A small contingent of PCOC members including PCOC President Jim Steed and incoming President Mike McKenzie just got back from NPMA Legislative Days in Washington D.C. After listening and participating in numerous discussions on issues that have a potential to impact us at the federal level, it wouldn’t surprise any of you that folks are also watching carefully what goes on in California. The good news is, because of the challenges we face, there were discussions on ways to assist us from the banning of rodenticides, continued pyrethroid use, as well as making sure we are protecting structural fumigation in this state. While we have been talking about these concerns for years, the rest of the country knows that if we lose these tools in California, it could very well end up in their states as well. That leads me to PCOC Legislative Days in April. I look forward to seeing all of you there and making sure you continue to lend your voice to the importance of our industry and the critical function it provides for the health and welfare of our state!

Please click here sign up now and be part of this exciting day for PCOC.

Chris Reardon
PCOC Executive Vice President

PCOC 2019 Legislative Days and Board of Directors Meeting
April 8-10, 2019
Sacramento, California

25th Annual Golf Tournament – April 8, 2019
Teal Bend Golf Course, Sacramento, California
Check In: 10 am / Tee Off: 12 pm
$135/player
$175/tee sponsor
Click here for Golf Registration Form

Professional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) 5k Walk - April 8, 2019
Hyatt Sacramento and surrounding area, Sacramento, California
Where: Meet in the hotel lobby
When: 11:45 am Group stretch/warm up & 12:00 pm Begin 5K Walk
Other Info: 5K is open to ALL!! The cost is only $10 (all proceeds go directly towards the California Chapter of PWIPM's annual empowerment grant).
Click here for more info

PCOC Executive Office Open House - April 8, 2019
Join us for lite appetizers and drinks and check out our office!
Where: 3031 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691
When: 5 pm to 7 pm
Please RSVP to sarah@pcoc.org by March 22
UPCOMING DEADLINE TO RSVP

Scholarship Bowling Fundrasier - April 8, 2019
Join us for a fun evening of bowling to help raise money for the PCOC Scholarship Fund!
Where: Capitol Bowl, 900 West Capitol Ave, West Sacramento
When: 7:30 pm
Click here for Registration Form

April Committee Meetings & Board of Directors Meeting – April 9, 2019
Hyatt Sacramento, Sacramento, California
Click here for Schedule of Events
Click here for UPDATED Committee Schedule

2019 Legislative Day - April 9-10, 2019
Hyatt Sacramento, Sacramento, California
Click here for Legislative Day Registration Form
Click here to make your room reservations at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento-DEADLINE MARCH 17!!!!!

____________________________________________________________________________________

Expo 2019 and Board of Directors Meeting
June 18-21, 2019
Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa (Rooms at the Sheraton and Westin)
Carlsbad, California

Exhibitor Registration Packet - Only 1 booth left!!
Attendees Registration Packet (See the link for a tentative schedule of events)

____________________________________________________________________________________

September Board of Directors Meeting
September 12-14, 2019
Sheraton Pasadena Hotel
Pasadena, California

Thursday, September 12: Golf Tournament (Information to follow)
Friday, September 13: Committee Meetings, 1 pm to 5 pm
Saturday, September 14: Board of Directors Meeting, 8 am to 11 am

The deadline is over related to introduction of bills and now our elected officials are beginning the committee process. This is when PCOC begins to engage the legislators as well. AB 1788 (Bloom) is the latest rodenticide bill that we will be working very diligently to oppose. Working this bill includes speaking with the author, the proponents of the bill, and any other stakeholder (like DPR, County Ag Inspectors, Vector Control, etc.) that are impacted by the outcome. While we are still reviewing all the bills, there will most likely be others that we will be opposing that will have a direct negative impact on many small businesses in this state. However, there are some bills that we may support; AB 1024 (Frazier) being one of them. This bill would require all home inspectors to be licensed by the State Contractors License Board. This bill is a long time coming and will hopefully address many of the issues that our industry has faced over the years. The status of these bills is fluid and our position may change at the last minute depending on what work has been done before the bills are heard in committee.

Because of the challenges that confront us, your presence at PCOC Legislative Days is necessary and cannot be understated. Registration is open and a block of hotel rooms is reserved for us to make reservations. Please make every effort to attend this important event and make sure to tell your elected representatives of your views on critical issues that impact our industry.

Click here to sign up for Legislative Day

Click here to make your hotel reservations at Hyatt Regency Sacramento - DEADLINE March 17!!

