Women In Pest Management (WIPM), October 2022 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

OCTOBER 2022 EDITION

It is hard to believe we are just about to hit November and as this newsletter is being released, I am currently in Fiji with Asita Devi Deo setting up the South Pacific chapter of WIPM.

In just four months, WIPM have managed to gain over 235 registered individual members, with membership growing rapidly each week, however registered or not, we represent and support all women in the pest management industry. All projects and events have now been locked in for the next twelve months. You will find more information on these events in this newsletter.

Updated sponsorship opportunities for the next twelve months have now been sent out to all sponsors and registered members. Without an organisation such as WIPM, it would not be possible to continue advancing women in our industry and encouraging new talent, so I thank you for taking the time in reading through all the information and getting in contact with us. WIPM committee have listened and taken into consideration all your feedback. We have been working closely with a panel of businesses, individual industry people, manufacturers, and distributors for

the past four months. The industry is changing, and we are fortunate that more and more conferences, workshops, and networking events are taking place, by various industry bodies and companies, giving us more alternatives. Giving smaller businesses more affordable choices in extra training in all fields.

This month I joined other accredited Mental Heath First Aiders on a zoom call for World Mental Health Day. It gave me the opportunity to learn and discuss the current state of mental health in Australia compared to countries such as India and Slovakia.

WIPM have accredited Mental Health First Aiders on the committee who have completed the training course, giving us the practical skills, knowledge and confidence needed to listen, connect, and offer support to those who are experiencing a mental health problem. We have a team on the committee that have the skills to support people experiencing mental health problems whether it is in our business, family, or friends. Just a reminder we are here if you need to talk. Conversations are kept strictly confidential.

It has been brought to my attention of some idle talk being dispersed in the pest management industry, nationally and internationally, that WIPM is not legitimately an association. I would like to put these rumours to rest and can clarify that this hearsay is incorrect. We are pleased to announce that WIPM is in fact a division of the Independent Pest Managers Association (IPMA). Information on (IPMA) has been emailed out to all registered members.

I would like to reassure you that WIPM does not solely rely on me. I am proud to take on the role as president and currently lead the association through this new transition, however the committee is supported by a group of businesses in our industry who have invested financially and who work very closely with us to ensure that all committee members conform to the (IPMA) constitution and that past errors seen from previous industry bodies do not happen again. All

WIPM committee members have taken on an equal role and can step up if required. Rhiannon Brown (WIPM Vice-President) has been working by my side for the past four years with women in pest and is equally taking on my responsibilities and leading the current committee.

I look forward in keeping you updated with what I have been up to in Fiji and Japan (FAOPMA Conference) in the November WIPM newsletter.

Nicky Turner President

WIPM RECOGNITION AWARDS

Women In Pest Management is excited to launch in 2023 the:

OF

FEMALE OFFICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD NEW ZEALAND WIPM EXCELLENCE AWARD

Over the coming years we are going to see continued migration of women in the pest management industry. Recognising, celebrating, and showcasing outstanding winners’ talents bringing greater awareness of the skills and capabilities women have in our industry.

These awards will reflect the values we share as an industry, where collaboration, integrity and outstanding business acumen are all recognised and acknowledged. They provide a platform from which outstanding women can shine and set the benchmark for others to follow.

These awards will recognise many impressive women in the pest management industry and will be announced at the 2023 WIPM National Gala Awards Dinner on the 10th of March on the Gold Coast, Sharks Event Centre. More information on each award and how you can nominate will be revealed soon.

2023 WIPM LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BREAKING BARRIERS

GOLD COAST 9TH – 11TH MARCH SHARKS EVENT CENTRE

The 2023 Leadership Conference which will align with International Women’s Day, is BACK ON and going ahead. Due to the amount of interest shown for the conference to proceed, Women In Pest Management will proudly host the event. Last year’s conference was a huge success with over 29 industry sponsors backing the event.

The conference will again be held at Southport’s Sharks Event Centre on the Gold Coast. Keynote speakers, interactive workshops, industry speakers, networking, welcoming party, closing party and the National Gala Awards Dinner, where we will not only be announcing awards for women, but men also. We guarantee you will walk away feeling inspired. Tickets will be going on sale for this event next month. For more information on the event please contact the coordinator Eliza Urey at info@wipm.au.

