News Briefs

A Comprehensive Refresh for Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC)

April 2024 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

By Michael E. Wilson, PCOC CEO

Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) continues the quest to reclaim the status as the best state pest management association in the United States. During the Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento last week, PCOC Bylaws Committee Chair Lauren Thrasher presented a comprehensive refresh to PCOC bylaws to adapt them to meet today’s challenges and opportunities. In last month’s News Briefs, I highlighted that the two-day PCOC Strategic Thinking Event (STE) this past November produced the general framework to help thoughtfully implement modifications to PCOC’s structure and activities.

In the coming weeks, Bylaw Chair Thrasher will host three virtual townhall sessions to thoroughly explain the proposed bylaw modifications. These bylaws adjustments seek to address the “Organizational Structure” changes sought under the four-pillar strategic plan developed at the STE event. PCOC’s engagement of association bylaws specialist Molly Alcorn of Alcorn Law Corporation is a key aspect of this bylaw review. Alcorn has given PCOC a solid sounding board to help bring the organization into the “structural” mainstream of today’s associations. The townhall meetings are at noon on April 17, May 5, and May 15. PCOC’s office staff will send out an email blast with Zoom information for each meeting date soon.

In addition to the activity mentioned above, PCOC has moved forward in securing a Director of Membership and Communication. The new hire, Kaylin Bullert, will help increase PCOC’s focus on Membership Experience to provide opportunities to engage in our pest control network through cultivating professional networking even further. The goal here is to connect like-minded individuals that are supportive, experienced, and enthusiastic about the professional pest management industry. As part of our statewide network, PCOC seeks to tap our collective purchasing power to provide exclusive member discount programs that positively affect our members’ financial bottom-line.

PCOC LEGISLATIVE DAY 2024

April 2024 -- Legislative Update

BEST PEST 2024 CONFERENCE 7 EXPO EDUCATIONAL SPEAKERS

April 2024 -- Upcoming Events

PCOC is excited to release the educational sessions for the upcoming “Best Pest 2024” Conference & Expo set for June 19-21, 2024, in Stateline, Nevada at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino. The enhanced event should draw an increased number of participants that will provide more value and opportunities for our pest control industry vendors.

NEW PCOC DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS

April 2024 -- Comings & Goings

During last week’s Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento, PCOC CEO Michael E. Wilson announced the selection of Kaylin Bullert to become the association’s Director of Membership and Communications. The position is responsible for membership recruitment and implementing effective communication strategies. Kaylin will be responsible for membership growth and retention through continuous engagement and communication with pest management professionals to ensure a positive and valuable experience for members and potential members through exceptional customer service. Kaylin will also focus on promoting member engagement and enhancing member benefit partnerships to increase the value of PCOC’s membership to pest management professionals. Kaylin is set to begin her position on Monday, April 15th.

Kaylin joins PCOC after four years serving as Pest Control Service Manager for Big Time Pest Control in Anderson, California. Working in a small business, Kaylin became a jack of all trades. She ensured the success of the Pest Control Department, managed public relations, and developed a strong company culture. Additionally, she has served as Secretary for PCOC’s Shasta District since 2021.

PCOC Testifies Against Ban on First-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides

April 2024 -- Regulatory Updates

PCOC Aims to Adapt to Meet Today's Challenges and Opportunities

March 2024 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

By Michael E. Wilson, PCOC CEO

As 2024 moves toward April, the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) continues the quest to reclaim our status as the best state pest management association in the United States. To accomplish this goal, it is important for PCOC to adapt to meet today’s challenges and opportunities.

As the prolific American innovator Charles Kettering once said, “The world hates change. Yet it is the only thing that has brought progress." Over the past year, I have participated in conversations with members and our leadership about the need for change. At our Strategic Thinking event this past November, a diverse group of participants discussed important ideas. It was an exciting two-day event with the work product providing the general framework to help thoughtfully implement modifications to PCOC’s structure and activities.

Get Ready for PCOC Legislative Days

March 2024 -- Legislative Update

Termite Academy

March 2024 -- Member News

PCOC Provides DPR with More Input on Pesticide Decontamination Site Regulations

March 2024 -- Regulatory Updates

Mr. Wilson Goes to Sacramento � A Year in Review

February 2024 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

By Michael E. Wilson, PCOC CEO

Well, it’s a wrap. My first year heading up PCOC is in the books. While nothing like the Hollywood movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington by Director Frank Capra, my story of “Mr. Wilson Goes to Sacramento” seeks to parallel the main message in the 1939 classic film that “decency and honesty are important and that a single person can make a difference”.