Darren Van Steenwyk, M.S., BCE
Structural Pest Control Board, President
LEED Green Associate & Technical Director, Clark Pest Control
darrenv@clarkpest.com

_________________________________________________________________________________

As many of you know, there has been great interest in Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB) exams. The Structural Pest Control Board has some UPCOMING EXAMINATION DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS. These workshops help the SPCB develop their licensing questions. We know this is a busy time of year for us all, but our input is important, so we hope you can participate or send someone you work with! 
Here is a list of upcoming workshops organized by license type: 

 
Visit California Structural Pest Control Board website for more information

Same person new logo.

The rumors are true… I have changed shirt logos and am now the Western Technical Service Representative for BASF.

My role at BASF is Technical Services for the West for the Pest & Specialty Solutions Group. I cover Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii. My actual job duties include technical training and product support. I am also focusing on finishing my Masters in Entomology at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, expecting to graduate in Spring 2020.

BASF was thrilled to hear that I was so active in PCOC and fully supports my role as the Affiliate Representative to the executive committee. I will continue to reside in Southern California and look forward to working with all of you in my new role.

Email: sylvia.kenmuir@basf.com  Direct Phone: (562) 249-4682

Cyber attacks have completely shutdown a number of businesses in the past and likely will in the future. What can you do to avoid or reduce your risk?

In 2017 cyber attacks on health systems shut down numerous hospitals and practice computer systems worldwide. These attacks resulted in malfunctioning systems, treatment and medicine production and delivery delays, and ransomware attacks where money was demanded for digital keys to unlock the systems. All types of health delivery stakeholders, including workers compensation payers and recipients, were affected.

Your ability to provide workers compensation benefits to injured workers could be affected by cyber threats, either as a result of an attack on your providers or upon your own systems. So, it just makes sense to adopt an effective cyber risk management strategy and to find out what your providers are doing to manage their own exposure to cyber risk. Here are some guidelines:

Cyber Risk Management

The primary defense against cyber security loss is a well-designed and conscientiously maintained risk management program.

The first step is to identify vulnerabilities, including systems, procedures, programming and personnel. The next step is to control those vulnerabilities as much as possible. This short checklist covers the basics:

1. Make sure all company computers have the latest security software, web browsers and operating systems to protect against viruses, malware and other online threats.

2. Turn on automatic software updates, if that’s an option. Many updates specifically address known security risks.

3. Scan all new devices, including USB devices, before they are attached to the network.

4. Use a firewall to keep criminals out and sensitive data in.

5. Use spam filters. Spam can carry malicious software and phishing scams, some aimed directly at businesses.

6. Adopt a privacy policy and post it on your website and other online sites. Your policy tells customers what information you collect and how you use it.

7. Know what Personally Identifiable Information (PII) you’re storing on your customers, including where you store it, how you use it, who can access it, and how you protect it. Delete any unneeded information.

Cyber Liability Insurance Policies

Even with a cyber security plan in place, your business still needs a failsafe to protect it against cyber risk. Currently most standard commercial lines policies do not provide coverage for cyber risks. You need a special cyber liability policy. Due to the lack of actuarial data, however, it’s difficult to price. Insurers deal with this by evaluating each insured according its risk management procedures and risk culture. As a result, cyber risk coverages are more customized and, therefore, more costly.

The type and cost of cyber liability coverage offered by insurers is based on the type of business, its size and geographical scope, the number of customers it serves, its web presence, the type of data it collects and stores and other factors, including its risk management and disaster response plan.

Cyber liability policies might include one or more of the following types of coverage, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners:

• Liability for security or privacy breaches. This would include loss of confidential information by allowing, or failing to prevent, unauthorized access to computer systems.

• The costs associated with a privacy breach, such as consumer notification, customer support and costs of providing credit monitoring services to affected consumers.

• The costs associated with restoring, updating or replacing business assets stored electronically.

• Business interruption and extra expense related to a security or privacy breach.

• Liability associated with libel, slander, copyright infringement, product disparagement or reputational damage to others when the allegations involve a business website, social media or print media.

• Expenses related to cyber extortion or cyber terrorism.

For more information about cyber security insurance, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program professionals of EPIC at (877) 860-7378 or, email us @ ProPest@epicbrokers.com.  Also, check out our website: www.pcocinsurance.com.