WIPM NATIONAL BIG BREAKFAST

Women In Pest Management is pleased to announce the National WIPM Breakfast will be held at the Inaugural Termite Professional Conference on the 6th July 2023, Maroochy RSL Event Centre, Sunshine Coast.

The breakfast will include keynote speaker and up and coming industry female talent in our industry. More information on how to book will be released soon, with the breakfast open to both men and women.

Ticket information will be released soon as well as VIP sponsor and member invites.

CAREER PATHS FOR WOMEN IN PEST MANAGEMENT

THE VOICE FOR WOMEN IN PEST MANAGEMENT

FIRST AUSTRALIA….. THEN NEW ZEALAND…..

AND NOW WE BRING YOU THE SOUTH PACIFIC CHAPTER…..

Our purpose is Career Paths for Women in Pest Management. Our purpose is to promote and showcase women in our industry and most of all support all men and women in the pest management industry.

We want to show others that pest control is great place for women to work, grow and thrive. Women play a critical role in how we cultivate a truly diverse and inclusive culture, and pest control cannot succeed without their voices, perspectives, and leadership. We are working on increasing gender diversity in all levels of pest management.

Women In Pest Management (WIPM) do not just stand behind a board or committee name. We are all individual women who are proud to be named as part of this committee. We all have different ideas and years of experience we bring into this association for the betterment of the pest industry. Our members and sponsors want to know who they are dealing with. That is what makes us stronger together. That is what makes us one.

Nicky

Rhiannon

Eliza

Rachel

Sheri

Anita Collins-Preiss

Aimee McBean -

Nikki De Renzy -

Asita Devi Deo - South

BLOKES DAY – SAVE THE DATE

Women In Pest Management is excited to announce that the Pestie Blokes Society will be hosting a Men’s Only stream/event at the WIPM Leadership Conference in March on the 10th October 2023 on the Gold Coast at Sharks Event Centre. This will coincide with the WIPM National Awards Gala Dinner where we will not only be announcing awards for women, but men also. Tickets, VIP sponsor and member invites with more information to be released next month.

If you are interested in joining the Pestie Blokes Society, please click on the link below.

PESTIE CONNECTIONS

Women in pest management seem to be in high demand to join the field. Many women have not considered working in the field and Alyssa Bust never gave it a thought until she seen an advertisement in the local online forum from AllPro Pest Control and she thought, why not. She was sick of retail and wanted a change. Alyssa is kicking goals with only starting her training in February 2022 this year and is already fully qualified. One thing for sure, after speaking to Alyssa you will realise there is no limit to what women can achieve in the pest management industry. Sit down with Nicky Turner and Alyssa Bust and find out why this girl is soon to become one of our new inspirations for women in the pest industry. You will be touched on how driven she is, how honest she is and how the industry, her employer Barry and her colleagues have managed to help turn her whole life around.

A guided tour with Jay and Nicky Turner is the best way to discover Australia’s famous Cathedral and Magnetic termite mounds in luxury and style. Find and learn all about the ecology of many of the Top Ends local termite species. This is the best working holiday that also offers pub crawls, crocodile touring, Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks, walking, cruises, birdlife, fish feeding and finishing off the tour with a bang for Territory Day. Spaces are limited to ONLY 20 people, and we have already started taking bookings. Click on the link below for full details.

If

on a

make sure

on the

down the

BULL ANTS

They are instantly recognisable by their huge mandibles on the front of their heads, and a long, slender body. There are almost 100 different species of bull ants, all but one is endemic to Australia. New Caledonia has a single rare species.

Bull ant colonies are relatively small, with numbers of individuals in the low hundreds rather than thousands like many other ant species. They have a fertile queen whose sole role is to lay eggs, and infertile female workers who carry out all the work required to keep the colony alive. Seasonally, fertile male and female (new queen) bull ants are produced. These have wings and leave the nest to start new colonies.

Of course, bull ants are a very well-known ant. Campers and bushwalkers are acquainted only too well with the insects by way of the painful stings bull ants can inflict while defending their nests. They can be extremely aggressive when defending their nests and have excellent eyesight enabling them to locate intruders. Many people who are stung believe the large mandibles inflict the pain; however, it is a sting located in the abdomen that causes this severe discomfort. Bull ants can sting multiple times – just like wasps – and use this for capturing insect prey as well as for defence. They are active by day and night, and the workers forage over long distances on their own rather than in trails like many other ants. Workers collect insects which they overpower and sting, taking them back to the nest to feed the young. Despite their large jaws, the adult bull ants feed mainly upon sugars such as nectar from flowering plants.

