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PPMA OFFICERS
Keith Hamilton
President
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
John Besic
President Elect
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
Marty Overlilne
Vice President
Aardvark Pest Management
Phildelphia, PA
Paul Kutney
Immediate Past President
Larksville, PA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Central Division
Gary Lesher
Governor
Perry Pest Control
Landisburg, PA
Keith Hamilton
J.C. Ehrlich
State College, PA
Keith Jones
Archer Pest Control
Camp Hill, PA
Greg Ten Hoeve
Terminix
Mechanicsburg, PA
Eastern Division
Marty Overline
Governor
Aardvark Pest Mgmnt
Philadelphia, PA
Mike Snyder
Township Pest Control
Warrington, PA
Jim Nase
Moyer Indoor/Outdoor
Souderton, PA
Northeast Division
Jeff King
Governor
The Pest Rangers
Hanover Twp., PA
Paul Kutney
Larksville, PA
Diane Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Western Division
Adam Witt
Governor
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Scott Grill
Bill Grill Exterminating
Verona, PA
John Besic
Besic Pest Control
Transfer, PA
Technical Advisor
Chad Gore
Rentokil North America
Carnegie, PA
AWDII Chairman
Ed Van Istendal
Coatesville, PA
Legislative Chairman
Adam Witt
Witt Pest Management
Pittsburgh, PA
Salino Scholarship Chair
Dana Lown
Ajax Environmental Solutions
Dalton, PA
Industry Liaison
Brian Smith
Univar
Sharon Hill, PA
Executive Director
Versant Strategies
Harrisburg, PA
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Dear Friends:
March came in like a lamb, but seems to be going out more like a lion this year. However, the March Madness pools seem to keep heating up the competition. With major upsets happening, wrecking many brackets, this sure has been a spring to remember! Just last week, Governor Wolf announced that he will not sign the supplemental appropriations bill that landed on his desk, allowing it to pass into law. The bill, showing bi-partisan support, funds the line items that were cut late December.
Congratulations to Marty Overline of Aardvark Pest Management and Vice President the Pennsylvania Pest Management Association for being recognizes by NPMA as the Veteran of the Year! Click here to watch Marty's interview after the event. Marty is well deserving of the award as he works across the country to support veterans entering into the pest control industry.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has confirmed reciprocity of certification for those credentialed with a Pesticide Applicators License. through the Department of Defense. PDA and DOD have had a 40 year memorandum of understanding on this subject!
Mark your calendars now for the PPMA Annual Conference being held in Lancaster, PA on November 6-8. More details will be made available at a later time!
Have a great month!
Team Versant
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NPMA represented at NASPO Meeting
NPMA Certification Program Manager Allison Taisey recently spoke on behalf of the pest management industry to over 500 procurement professionals at the National Association of State Procurement Officials' (NASPO) 29th annual How to Market to State Governments Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. "The NASPO meeting provided the perfect venue to raise the level of professionalism expected of our industry. Everyone I met with was interested in QualityPro certification," said Taisey. "It was fascinating to hear procurement folks start to think outside their existing pest control contracts. Bird control was a popular need identified and two states I spoke with wondered if our members could provide roadkill cleanup." State procurement in the US includes contracts for state facilities, public schools, universities, roadways, parks, and more. This meeting provided a unique venue for state procurement staff to teach industry how to work with states and win state contracts. In addition to attending learning sessions, Taisey met with procurement professionals from 26 of the 46 states in attendance.
"One deputy director asked if a 30-day solicitation period was enough time for companies to respond. This led to a small-group discussion of the importance of releasing pest management solicitations during our industry's slow period so that small companies can respond and have time to hire and train PMPs to do the work," said Taisey.
NPMA was the only association represented. "To my knowledge, NPMA is the first external association to leverage NASPO's conference in this unique way. Having a voice for an entire industry rather than a salesperson for an individual company allowed procurement officials to ask an objective expert for recommendations to make the bidding process more accessible to companies of all sizes," says DeLaine Bender, CAE, Executive Director of NASPO.
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Upcoming Meetings
The Northeast Division will be hosting it's Spring Seminar on April 8th. Click here for more details.
On April 14th, the Eastern Division will be having a dinner meeting in Trevose.
The Meetings and Events section of the website is always the most up-to-date resource for happenings of the Association. Be sure to check it out!
The Eastern Division continues to hold its monthly meetings with varying topics of discussion on the second Thursday of every month at the Crowne Plaze in Trevose. For more information on monthly topics and speakers, contact Sue at (215) 331-1121.
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The information below represents legislative activity (including bill introductions) that has occurred since the last newsletter. For a full listing of legislation that Versant is tracking for PPMA, please contact us at (717) 635-2320 or [email protected]. Activity marked HCO or SCO indicates a co-sponsorship memo which precedes the actual introduction of legislation and is designed to secure the support of other legislators prior to introduction as a bill.
Last week, Governor Wolf announced that he will allow an appropriations bill, reinstate line items that were vetoed in the last budget to become law without his signature. The budget for FY 2015-2016 is considered complete.
SB 155 - Sen. Teplitz - Establishes the Veteran's Entrepreneurial Training and Support Program; imposing powers on DCED; and making appropriations was discussed in a Senate Appropriations Budget Hearing.
SB 737 - Sen. Hutchinson - Amends Title 34(Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods was set on the Tabled Calendar and will be voted on in the future.
SB 979 - Sen. Boscola - Amends Title 34 (Game), in enforcement, further providing for jurisdiction and penalties of protected birds was set on the Senate Calendar and will be voted on in the near future.
SB 1133 - Sen. Baker - Amends the Unemployment Compensation Law, in compensation, further providing for ineligibility for compensation was referred to the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
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Articles of Interest
| 03-20-2016 | House passes bill aimed at protecting Maryland bees
The House of Delegates passed legislation Saturday intended to protect the state's honeybees from a class of pesticides that has been linked to a dramatic decline in their numbers. The House measure would restrict the sale and use of a type of pesticides known as neonicotinoids. It allows exceptions for individuals certified to... - Baltimore Sun |
| 03-01-2016 | Invasive Species Aren't Always Unwanted
Invasive species are bad news, or so goes the conventional wisdom, encouraged by persistent warnings from biologists about the dangers of foreign animals and plants moving into new territories. Conservation organizations bill alien species as the foremost threat to... - New York Times |
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