NPMA ePestWorld

Kick Off the New Year with NPMA's Best of 2020 Business Training Series

Start 2021 on the right foot and learn some great tips for your business from some of the top business courses provided during NPMA’s 2020 events! NPMA has created three bundles of sessions: Business Operations, Focus on Diversity, and Sourcing & Developing the Next Generation of Leaders from the International Professional Women’s Leadership Forum, PestWorld 2020, and the CEO Forum.

Click here to check out the three training bundles!

New Legislative Day Format for 2021

NPMA Legislative Day will look different in 2021. DC is closed, but with a new Congress, we need your voices and can’t take a break because of a pandemic. We need you to talk to your Senators and Congressmen and tell them why we are an essential service and with all of the new Congress people we need to tell them WHY and HOW we are protectors of public health, food and property. And we have a path forward for you to do just that.

Registration will be available soon. Mark your calendar for March 16-17 and make plans to join us!

News From National

Getting Back to Business & Back to Bugs in 2021

NPMA's Back in Action series is a four-part training designed to prepare managers, office staff and technicians to hit the ground running in 2021. This comprehensive training series covers everything from productivity solutions and HR training to advanced pest control education. Sign up for one (or all) of these trainings and get ready to elevate your business and earn valuable CEU credits! Click here to register and to read the full session descriptions.

Back to Business - January 22, 2021 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Budgeting Basics: How to Fast Track a Budget
Paid Sick Leave and Handling Extended Absences Due to COVID
Maximizing Productivity of Customer Service Representatives and Office Staff

Back to Bugs: Rodents - February 29, 2021 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Keeping Roof Rats from Turning Your Rodent Control Efforts into a Circus
Optimizing Rodent Control for Commercial Accounts
Managing House Mice: America’s Most Common and Most Under-Appreciated Rodent Pest

Back to Bugs: Wood Destroying Organisms - March 26, 2021 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Everything You Never Knew You Wanted to Know About Carpenter Bees
Termites: Understanding the Past and Looking to the Future
Meet the (Wood Destroying) Beetles!

Back to Bugs: Flies, Ants, and Spiders - April 23, 2021 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Big Picture Pest Control for Small Fly Problems
Uncontrollable Ants... Or are They?
Beyond the Brown Recluse: Managing Nuisance Spiders in Homes

New Year Reminder: Be Aware of Fraudulent Solicitations to NPMA Members

The New Year has arrived and NPMA would like to take this opportunity to remind our members that we are committed to protecting the privacy of your information. NPMA does not sell the information of our members, suppliers, or other contacts.

By now many of you may be aware of an organization that is soliciting NPMA members under the name “National Pest Maintenance Professional Association” or “NPMPA”.

The “National Pest Maintenance Professional Association” or “NPMPA” is not associated with NPMA in any way, and it is our belief that this entity/website is a fraudulent scam and a violation of NPMA’s federally registered trademark.

Additionally, there are fraudulent companies and organizations that may try to present themselves as official hotel partners of NPMA and offer you a potential room that might not be guaranteed or available.

Should you be solicited in any way for purchasing leads, hotel rooms, etc., please let us know. Unless a communication is directly received from NPMA, it is an attempt to misrepresent our association and is most likely fraudulent or spam. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience these organizations have caused and want to ensure you that we are working to correct the issue and effectively represent, promote and advocate for the pest management industry.

Nominations Open for the 2021 Veteran of the Year Award

Sponsored by FMC, The PestVets Veteran of the Year Award was created to honor a Veteran who has helped strengthen the role of the pest management industry. They are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the industry and to the communities they serve. The criteria may include any of the following: the nominee’s leadership/involvement in community volunteer activities, the nominee’s contributions to the pest control industry, the nominee’s contributions to his/her company, and the nominee’s contributions to other Veterans. The minimum qualifications for a nomination must include: must be an honorably discharged (DD214) Veteran of the US Military and must be employed by an NPMA member company.