EMPLOYER TIPS E-GUIDE TO EMPLOYING CASUALS IN AUSTRALIA

Earlier this year, the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Fair Work Act) was amended with regards to Casual Employees, effective from 27 March 2021.

Previously, the Federal Court handed down a series of decisions in which it was found, in some circumstances, “casual” workers could be considered a permanent employee for the purpose of entitlements such as annual leave. In short, the effect of this ruling was that some “casual” employees would potentially be entitled to paid annual leave, personal/carer’s leave, compassionate leave, and public holidays. In addition, the Court ruled that there were issues with offsetting casual loading against these entitlements in some cases.

This decision is currently under Appeal in the High Court. Due to the uncertainty arising from the decision, the Fair Work Act was amended to include a definition of casual employment. The amendments provide certainty by ensuring, if an employee agrees to no firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work when they are first offered employment, that will be the determinative factor in assessing whether they are casual for the purposes of entitlements rather than the hours they work after they are employed. This contrasts with the previous approach adopted by the Federal Court, which considered the nature of the relationship and hours worked once employed. In addition, the legislative changes also incorporate casual conversion rights into the Fair Work Act.

The amendments have the potential to put a stop to the issue of double-dipping, as well as expanding the scope for casual conversion.

Do you employ casuals? If so, we strongly recommend you review how your casuals are employed. This guide from Employsure will explain casual employment further, hopefully helping you to better understand what it means for your business. We’ll also drop in a few other topics that are unique to the casual employment type or are commonly enquired about. But first, let’s start with the basics. From the day you hire your first employee, you need to understand how your employee can be engaged.

Having a better understanding of the varying types of employment engagements can help you better understand your staff’s entitlements as well as your obligations as an employer. In this section, we will describe the different types of employment in general, before getting on to casuals and how the amendments to the Fair Work Act impact casual employment.

Please click here for the PDF link to more information on e-guide to employing casuals in Australia.

WHAT’S EATING MY LAWN? (WESTERN AUSTRALIA)

Over the past few months, we have been dealing with a lot of distraught homeowners who have had a magnificent looking lawn – only to see it almost disappear overnight! With unusual weather all over the country now, from heat waves to endless rain we have found that lawn pests are on the rise. Particularly in freshly rolled lawn.

The lawn appearance can go from looking lush and healthy to brown and patchy within a matter of days –regardless of the amount of water that the lawn is getting. If you think you might have a tiny predator attacking your lawn, there is a simple test that you can do. Fill a bucket with warm soapy water (just using dishwashing liquid or similar) and pour it onto these patchy areas – doing this at dusk or dawn will be the best.

If you have an infestation, you will see these little critters, come to the surface, and try to escape. Be prepared – results can be shocking! So, who are the main culprits? The three most common lawn pests we deal with are lawn beetle, army worm and cutworm.

LAWN BEETLE

The larvae of these African black beetles feed on the grass roots of and stems of the lawn. This extensive root damage means that your lawn will have a really hard time taking up the nutrients and moisture that it needs – making the lawn look dry and straw like. A lot of people mistake this damage for a lack of water.

ARMY WORM

In Australia there are many species of army worm found across the country. The adult army worm is a night flying moth that lays its eggs in the lawn. They are prolific breeders, and a single moth can lay around 300 eggs per night! The caterpillars emerge from the eggs and feed on the leaves of the plant stripping the lawn back. The caterpillars can even mass and once the food source (lawn) has been depleted will crawl around on pavers and driveways looking for more food.

CUT WORM

Like Army Worm the adult cut worm is a night flying moth. Upon hatching the caterpillars remain in the ground, only coming out of the ground to feed at night. They feed at ground level and cut the stem of the plant – hence the name. They can be easier to tell apart from army worm as each caterpillar come out of its burrow at night and creates a circular spot devoid of lawn and they tend to be more active after rain.

SO NOW WHAT DO YOU DO?

Once you have established an infestation of one of the above pests there are a lot of over-the-counter products you can use to treat the lawn – just make sure you follow the label. If there is a lot of dead dry and dead plant material – give the lawn a light rate. This helps to remove any dry and dead material and the lawn thickens up and recovers. Water, water, water – after a lawn pest attack your lawn has been damaged. This will have removed a lot of water from the lawn so make sure you get the water back onto it. Regular mowing will encourage the growth in the lawn and don’t fertilise. It is best to wait until the lawn has bounced back a bit before fertilising, so you don’t cause any stress or possible fertiliser burn. With a little bit of extra TLC your lawn will bounce back in no time.

