. Without exclusion, sanitation and proper nest removal, the insects will simply keep returning.
Incidents like this create an opportunity for PMPs. When consumers see high-profile failures of DIY pest control, it reinforces the value of trained technicians, proper PPE and targeted treatment plans.
It’s also a reminder to educate customers about insecticide misuse. Spraying randomly, especially in public or enclosed spaces, can raise safety, liability and compliance concerns. As a PMP, your role isn’t just to eliminate pests, but to manage risk and apply products according to the label and best practices.
Use stories like this in your marketing, blogs or customer conversations to explain why professional wasp control focuses on inspection, nest location, timing and follow-up, not just a quick spray.
A can of bug spray didn’t solve a wasp problem on one of the world’s biggest dart stages and it won’t solve your customers’ problems either. For PMPs, this headline reinforces a simple truth: effective wasp control requires strategy, not shortcuts.