Over this first year, my goals have been to watch, listen and start the process of formulating suggestions to help reclaim our place as the country’s best state pest management association. Yes, it is a tall order, but we have tremendous potential to achieve significantly greater heights. Just consider this one statistic: the state population of California had just under 39 million in 2020 with growth projected to surpass 42 million by 2030. The second largest state Texas is approximately 10 million citizens behind. Those population figures point to an enormous number of residents and businesses requiring pest control services.

Assemblymember Friedman AB 2522 Pursuing Further FGAR Restrictions

February 2024 -- Legislative Update

PCOC Submits Comments to California SPCB on SPCA Proposed Amendments

February 2024 --

U.S. Representative Ted Lieu Introduces H.R. 7018 (Glue Trap Prohibition Act)

February 2024 --

PCOC Applauds Notice Not to Proceed on Proposed Pesticide Decontamination Sites Regs

February 2024 -- Regulatory Updates

“Further Discussions with the DBP on Alternative Approach to Commence”

The Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) applauds the recent California Department of Pesticides (DPR) decision not to proceed with proposed regulations published in the California Regulatory Notice Register on March 17, 2023, concerning pesticide decontamination sites. On behalf of the professional pest management industry, PCOC raised concerns in their association’s comments that sections of the proposed changes were impracticable to implement and placed pest control companies and their employees in untenable positions.

PCOC Submits Comments on U.S. EPA’s Draft Biological Evaluation of Rodenticides

February 2024 -- Regulatory Updates

Disaster! Is Your Business Ready? 10 Questions to get you Ready

December 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

PCOC Gears Up for 2024: An Update on Current and Pending Initiatives

December 2023 -- Regulatory Updates

Disaster! Is Your Business Ready? 10 Questions to get you Ready

November 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Governor Newsom Signs Diphacinone Ban � All Pest Management Professionals Must Unite!

November 2023 -- President's Notes

PCOC Gears Up for 2024: An Update on Current and Pending Initiatives

November 2023 -- Regulatory Updates

The Silent Crisis: Rising Mental Health Problems at Work

October 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

NEWS FROM SYNGENTA IN NORTH AMERICA: Super savings await with the 2024 PestPartners℠ 365 Program from Syngenta

October 2023 -- Affiliate Corner

History is a Great Barometer of the Future

October 2023 -- President's Notes

The Best Is Yet To Come

September 2023 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

The Law Of Solid Ground

September 2023 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

“Trust is the foundation of Leadership.”

- John Maxwell

In John Maxwell’s Book, ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’, which I highly recommend, he devotes an entire chapter to The Law of Solid Ground, detailing the importance of building trust, and how to go about doing just that. He goes so far as to say that ‘Trust… is the glue that holds an organization together.’ I could not agree more. We have all seen examples where trust has deteriorated with politicians, with businesses, and probably even in our personal relationships. Once you no longer trust someone, or something, you typically don’t want to be around them much, or invest in them. And the opposite is just as true. You want to invest your time and resources in those people or organizations that you believe in.

So, what does that mean for us as an association? What does this have to do with us?

I’d like to point out three areas where we as an Association do a great job of building trust:

With Heavy Hearts

September 2023 -- Member News

When Time is of the Essence

September 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

To All of the Pest Control Volunteers that Keep PCOC in the Forefront of our Industry

August 2023 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

Busiest Legislative Session for Pest Control Industry in a Decade Need Your Grassroots Support Today!

August 2023 -- Legislative Update

Celebrating Success

August 2023 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

PCOC Submits Comments to California DPR Regarding Upcoming Study on Fumigants

August 2023 -- President's Notes

CALLING ALL PEST CONTROL COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA ....WE NEED YOUR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURES TO MAKE OUR INDUSTRY THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

July 2023 -- Chief Executive Officer's Notes

Getting Members Engaged in California Politics

July 2023 -- Legislative Update

2023 WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE GRANT WINNER

July 2023 -- Member News

Driver Safety � Electronic Devices

July 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Membership Renewal Time!!

July 2023 -- Did You Know???

Upcoming Strategic Planning Process to Identify Key Focus Areas

July 2023 -- President's Notes

8 Exceptions to the Course of Employment Rule

June 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Welcome A New Affiliate Member...American CEUs!