RHIANNON BROWN

Western Envirapest & Weed Solutions.

PESTIE PROFILES

BREE MIRABITO

WHERE DO YOU WORK?

Cedar Pest & Property Services.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE? Business Owner. Marketing, Accounts, Bookings.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PEST CONTROL? Hubby and I had the urge to start a new business 7 years ago. After crunching the numbers and lots of training we decided to give pest control a go. We haven’t looked back. Such a great industry to be working in as a team.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS Motivated, Self-confident, Cheerful.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PEST CONTROL?

I love that every pest call out is different. Love that there is always great support around when needed.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO KARAOKE SONG? Man I Feel Like A Woman.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SNACK FOOD? Chocolate and Cheese.

ARE YOU AN INTROVERT OR AN EXTROVERT? I would have to say a bit of both. Depending on the people I am with.

WHAT’S THE BEST DISH YOU CAN COOK? Chicken Cacciatore or Prawns, Spinach & Salami with Rice.

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ONE PERSON (LIVING OR DEAD), WHO WOULD IT BE? My grandma & Nanna. Would love to reconnect and share their old recipes & stories.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

I have 2 wild Kookaburras that I hand feed every day.

WHAT WAS THE WORST PHASE IN YOUR LIFE? I can’t recall a bad phase. Blessed to wake up each day and be able to live life to the fullest.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? Go to Italy for a year to visit family. Would also donate a portion to the local charity we support “We Are Community Incorporated”.

WOULD YOU PREFER TO GO CAMPING OR CHILL AT A RESORT?

Camping. As close to the best fishing and hunting spot as possible.

WHAT’S THE MOMENT YOU WOULD LOVE TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL FOR? When Hubby lifted a man hole and got showered with cockroaches.

WHAT SCRAMBLES YOUR BRAIN EVERY TIME YOU THINK ABOUT IT? Board Games! Monopoly & Chess.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST DETERMINED TO ACCOMPLISH? To successfully complete the home-schooling journey, I started with my kids along with running a successful family business.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND A DAY OFF? Fishing or Art with a good movie in the background.

HAVE YOU EVER READ A BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

1. The Abundance Factor by Max Garcia & Joe Vitale.

2. Your Cool Confidence - The 5 C’s To Embracing Your Smile By Sandra Bartlett.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST FEARS? Heights.

WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO THE MOST? AND WHY? My mum. She raised a wonderful family and loves me very much.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? Homeschooling Kids with a second business up and running. Watch this space ;)

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AND WHY? My husband / business partner. Through all the ups and downs you are still by my side.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I would work harder on finding more time for the things I love to do.

WHAT’S ONE OF THE MOST FUN CHILDHOOD MEMORIES YOU HAVE?

Dad & Mum used to take the family on a different outing each Saturday. We could be gone from dawn to dusk. Visiting different playgrounds, beaches, forests and lakes all around NSW.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? Brad Pitt.

WHAT’S THE WILDEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE? When I was younger, I used to go into the supermarket and put groceries into carts of people without them knowing.

WHAT’S YOUR WORST BAD HABIT? Starting an exercise routine and never following through.

HOW WOULD YOUR BEST FRIEND DESCRIBE YOU? Caring, Loyal, Friendly.

IF YOU COULD LIVE A DAY AS ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

I would be a dolphin because I love communicating with others and working as a team.

IF YOU COULD REDO ONE MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? School. I would have worked harder.

WHAT IS A PRODUCT YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT? Chocolate, Curling Mousse for my unruly hair and Netflix.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR NAME, WHAT NEW NAME WOULD YOU PICK? Happy with my name. We always joke that Dad couldn’t call me BEER so he scrambled up the letters and named me BREE.

WHAT COUNTRY WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT? Italy - Stromboli.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE FOR A DAY? Change my husband’s Netflix List.

TOILET PAPER, OVER OR UNDER? Over.

HAVE YOU EVER SENT A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE WRONG PERSON? Nope.

HAVE YOU EVER DROPPED FOOD ON THE FLOOR ACCIDENTALLY AND THEN PICKED IT UP TO EAT IT? Nope. I am a phoebe.

DO YOU DOUBLE DIP? Hell No!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR TEENAGE SELF?

