We have just one month until the June PCOC Expo in beautiful Monterey, California, and I want to encourage those who have not registered to do so before the EXTENDED deadline of May 30th. PCOC has a room block at the Monterey Marriott Hotel and has a discounted room rate of $294 per night. Be sure to take advantage of this rate and make your reservation before May 30th. Rooms are still available, but they will fill up quickly, so do not wait!

It will be a full week starting with the golf tournament at Poppy Hills and the Bug Crawl Pub Crawl on Wednesday, June 21. Thursday will be committee meetings, the BOD meeting, and a silent auction. Friday will feature our very special guest speaker, Ms. Julie Henderson, the Director of the Department of Pesticide Regulation “DPR.” Also on Friday will be a thought provoking Panel Industry Meeting of the Minds with some of the best, brightest, and most influential minds in the Pest Control Industry, and then very beneficial breakout sessions with Continuing Education Credits. All this on Friday morning before the Exhibit Hall opens at 11:30am with the latest and greatest from our Affiliates and other Exhibitors. The Exhibit Hall is so important and vital for all of us who want to keep current with all that is new in our ever and always changing very dynamic industry. Do NOT be left behind, visit the Exhibit Hall to learn what is new and on the horizon. 

Register now and get all of the details at www.pcoc.org/events. I look forward to seeing everyone at our Expo, and I hope while you are in beautiful Monterey, you will enjoy all it has to offer like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf, and plenty of historical sights.

I also want to update you on the issue of the new regulations being proposed by the DPR for emergency eyewash stations. The Emergency Eyewash Station Task Force assembled by Darren Van Steenwyk and Jim Steed has been doing an excellent job to address the issue in the best interest of our members and our industry. We are taking into consideration the extraordinary costs of compliance that these proposed regulations would have on our industry and are working to address the issue to achieve the best outcome possible.

We have asked for, and have been granted an extension on the comment period, and are preparing our responses. A public hearing was also granted and took place on May 17th where we were able to voice our concerns. A big thanks to the team at Sprague Pest for supporting Darren as he leads the charge on this important issue that will have an effect on all of us. We will keep you updated as we learn more. 

I look forward to seeing you all soon in Monterey,

Greg Augustine
PCOC President