Pandemic affects status of industry events

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The coronavirus pandemic has meant many organizations in the pest management industry have had to cancel or postpone events scheduled to take place in 2020. Read on for the current status of many industry events. We will continue to update this post as more information becomes available, and please be sure to check our calendar at MyPMP.net/events. As always, if you know of an event not on our schedule, please email us at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net.

Academy
Status: No change
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) will hold Academy July 14-16, 2020, as scheduled, at the Omni Championsgate hotel in Orlando, Fla. The team-based event is designed to advance the professional and business development of emerging industry leaders in a hands-on, interactive environment. This year’s theme is superheroes, and costumes are encouraged. The NPMA noted in an April 28 announcement about Academy that it will continue to monitor the latest developments stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, and provide updates as needed.

Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference
Status: No change
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) says the Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference will take place July 23-25, 2020, at the Marriott Resort Myrtle Beach Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The event includes educational sessions featuring the latest in technical research, as well as social functions. The NPMA issued a statement that said, “As of now, we are planning to proceed with the Carolinas/Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference in July. If the event gets postponed, we will transfer any registration fees paid to the new dates. NPMA will also work with any attendees who can’t make the new date. If the meeting does get cancelled completely, registration fees will be returned.”

Women in Pest Control Second Annual Conference
Status: No change
The second annual Women in Pest Control (WIPC) conference is still scheduled to take place Sept. 25, 2020, in Houston, Texas, at the North Houston Sheraton Hotel. The conference, which features educational presentations and exhibitors, is for women in the pest management industry only, whether they work in the office or out in the field. Every attendee, speaker and vendor representative who exhibits at the event will be female so that attendees can learn and network with no judgment. “We are not going to make a decision about the fate of this year’s conference until the end of May,” said WIPC Co-Founder Lisa Botts. “We are hoping and praying that we can still have the conference as scheduled.”

PestWorld
Status: No change
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) will hold PestWorld Oct. 13-16, 2020, as scheduled, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. PestWorld is the NPMA’s annual convention, and it attracts pest management professionals from around the world. The NPMA issued a statement that said it expects to make a decision by Aug. 1: “Currently, we are moving forward with PestWorld 2020 as planned. We as a nation are taking it one day at a time, NPMA is closely monitoring the situation and adapting as needed. The safety of our members is of the utmost importance to us and we will continue to evaluate the health and safety of moving forward with an in-person meeting, and/or our options for moving the annual convention to a virtual format.”

International Professional Women in Pest Management Leadership Forum
Status: Postponed
The inaugural International Professional Women in Pest Management Leadership Forum, presented by the National Pest Management Association, was set to take place May 13-15, but now will be held Nov. 8-10, 2020, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel in San Diego, Calif. The meeting is designed to empower female leaders and their male counterparts, while inspiring pest control businesses.

Entomology 2020
Status: No change
The Entomological Society of America (ESA) will hold Entomology 2020 Nov. 15-18, 2020, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Fla. The ESA’s annual meeting will feature keynote speakers; symposia; workshops; educational presentations, talks and posters; and the Antlion Pit Competition. The ESA issued a statement that said, “Although the pandemic is an inherently unpredictable situation, ESA will be holding Entomology 2020 in some form so that entomologists can share their science and connect with colleagues — more important now than ever. The Program Committee is working now to develop different options to allow ESA to be prepared for whatever environment faces us this fall, including a meeting that combines in-person and virtual content, or a fully virtual event.”

Global Bed Bug Summit
Status: No change
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) will hold the Global Bed Bug Summit Dec. 1-3, 2020, as scheduled, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown hotel in Denver, Colo. The event, which takes place every other year, features industry experts showcasing the latest bed bug research and control strategies. It is sponsored by BedBug Central.

Industry Safety Summit
Status: Postponed
The Industry Safety Summit, presented by the National Pest Management Association and QualityPro, was scheduled for June 25-26, 2020. It will now take place May 6-7, 2021, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla. This workshop-style meeting will bring safety experts together with companies of all sizes to talk safety in the pest management industry. Topics covered will include safe driving, pesticide safety, and tips on implementing a safety program in your business.

National Conference on Urban Entomology
Status: Postponed
The National Conference on Urban Entomology (NCUE), which co-locates with the Invasive Pest Ant Conference, was supposed to be held May 17-20. Instead, it will take place May 23-26, 2021, at the Renaissance Riverview in Mobile, Ala. The event brings together scientists in industry, academia, and government to open channels of communication and information, and to foster interest and research in the general area of urban and structural entomology.

Global Health & Food Safety Summit
Status: Postponed
The fourth Global Health & Food Safety Summit was moved from June 2020 to June 2021; it will be held in Singapore. The two-day event is held bi-annually and focuses on pest management needs in the service industries, including food, retail and hospitality. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA), Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA), and Federation of Asian & Oceania Pest Managers Association (FAOPMA) made the decision in conjunction with the Singapore Pest Management Association (SPMA). NPMA President Chris Gorecki said in a statement, “It is an unfortunate circumstance to have to postpone this meeting, but the well-being of our participants is our primary concern. The U.S., CEPA and FAOPMA will continue to develop the program for the 2021 Summit and look forward to hosting an outstanding meeting in 2021.”

Read more COVID-19 coverage here: MyPMP.net/COVID-19

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2020/05/07/pandemic-affects-status-of-industry-events/
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