Complete Story
09/26/2026
From Opportunity to Impact: How Pi Chi Omega Grants Are Helping Professionals Grow
For Brian Quispe and OcuTrap, the Gene White Field Excellence Grant is helping answer an important product-development question: What information do pest management professionals really need from a rodent control device?
Brian received a $750 grant to support development of a rodent bait station auto-feeder concept. As the team began evaluating the idea, they discovered that the most valuable solution may not be an automatic dispenser at all. Instead, their work has shifted toward exploring a monitoring-first approach using low-power sensors and cameras to better understand activity inside bait stations and live-capture traps.
The goal is practical: help technicians make better field decisions, prioritize service, reduce unnecessary checks, and better understand what is happening inside a station before taking action.
The grant is supporting the early exploratory work needed to test components, evaluate costs, talk with operators, and determine whether the concept can provide meaningful value in real-world pest management.
As Brian shared, good product development sometimes means being willing to question the original idea and follow the solution that best addresses the field problem.
Brandon Klein, ACE Encourages Professionals to Never Stop Learning
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Brandon Klein, ACE Encourages Professionals to Never Stop Learning
Brandon, owner of Partner Pest Control, received a $225 Gene White Field Excellence Grant from Pi Chi Omega to help him attend the National Conference on Urban Entomology (NCUE)—an event he had wanted to attend for six years.
For Brandon, the conference was an opportunity to bring new knowledge, ideas, and techniques back to the small pest control company he started just a year earlier.
NCUE provided a steady stream of information on urban pest management, from practical IPM ideas to emerging science and technology. Just as valuable were the connections Brandon made with other professionals. Conversations quickly turned into discussions about industry challenges, possible solutions, and shared experiences.
As the owner of a small company, Brandon believes staying at the forefront of the industry shouldn’t be limited to larger organizations.
“What I have to offer my customers and the people that work with me should be nothing short of the best.”
The Gene White Field Excellence Grant helped Brandon continue pursuing that standard—and it’s one example of how Pi Chi Omega Industry Grants can help pest management professionals invest in their own growth.
Shofu Babalola Builds Sustainable Training Through a Second Pi Chi Omega Industry Grant
For Shofu Babalola, a second Pi Chi Omega Industry Grant is helping turn pest management education into a more sustainable, hands-on training program with long-term impact.
Rather than using the full grant for a single cohort, Shofu has focused on investing in reusable training equipment that can serve participants for years to come. A new atomizer has already been purchased for practical instruction, while additional grant funds are being reserved for equipment that will support the next cohort.
The impact is already extending beyond the classroom. Participants have begun applying what they learned to real-world business opportunities, including adding pest control services to an existing cleaning company and launching a new pest management business while pursuing required licensing.
For Shofu, the grant is helping create a pathway from training to knowledge, practical application, and entrepreneurship—while building the infrastructure needed to expand professional pest management education for future participants.
Inspired to apply for a grant yourself?
The next round of Industry Grants will be awarded in Spring 2027, with applications due by March 19, 2027.
