Industry organizations meet up with new and existing members

From left are Christopher Hayes and Maria Gonzales-Morales (accepting for Dr. Schal), Dr. Dini Miller, Dr. Changlu Wang, Judy Black, BCE, and Mark “Shep” Sheperdigian, BCE, who presented the Pi Chi Omega award. PHOTO: PI CHI OMEGA

Anticoagulant Rodenticide Task Force

The Anticoagulant Rodenticide Task Force (ARTF) held its first combined virtual/in-person meeting at PestWorld 2021, after months of virtual meetings. Its goal is to support the registrations of anticoagulant rodenticides through joint advocacy, research and education.

“During our PestWorld meeting, we worked on our stewardship program for rodenticides: an in-depth educational video in modules, with best practices for applicators to follow that focus on minimizing risk to nontarget animals,” says Katie Swift, ARTF chair and senior manager of governmental affairs for Milwaukee, Wis.-based Liphatech.

Nine companies are members:

• Bell Laboratories
• Central Garden & Pet Co. (parent company of Zoëcon)
• Liphatech
• Neogen
• PelGar International
• Scimetrics
• Unichem
• VM Products
• Wilco Distributors

Several industry experts are collaborating with the group, including consultant Chelle Hartzer, BCE, PCQI, 360 Pest and Food Safety Consulting; Dr. Claudia Riegel, a director of the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board; Dr. Niamh Quinn, of the University of California Cooperative Extension, South Coast Research and Extension Center; and Pest Management Professional (PMP) Hall of Famer (Class of 2008) and rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan.

“This stewardship program is particularly important to the EPA and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for maintaining the uses of rodenticides, and the agencies will be providing feedback on the content,” Swift tells PMP. “Obtaining their final approval for the program and coordinating its distribution to applicators is one of the Task Force’s top priorities for 2022.”

Black Ownership Matters

Black Ownership Matters (BOM), an organization founded in 2020, hosted two events at PestWorld 2021 on Nov. 4: an inaugural reception with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and an After-Hours Mixer. BOM was created to help promote Black ownership of pest control companies and advancement in the industry by providing financial guidance, business resources, employee development, mentorship and community support.

Executive Director Ashley Clark said BOM was proud to offer — in partnership with the NPMA — four black-owned business owners complimentary full registration packages to PestWorld.

Pi Chi Omega

Pi Chi Omega, the pest control industry’s fraternity, held its semi-annual membership meeting at PestWorld on Nov. 2.

In 2021, 14 new members joined the 415-member-strong organization. Members include entomologists, pest management professionals, manufacturers, consultants, researchers, professors, students, and others dedicated to the technical side of structural pest control.
New this year is a Junior Entomologist Program promoted at Pi Chi Omega’s PestWorld booth. It was created by entomologists and can be used by anyone who would like to share the organization’s passion for entomology. Visit PiChiOmega.org for details on how to use the program presentations, complete with speaker notes.

In other news, three awards were presented:

• Dr. Austin Frishman, PMP Hall of Famer (Class of 2002), received the Award of Achievement.
• John Adams, Adams Pest Control, received the Generosity Award for expanding scholarships to more students. He donated $50,000 for a perpetual scholarship in honor of the late industry advocate Norm Ehmann, a member of the PMP Hall of Fame (Class of 1999).
• The authors and contributors of the book The Biology and Management of the German Cockroach who are Pi Chi Omega members received the Publications of Professional Services Award. They included all three of the authors — Drs. Michael Rust (PMP Hall of Fame Class of 2007), Chow-Yang Lee and Changlu Wang — and eight of the 11 contributors, including PMP Hall of Fame Class of 2019 members Judy Black, BCE, and Dr. Dini Miller; as well as Drs. Coby Schal, Mike Scharf and Ed Vargo.

Pi Chi Omega also held its informal Raise the Bar get-together on Nov. 4. “It always gives us a chance to introduce prospective members to our fraternity and encourage them to join,” said Executive Director Andrea Coron. “We picked up about 20 new-member nominations during PestWorld.”

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/12/23/industry-organizations-meet-up-with-new-and-existing-members/
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