President’s Message: Finishing the Season Strong
As summer begins to wind down, those of us in pest management know that “winding down” rarely describes what is happening in our businesses.
Mosquitoes are still biting, yellowjackets are making backyard gatherings memorable, spiders are showing up on structures, and rodents and occasional invaders are preparing for their fall move indoors.
At the same time, our teams have spent months working through Virginia heat, long routes, difficult pest problems, and demanding schedules. For owners and managers, this is a good time to finish the season strong while preparing for what comes next.
Look Back Before You Look Forward
Before the busy season becomes a distant memory, take some time to evaluate it with your team. What caused the most callbacks? Where did technicians need additional support? Which services grew? What could have been more efficient?
Your technicians have some of the best operational intelligence in your company. Ask what they saw in the field and listen to their answers. Those lessons can become next season’s training topics, service improvements, and business opportunities.
Invest in Your People
One of the best investments we can make is helping good technicians become great technicians.
VPMA’s Master Technician Series returns September 22 and 23 at NPMA Headquarters in Fairfax with workshops on Blood-Feeding Arthropods and Bed Bugs.
Technical education goes far beyond earning a credential. Better-trained technicians diagnose problems more accurately, communicate more confidently with customers, and make better treatment decisions.
Training is not time away from production. It is an investment in better production.
Build Relationships
We can learn an incredible amount from one another. This September, VPMA’s 4 x 4 Happy Hours are coming to regions throughout Virginia, giving owners, managers, technicians, and VPMA leadership an informal opportunity to connect and exchange ideas. Visit our events page to find a 4 x 4 Happy Hour in your neck of the woods!
Some of the most valuable business conversations happen when one owner simply asks another, “How are you handling this?”
Take advantage of those conversations.
Invest in the Future
On September 28, VPMA will hold our inaugural Scholarship Golf Tournament at Lee’s Hill Golf Course in Fredericksburg to raise funds for VPMA scholarships.
Even if golf isn’t your strength, and I suspect a few of us may be better with a B&G than a nine iron—this is about much more than the scorecard. Supporting education is one way we can help develop the next generation of pest management professionals.
Strengthen Specialized Skills
VPMA will also offer the Certified WDI Workshop and WDI Recertification Workshop on October 6 in Richmond.
For companies involved in real estate inspections and wood-destroying insects, specialized education can improve inspection accuracy and professionalism while creating another reason for customers and industry partners to choose your company.
Bring Your Team to the Summit
Finally, start planning now for the 2026 Virginia Pest Management Summit at the Omni Richmond Hotel this November.
The Summit will bring together business management and technical education, more than 30 exhibitors, demonstrations, networking, and opportunities to connect with fellow PMPs.
Owners don’t have to attend alone. Bring a manager, a technician ready for their next challenge, or someone you see as a future leader.
Then, on the drive home, ask one question:
“What did we learn that we are going to do differently?”
That is where education becomes a return on investment.
Finish Strong and Keep Building
The end of summer is more than the end of another pest season. It’s an opportunity to evaluate, educate, and prepare.
Take care of your teams. Talk with your technicians. Follow up with your customers. Identify where your company can improve, and seek out the education, relationships, and resources that can help you get there.
That is exactly why VPMA exists.
Whether you join us for a 4 x 4 Happy Hour, send a technician to Master Tech, support the Scholarship Golf Tournament, earn a WDI credential, or bring your team to the Summit, I hope you’ll take advantage of everything VPMA has to offer this fall.
Thank you for everything you and your teams do each day to protect the health, property, and quality of life of the customers and communities we serve.
Here’s to finishing 2026 strong and building an even stronger pest management industry together.
Shannon Harlow-Ellis, ACE
President
Virginia Pest Management Association