Forget what people think about you. Don’t be so serious. Worry less.

PESTIE PROFILES

SUSAN BULLOCK

WHERE DO YOU WORK?

Bubba Gump Pest Control.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE? Office Manager/Owner.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PEST CONTROL?

My partner wanted to learn about the pest control industry and from there we started our own business. Firstly, for friends on our days off and then it just grew from there. I then did my pest control licence and realised the need for reputable pest controllers to service residential properties in a respectful on time manner whilst also providing a great service with lasting results. We haven’t looked back and our customers are now part of our growing family business.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS Organised, Polite, Optimistic.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PEST CONTROL? I love being able to offer a reliable customerdriven, effective solution to our valued residential and commercial customers for their pest control needs. I also take joy in being able to offer pest control education to our customers, as it can be very daunting homeownersers, particularly, for them to know what they need to sort out their pest issues. Education is the key to allow them to make an informed decision that compares apples with apples.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO KARAOKE SONG?

Simply The Best- Tina Turner.

WHAT’S THE LAST DREAM YOU REMEMBER? A dream at a shopping centre, -shopped till I dropped :}

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PEST PEEVE? People treating other people badly....

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SNACK FOOD? Thin Chips & Caramello Koalas.

ARE YOU AN INTROVERT OR AN EXTROVERT? Neither - Middle of both.

WHAT’S THE BEST DISH YOU CAN COOK? Fettuccine boscaiola.

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ONE PERSON (LIVING OR DEAD), WHO WOULD IT BE? GOD.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Yes... 2 dogs, Jewel and Cookie & 1 Cat, Apricot.

WHAT WAS THE WORST PHASE IN YOUR LIFE? None..... Life is an adventure to be experienced, the good & the challenging.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? Open a book shop.

WOULD YOU PREFER TO GO CAMPING OR CHILL AT A RESORT? Chill at a resort any day.

WHAT’S THE MOMENT YOU WOULD LOVE TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL FOR? When my 2 daughters’ prospective husbands ask them to get married.

WHAT SCRAMBLES YOUR BRAIN EVERY TIME YOU THINK ABOUT IT? Eggs- scrambled, poached or fried.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST DETERMINED TO ACCOMPLISH? A happy, peaceful, well adjusted, empathetic life that serves others.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND A DAY OFF?

Shopping in bookstores, heading to the beach with a book and then a great dinner with the family followed by a movie night at home with them.

HAVE YOU EVER READ A BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom.

IF YOU ENDED UP IN JAIL, WHAT WOULD YOU FRIENDS AND FAMILY THINK YOU DID?

If there was a law against talking- It would be for talking too much :}

IF YOUR LIFE WERE A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE MOVIE BE CALLED?

Mrs Smiley.

WHAT EMBARRASSING MOMENT HAS STUCK WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS?

Thinking my name was called at a presentation night and going up on stage only to be told it wasn’t me.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST FEARS?

Claustrophobia - confined spaces.

WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO THE MOST? AND WHY?

My Mum- A huge role model in my life of someone who faced many challenges and still remained an inspiration to many and who lived a wonderfully full life for all of her 90 years.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS?

You are but the same person in 5 years time except for the books that you read and the people you meet. Can’t wait!

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AND WHY? My Family and our Bubba Gump business that we have built.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Nothing.... I am who I am meant to be and happy with that.

WHAT’S ONE OF THE MOST FUN CHILDHOOD MEMORIES YOU HAVE?

Christmas lunches and dinners with my family..... Non-stop laughs.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? Robert Redford.

WHAT’S THE WILDEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE? Driving my Mum’s car at 15 (Mum was away).

WHAT’S YOUR WORST BAD HABIT? Eating the chicken skin off a bbq chook as I dish it up.

HOW WOULD YOUR BEST FRIEND DESCRIBE YOU? Friendly, honest, loyal & energetic.

IF YOU COULD LIVE A DAY AS ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY? A Bird, so I could fly free.

IF YOU COULD REDO ONE MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I don’t regret any stages of my life, so no do overs needed here.

WHAT IS A PRODUCT YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT? Fizz sticks from Arbonne- great energy.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR NAME, WHAT NEW NAME WOULD YOU PICK?

I can’t’ imagine being anyone other than Susan.

WHAT COUNTRY WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT? Canada.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE FOR A DAY?

Travel to Canada for free.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW FEMALE TECHNICIAN COMING INTO THE PEST INDUSTRY?