Paul Lindsay
Senior Vice President 
EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

 March

SAN GABRIEL DISTRICT
March 19 – Social @ 5:30 p.m., Meeting @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Gilbert Alvidrez – Downtown Pest Control
downtownpestcontrol@gmail.com • (909) 802-0052
El Sombrero, 3550 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte

SANTA CLARA VALLEY DISTRICT – March 20 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Janet Thrasher – Thrasher Termite & Pest Control
jthrasher@thrashertermite.com • (408) 354-9944
Drying Shed, 402 Toyon Ave, San Jose

VENTURA DISTRICT – March 20 @ 7:00pm
CHAIR: Rudy Ayala – Spearhead Pest Control 
rudy@spearheadpestcontrol.com • (805) 746-4547
Marriott Hotel, 600 East Esplanade Dr., Oxnard

CENTRAL COAST DISTRICT – March 21 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Dave Watkins – O’Connor Pest Control
Dwatkins@oconnorpest.com • (805) 482-2782
F. McLintocks, 750 Mattie Rd., Pismo Beach

DIABLO VALLEY DISTRICT – March 26 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Gordie Zilke – Valley View Termite Control
valleyviewtc@gmail.com • (925) 787-2118
Zio Fraedo's, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY DISTRICT
March 27 – Social @ 5:00 p.m., Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Tarry Howard – Hydrex
tarry_h@hotmail.com • (818) 437-6584
Los Toros Restaurant, 21743 Devonshire St., Chatsworth

April

SAN BERNARDINO/RIVERSIDE DISTRICT
April 3 – Social  @ 5:30 p.m., Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: John Burnard – Compass Pest Management
jpburnard1@msn.com • (951) 688-8066
La Casa Ortega, 1690 Spruce St., Riverside

VINTAGE COASTAL DISTRICT
April 4 – Social @ 6:30 p.m., Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Tyler Merritt – Hitmen Termite and Pest Control
tmerritt@hitmenpest.com • (707) 526-6055
Mike and Crossroads, 840 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA

SHASTA DISTRICT – April 16 @ 12:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Shawn McFarland– Trinity Termite & Pest Control
trinitytermite@yahoo.com • (530) 222-6990
Vittles Restaurant, 2385 North Street, Anderson

SAN DIEGO DISTRICT– April 16 @ 5:30 p.m.
CHAIR: David Hinrichs– Lloyd Pest Control
david.hinrichs@lloydpest.com • (619) 668-1953
Country Inn & Suite, 5975 Lusk Blvd., San Diego

BAY AREA DISTRICT
April 17 – Social @ 5:30 p.m., Meeting / Dinner @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Allen Kanady – Omega Termite & Pest Control
allenrobert@omegapest.com • (510) 544-5913
El Portal Restaurant, 2028 Lewelling Rd., San Leandro

SOUTHERN VALLEY DISTRICT
Date and Time to be determined - Please contact district chair
CHAIR: Patrick Clark– Clark Pest Control
pclarkzapbugs@aol.com • (661) 635-3535
Chalet Basque Restaurant, 200 Oak St., Bakersfield

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT
Date and Time to be determined - Please contact district chair
CHAIR: Heidi Aguilar-Alvarez– Your Way Fumigation
heidi@ywfumigation.com • (951) 232-2388
Dave & Busters, Irvine Spectrum, Irvine

PestWorld 2019 | October 15-18 | San Diego, California

Every year, NPMA gathers thousands of pest management professionals from across the globe to offer opportunities for information sharing, provide access to the latest products, services, and technologies in the 100,000 square foot exhibit hall, and generate critical thinking in world-class educational sessions.

Join us as we celebrate this year’s PestWorld in San Diego!

WHO ATTENDS PESTWORLD?

• Owners and managers of pest management companies
• Pest management technicians and sales representatives
• Product manufacturers and distributors
• Industry researchers, educators, and students

WHO EXHIBITS AT PESTWORLD?

• Manufacturers and Distributors of Products and Equipment for Pest Control, Rodent Control, Termite Control, Mosquito Control, Bed Bug Control, Nuisance Bird and Wildlife Control, and Lawn Care
• Mold Remediation Suppliers
• Companies that Provide General Services and Products for Small Businesses such as Cell Phones, Credit Cards, Insurance, Legal, and Security Video Systems
• Vehicle Equipment and Accessory Suppliers
• Computer Systems Technology Vendors
• Human Resource Consultants

Get Connected

Follow NPMA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat to keep in touch with us before, during, and after the conference.
Joining us in San Diego? Be sure to use the official hashtag #PestWorld2019 and let us know you're coming!