June 2023 -- Affiliate Corner

Associations are an Excellent Place to Grow

June 2023 -- President's Notes

Warmer Temperatures Ahead

May 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

PCOC Leaders Voice Concerns on DPR Eyewash Station Rulemaking at DPR Hearing

May 2023 -- President's Notes

Warmer Temperatures Ahead

April 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Javier Ramos Joins Nisus Corporation as Territory Manager Operations and Logistics Leader will Support Growth in California and Hawaii.

April 2023 -- Affiliate Corner

EDUCATION & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES TOP PCOC’S ANNUAL EXPO AGENDA IN MONTEREY

April 2023 -- President's Notes

Looking to the Future

March 2023 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

“Leaders Lead. That’s what they do.”

- Baron McDonald, PCOC Past President

I know many of you know (and miss) Baron McDonald. Baron was extremely active in PCOC, constantly promoting and supporting the great things accomplished through the combined and coordinated efforts of so many. One of the things I love about PCOC is that an otherwise large, varied, and scattered group of pest control people are brought together and unified behind a common purpose: Protecting people, property and our food supply. I personally saw Baron promoting and recruiting regularly when interacting with other industry members. Why? Because leaders lead. That’s what they do. Baron knew that we were stronger together, and that we have a noble purpose. As an industry, we make people's lives better. We provide peace of mind. We take away worry. We give people their weekends back, so they can focus on the things that enrich their lives. We protect people, property and food. What better purpose is there than that?

I was fortunate enough to work with Baron for many years. When I first became a Branch Manager for Clark in 2003, Baron was one of the first people I sought out. I had seen him in action and I wanted to learn all I could from him. He was kind enough to allow me to come to his branch in Sonora for a couple of days, and was gracious enough to invite me to stay the night at his home. Over the years, I learned a lot from Baron. I saw how he led at Clark, I watched him handle every situation with integrity and grace, and eventually I went to my first PCOC Legislative Days with him. I felt relieved to have someone ‘teach me the ropes’ of what to expect, what to say, and what to do as we walked the halls of the Capitol. I’ll be forever thankful for his kindness and mentorship.

California COVID-19 Non-Emergency Regulation

March 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

FieldRoutes Introduces The Fame-Worthy Leaders Of Field Service

March 2023 -- Affiliate Corner

Season 1 of the FieldRoutes Field Famous podcast will launch March 7, 2023, presenting stories of dedicated professionals from the pest control and lawn care industries.

MCKINNEY, TX, MARCH 7, 2023 – FieldRoutes, a ServiceTitan company and a leading cloud-based and mobile SaaS provider for field service businesses, today announced the launch of its Field Famous podcast, a new show for listeners and viewers to hear stories of driving success, overcoming challenges, and reaching goals from pest control and lawn care professionals.

“FieldRoutes salutes the hard-working professionals in the industries we serve,” said Patti Newcomer, chief marketing officer for FieldRoutes. “FieldRoutes is invested in empowering those in the field service industry to reach their goals and grow their businesses. The Field Famous podcast provides a dynamic new medium through which we will showcase their achievements.”

Field Famous, which makes its debut with the launch of Season 1, will be hosted by Dr. Christopher Fasano, director of growth marketing for FieldRoutes. Dr. Fasano, a neuroscientist passionate about connecting with others to understand their journeys and a veteran podcast presenter, began laying the groundwork for Field Famous to a positive reception at the National Pest Management Association’s annual conference, PestWorld, in October 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Thankful for Growth-Mindset Leaders

February 2023 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

“A Leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther
than others see, and who sees before others do.”

- Leroy Eims

As you know, we lost our EVP a few months ago when Chris Reardon left on November 18. At that time, the Executive Committee made it our number one priority to find the next leader of our Association. We recognized that every setback provides opportunity, and we wanted to be sure we made the absolute best decision possible as we began our search. To that end, we organized a search committee comprised of Dean Wiley, Mike Bullert, Tom Graston, Mike McKenzie, Silvia Kenmuir, Dave Watkins and Jim Steed, with Jim chairing the committee. The search committee then partnered and coordinated with consultant Shelly Alcorn, and they worked tirelessly until finding our new Executive Director, Michael Wilson. Michael was then introduced to the Executive Committee and we enthusiastically voted unanimously for him. Huge thanks to the entire committee and Shelly for your help on this vital endeavor. We truly could not have done it without you. Michael, we are glad you are here and look forward to moving forward with your leadership.

Mental Health Recognized as Significant Workplace Issue

February 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Thankful for Growth-Mindset Leaders

January 2023 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

What’s the Difference between a Stipulation and a Compromise & Release?