I am a licensed pest technician working predominantly from our head office, I occasionally will still go out in the field. My advice would be, you will come up against stereotypes in this industry so education is the key to being confident in your abilities and knowledge. Never stop learning, growing and find your point of difference.

WHAT’S THE HARDEST THING YOU FIND BEING A FEMALE PEST TECHNICIAN?

Working as a female technician in the office many people underestimate the knowledge you have and think you are just a receptionist.

TOILET PAPER, OVER OR UNDER? Over.

HAVE YOU EVER SENT A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE WRONG PERSON? No.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY OR SECRET TALENTS YOU’D BE WILLING TO SHARE? Donald Duck impersonation.

HAVE YOU EVER DROPPED FOOD ON THE FLOOR ACCIDENTALLY AND THEN PICKED IT UP TO EAT IT? Yes, 5 second rule, but only at home.

DO YOU DOUBLE DIP? No

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR TEENAGE SELF?

Education is Key.

NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES

2022 WOMEN IN PEST CONTROL CONFERENCE

“The Women In Pest Control (WIPC) 2022 conference was another success We had approximately 40 attendees and 23 great sponsors. 2 Platinum Sponsors: Rockwell Labs and Veseris, 6 Gold: Sponsors Nisus, Bird X, BASF, Bayer, Sensetech, and Target Specialty Products. 8 Silver: Sponsors Gorilla Desk, Workwave, Kness, TRNZ4, Bell Labs, Control Solutions, PMP Magazine, and Condio Tech. 5 Bronze: Sponsors Propel, JF Oaks, Lipha Tech, In2Care, and Neogen. AMM INSURANCE was our Humanitarian Award Sponsor, Pelsis/B&G sponsored lunch.

Day 1: We kicked off the conference with last year’s business grant winners telling everyone how the grant helped them. We then had several great speakers covering topics such as Bridging Generations, Setting Boundaries for Safety and Sanity in the workplace, and Green Solutions. After lunch the ladies chose different workshops to attend. We covered Bed Bugs, Termites, Commercial Sales & Service, German Roaches, Wildlife and Equipment Maintenance.

Day 2: Started with our workshops, then after lunch we presented the Bobbie Terry Humanitarian Award

to Nancy Boerema who is a retired business owner in Oregon. Nancy provided countless hours helping her community during and after the devastating Oregon fires, despite being evacuated from her own home she received the plaque and $500.00. We continued the afternoon with speakers covering IPM, and small flies. We then presented Kathy Elkins with the Pink B&G donated by Pelsis, as this year’s cancer survivor. Mary Susan Branch was awarded our business grant which consists of $2000.00- and 1-year free consulting from Lisa and me. She also received $100.00 from last year’s 2 winners Becky Salas and Melissa Arnold. They wanted to help by paying it forward. We concluded the conference with our raffles which was donated by the Sponsor”.

Thank you to everyone involved, BobbieTerry, Founder of WIPC, and thank you to Lisa Myers-Bott, Owner of WIPC and Victoria Myers-Lopez, Administrator of WIPC

“I started in the pest control industry in 1994 with Terminix in Dallas Tx. I worked for them for 2 1/2 years, then moved on to Orkin and worked for their commercial division called Accurid for a year and a half. In 1998 I asked if I could transfer with the company to Austin Tx, so I could be closer to my father who was in a nursing home in Cedar Park Tx, just north of Austin. Fortunately, there was a position open and I moved to Austin and went to work there. I worked for them for another year then moved on to another company in 2002 Holder’s Pest Control out of Houston but I worked in the Austin area for 11 years. After a major management change things got bad, so I decided to go out on my own in September of 2013 and have now owned my own company for 7 years.

In May of 2017 I started the Facebook group Women in Pest Control which has grown to over 1200 members worldwide. In 2019 we made history by having the first ever ALL Woman’s Conference”.

Bobbie Terry

Founder of Women In Pest Control Owner of The Bug Lady

NPMA WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD – PESTWORLD BOSTON

Congratulations to Sheila Haddad for being announced as the winner of the Women of Excellence Award this month at PestWorld Boston. Sheila Haddad of Bell Laboratories in Southington, Connecticut received the 2022 Women of Excellence Award. This award recognizes female pest management professionals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and have made notable contributions to the development and growth of other women in the industry. This award is sponsored by Target Specialty Products.

you to PCT online (Pest Control Technology) for providing the video.