12/30/2025

President's Message from Brett Lieberman

Dear MSPCA Members and Friends,

As we close out 2025, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support of our association and the pest management industry, as well as to our Board members and Andrea and Kristin Coron for their leadership and commitment. I hope you and your families enjoyed a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you and your teams a happy, prosperous, and safe New Year.

I'm excited to share some news about our upcoming Interstate Pest Management Conference on January 28–29, 2026, at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum, Maryland.

This year, we're expanding the conference in a meaningful way. For the first time, we'll be combining a business track for owners and administrative staff alongside our well-established Pest Control Technical Training and Turf & Ornamental sessions. The Business Building Blocks sessions, previously held in the fall, will provide added value to the IPMC and help pest businesses improve the non-technical side of operations.

Our technical track continues to deliver the practical education our industry needs, with sessions covering termite behavior and baiting, bed bugs, mosquito management, rodents and rodenticides, wood-boring beetle identification and treatment, pest flies, fumigation updates, and wildlife control. We're also pleased to welcome Dr. Jim Fredericks from PPMA as our keynote speaker, presenting the vital role our industry plays in protecting public health, food, and property. I had the opportunity to hear Jim speak a couple of months ago. It was a great reminder of our industry’s importance and a great ego boost!

The new Business Building Blocks track is designed specifically to equip owners, managers, and office staff with practical tools to strengthen and grow their businesses. This year's sessions will focus on leadership, controlling costs without cutting quality, customer retention, and maximizing the value of a lead. Whether you're looking to streamline operations or develop your team's skills, this track offers actionable ideas you can put to work immediately.

Attendees can mix and match tracks with our convenient combo packages. The Pest Control Technical Training runs both days, while Turf & Ornamental and Business Building Blocks are offered on Day 2 (January 29). And of course, the conference features the region's largest exhibit hall where you can connect with vendors and discover the latest products and technologies.

Registration is now open at marylandpest.org. I encourage you to bring your whole team—technicians and office staff alike—and take advantage of everything this year's conference has to offer. Register by January 9th to get the best current pricing!

Thank you for being part of the MSPCA community. Here's to a successful 2026!

Warm regards,
Brett Lieberman