January 2023 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Thankful for Growth-Mindset Leaders

December 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

What’s the Difference between a Stipulation and a Compromise & Release?

December 2022 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Thankful for Courageous, Intelligent, and Dedicated Leaders

November 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

Getting the Best Outcome from a Workers’ Comp Incident

November 2022 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Managers, Entrepreneurs, Pioneers, and Leaders

October 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

Scholarship Raffle!!

October 2022 -- Comings & Goings

How to Create a "Safety Culture"

October 2022 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

Weakened Elephants, Crippled Fleas, and Leadership Lids. Oh My!

September 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

“It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from their followers.”
- Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus

Something is holding you back.

It is the most insidious, undetectable force imaginable. To understand it better, I’d like to share a story of one of the strongest beasts of all – the elephant.

Elephants can carry 2,000 pounds on their backs. They can lift more than 750 pounds, just with their trunks. They often stand over 13 feet tall and weigh 14,000 pounds or more, and can run 15 mph. They are massive animals, and massively STRONG animals.

However, in days gone by, circus owners quickly learned that the right conditioning of a baby elephant resulted in an adult elephant that was compliant and easily controlled. You see, they would begin putting a rope around the neck of the baby elephant and tying it to a stake. The elephant would pull and twist and try to pull the stake out of the ground, but the strength of the baby elephant was not yet developed. The physical limitation of its finite strength kept it subdued.

Over the days and weeks that followed, the baby elephant soon learned it was completely futile to resist the rope. It eventually became docile, putting up no fight at all. Eventually, the rope didn’t even have to be attached to anything. When the rope was placed on the neck of the elephant, it no longer even tried to fight for its freedom. Of course, now it was physically strong enough to pull the stake out of the ground with no problem. But the mental limitations of its finite mindset kept it subdued. It no longer believed it could break free. And so it didn’t even try.

How to Improve Workplace Ergonomics

September 2022 -- PCOC Monthly Insurance/Safety Tip

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ergonomic injuries (also known as musculoskeletal disorders) make up one-third of all work-related injuries and illnesses.

The trends are concerning and costly. An estimated $1 of every $3 spent on workers compensation claims stems from ergonomic issues. Here are some related facts:

Stress builds up in a healthy body after being in a single position for about 20 minutes.
On average, adults spend 57% of their workday standing.
Neck pain will be experienced by 75% of the population at some point in their lives, and about 5% won’t be able to function normally because of it.
Doing frequent, repetitive motions of less than 30 seconds for 50% of your work time leads to higher chances of developing ergonomic injuries.
Nearly 2 million American workers suffer from ergonomics-related or MSD injuries every year.

The goal of ergonomics “is to prevent soft tissue injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by sudden or sustained exposure to force, vibration, repetitive motion, and awkward posture,” according to Centers for Disease Control and their National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Basic principles of effective and successful workplace ergonomics

Much about good ergonomic practice involves workstation arrangement, equipment orientation and employee work habits. Proper placement of workstation equipment helps, but good ergonomics starts with the selection of furniture that can be easily adjusted to meet the needs of a variety of employees.

Having an effective ergonomics process means being able to identify those job tasks and workplace factors that can put employees at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Addressing these risks can help reduce the frequency of MSDs, mitigate ergonomic risk factors and concerns, and control workers compensation costs.

According to Travelers Risk Control department, some areas to consider in minimizing the risk of MSDs include:

Good workstation chairs.
Proper keyboard and mouse placement.
Correct monitor/reference material positioning.
Sufficient lighting to help reduce eyestrain.

The "Secret" to a Thriving Business: Leadership

August 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

A New Addition to our Newsletter

July 2022 -- PCOC Leadership Lens

Welcome Back, KAREN!!

July 2022 -- Comings & Goings

Don't Miss Out at YOUR Next District Meeting!

June 2022 -- District News

Welcome Our New Members!!

June 2022 -- New Members

Don't Miss Out at YOUR Next District Meeting!

May 2022 -- District News

Welcome Our New Members!!

May 2022 -- New Members

Don't Miss Out at YOUR Next District Meeting!

April 2022 -- District News

Welcome Our New Members!!

April 2022 -- New Members

Don't Miss Out at YOUR Next District Meeting!

March 2022 -- District News

Welcome Our New Members!!

March 2022 -- New Members

Jeff White (Formerly with Bed Bug Central) Has Started His Own Consulting Company!

February 2022 -- Affiliate Corner