Deadline: Nominations are due January 15, 2021. If you have any questions regarding a nomination, please contact Jake Plevelich at jplevelich@pestworld.org or by phone at (703) 352-6762.

Member Benefit Highlight

Stay Up to Date on All Things NPMA in 2021!

All NPMA members now have access to the year round NPMA mobile app - the latest way to stay informed, engage with our events and programs and connect with peers from around the globe. The NPMA mobile app makes the best benefits of membership available anytime, anywhere, right on your mobile device. The mobile app is available now for iOS and Android devices. Search “NPMA” in the App Store or Google Play Store to download, then log in using your NPMA member credentials.

Accept Payments and Manage Your Business Like a Pro with Payroc

Boost sales with the swipe of a card and give your customers a more convenient way to pay. The National Pest Management Association teamed up with Payroc this year to offer members Merchant Card Services and Financial Technology. With Payroc, your business is able to accept all major credit and debit cards nationwide, so you can cash in on each and every visit. And, with a custom-tailored plan and additional features like automated digital invoices, tracking and reporting, and eCommerce management, you'll feel confident that your business has all the tools it needs to succeed. Get started today!

NPMA Education and Events

Interviews Do’s and Don’ts: How to Conduct Effective Interviews

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET | REGISTER

Hosted by: Julie Tesh-Clark, Customer Care/Community Outreach at Pest Management Systems, Inc.

This webinar provides guidance on what to do and—just as importantly—what not to do when interviewing candidates for positions within your company. Attendees will learn how to set up proper interviews that will result in hiring success in the future.

Attend Your Local Pest Management Association Events!

WVPMA 2021 Winter Blitz	January 12-13, 2021	Virtual Event
NCPMA PCT School	January 25-28, 2021	Virtual Event
NSPCA Urban Pest Management Conference	February 18-19, 2021	Virtual Event
UPMA 2021 Spring Conference	February 25-26, 2021	Virtual Event

Weekly Headlines

Understanding How Mosquitoes Smell Humans Could Save Thousands of Human Lives

CNN

Stopping mosquitoes in their tracks could save up to half a million lives lost to those diseases each year.

Model Predicts Where Lyme Disease-Carrying Ticks Will Develop

UPI

A new model helps identify areas with high populations of the ticks that carry Lyme disease, a study published Tuesday.

Afraid of Rodents and Bugs? 2021 May Not Be Your Year

KPVI

As if 2020 didn't present enough challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 could be a banner year for pests around the country.

Squirrel-Mania! Queens Residents Describe in Graphic Detail Being Attacked by Crazed Rodents

CBS New York

Some people living in a Queens neighborhood are afraid to leave their homes. That’s because there have been several aggressive squirrel attacks over the last few weeks, CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reported Tuesday.

For your Business

The Best Ways Leaders Promote Happiness

Lolly Daskal

Part of any leader’s job is caring about their people and working to instill in them a sense of happiness, motivation, and pride in what they do and who they are. There are lots of ways you can promote good feelings among your employees. Here are a few ways to get started.

Too Emotional? — How to Handle Yourself in an Argument

The Genard Method

Are you too emotional in confrontations so you lose control? Here's how to handle yourself in an argument when you become too passionate.

The Pandemic Shouldn’t Stop You from Emerging as an Innovative Leader

Chief Executive

Struggling to find inspiration in the seemingly endless lockdown? Here are some ideas to keep innovation alive through the long, cold winter.

1,273 People Share Their Best Life Lessons from 2020

Mark Manson

Even if 2020 was one long dumpster fire of a year, we sure learned a lot about ourselves. Here's what nearly 1300 people had to say about it.

Employee Retention: 4 Tips to Help Keep Your Top Talent

Entrepreneur

Once you find a team that meets and beats your expectations, they’re worth every attempt to get them to stay around. These are four of the best ways to do just that.