Click here for registration information

*NEW* NPMA Login for Joint Membership

LOGIN: Email or Personal ID

PASSWORD: npma

Frequently Asked-For Websites

Department of Fish & Game
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/

Department of Food & Agriculture
www.cdfa.ca.gov

California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
www.cdpr.ca.gov

DPR on Facebook
www.facebook.com/capesticideregulation

DPR on YouTube (see "playlists" for videos pertaining to new surface water regulations)
www.youtube.com/user/californiapesticides

DPR on Twitter
twitter.com/ca_pesticides

DPR LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/company/california-department-of-pesticide-regulation

Healthy Schools Act
http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

Find Your Legislator
www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

NPMA's QualityPro Accrediation Application
www.npmaqualitypro.org/apply

When building your website, it’s important to accurately and personally represent your pest control company’s identity. Your website is your #1 Marketing resource, after all.  While branding and credibility are important, don’t forget the primary goal of your website: to turn people searching for a service into customers. User experience is the key to a successful website, which is why it needs to be revisited on a consistent basis.

Online users tend to have short attention spans, and if they feel like your website is taking too long to load, they may decide to call it quits before your information ever appears. Quick page loads are the new normal for a successful website – a trend that’s becoming increasingly noticeable within search engines.

Back in 2010, Google made it official that page load speed is a ranking factor for their algorithm. In other words, they admitted websites that load quickly are more likely to make it on the top of Page One of Google than websites that load slower. Not even a year ago, they also made it known that mobile searches would be held to the same standard. What does this mean? In 2019, your website needs to load quick!

What is “Slow” for Page Load Speeds?

According to Google, a page that is “very slow” takes longer than 10 seconds to fully load.  They actually prefer that your website loads in under 3 seconds, to be considered “quick.”

It may feel like Google is just making up their own rules, but using page load speed as a factor to determine ranking is meant to mirror user preferences. If a user wouldn’t wait to view your site, it makes sense Google wouldn’t rank your pest control Website high on Page One.

To find out how your website measures up, Google PageSpeed Insights is a free tool that can provide you with metrics as well as suggestions for how to lower your page load time. Speaking of…

How Can You Lower Your Page Load Speed?

Even though some strategies to lower load speed may require help from a professional Web developer, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways you can go about doing it yourself! Below are 3 simple strategies you can employ to speed your website up a bit:

1.       Optimize Your Photos

High-quality images can really help a website stand out, especially when they show off your company’s work in great detail. There is such a thing as too much quality and detail, though. The larger (and clearer) the image is, the larger the file, which takes more time to download. The key is to find the middle ground where the photo is sized correctly and compressed, but is still visually appealing and clear.

This is where optimization comes in! Use your favorite photo editing software, or a free online service,  to resize or scale down the file size of your website’s images. Optimizing photos is an excellent way to start speeding up your page load speed.

2.       Keep Your Layout Simple

Some business owners have long lists of website features they’ve seen on other pest control sites that they would like included on their own. We’re big fans of creativity, but we have to remind businesses often that it’s best to keep things simple when it comes to website design.

Every time you feature something like an interactive map, a rotating slideshow, or a video, you require an additional “request,” which the Internet must make to display the site. The result is a dent in your website’s load time. One or two features won’t hurt you too much, but too many can be a big risk. When putting together your Home page, identify the primary information you want your visitors to receive, and make sure you only feature what you feel to be entirely necessary. This will prevent your page from becoming too busy, and it’ll decrease the time a user has to wait for your website to load.

3.       Make Sure Your Web Hosting Plan Still Meets Your Standards

Perhaps you’ve tried some of these strategies before, yet they haven’t worked. This may be a result of your Web hosting plan (typically a yearly payment made to keep your site and its files on the Internet). People starting their pest control business tend to reach for more affordable hosting plans when they first create their website. A lot has changed since you first started your company, so it’s important to make sure your hosting plan matches up with where you are now as a business. It’s possible you’ve added numerous pages, galleries, and other content that may be too much for your initial hosting plan.

It’s no secret people, especially online, tend to have shorter attention spans these days. Having a website that loads quickly is a great way to meet consumer needs while also setting your site up for success for Google rankings. In 2019, all it takes is a little effort to make sure your website doesn’t slow down your business!

Alain Parcan, Director of Marketing for Market Hardware, Inc., contributed this article. Alain brings nearly 10 years of experience in educating businesses so they can market themselves more effectively. Market Hardware helps small businesses compete on the Web and offers special discounts for PCOC members. You can Reach Alain’s team at 888-381-6925.