Alexandria Pest Services, Inc.

Together We Stand
Pest Control Solutions For Your Business - March 2006
www.PestControlMag.com

Richard Diggs, owner of Alexandria (Va.) Pest Services wants everyone in the industry to know the purpose of the Minorities in Pest Management (MPM) group, which formed at PestWorld 2005 as an affiliate organization of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), is not about separation.

Diggs, a member of NPMA who supports the business and technical educational programs, as well as the peer networking it provides, says MPM plans to add to NPMA's strength by bringing in new members who may not have considered joining the association before.

"The pest management industry has been phenomenal to me, and I can't imagine doing anything else," Diggs says. "I want other minorities to feel comfortable taking part, and I believe MPM will help that happen."

Lennie Carter Owner and President Carter Termite and Pest Management Carter recently left the Veterans' Administration to start his own pest management business.

In a traditionally white, predominantly male market, MPM marks a watershed moment for the pest management industry. It wants to help NPMA reach new constituencies, potentially swelling membership roles with new companies. By weaving people with different backgrounds and life experiences more closely into the fabric of the industry, new perspectives on age-old problems can open new learning and business opportunities for everyone. Lastly, MPM hopes its efforts will help the industry reflect more accurately its customer base, both actual and potential, and better grow in the years to come. In the end, its members hope to expand the industry's strength and influence so the general public can see even more clearly the good the industry does.

"MPM will provide us with a place to start a dialogue about what it means to be a pest manager, particularly a minority pest manager," Diggs says. "We believe this conversation will open business opportunities for everyone — and we're looking forward to doing it."

A LITTLE HISTORY

Ka Tsu Territory Sales Manager The ServicePro.net Tsu visits PMPs in central and northern United States and is a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Flipping through the pages of Robert Snetsinger's book The Ratcatcher's Child, readers might be struck by the monochromatic nature of the photographs of old industry conventions, with the predominant color being white. It's not surprising, of course — as Snetsinger points out repeatedly, the origins of the pest management industry in the United States largely revolved around German and Jewish immigrants from Europe. The pest management business began — and remains today — a tight-knit group of passionate, hard-working group of (mostly) men and women dedicated to making the industry more effective.

One of the inadvertent effects of this early development pattern, however, was a lack of diversity within the ranks of the NPMA, says Bob Kunst, owner of Fisher Environmental Services in Mandeville, La. To the best of his recollection, he remembers only one time in the NPMA's 73-year history when there has been a minority elected member of the association's leadership (Lonnie Alonso). Kunst says the association must tap this underserved constituency if it expects to keep growing.

"The best thing we can do for the long-term growth of the industry is bring more minority populations into the industry," Kunst says. "We must reach out to them. Someone has to take the first step, and it might as well be us."

Genma Holmes Co-Owner Holmes Pest Control Holmes is chairwoman of MPM and wants to expand opportunities for pest management professionals (PMPs) everywhere.

"There's a perception by many minority-owned pest management firms that the NPMA is exclusive," says Genma Holmes, co-owner of Holmes Pest Control (with her husband, Roger) in Memphis, Tenn., and chair of MPM. "We want to change that perception."

Efforts to improve the diversity of the industry have been discussed before. As president of the NPMA in 1995, Kunst wanted to put together a scholarship program that would encourage more minorities to enter the industry.

"We ended up having so many other business issues we had to deal with that the initiative fell by the wayside," Kunst says. "I always regretted not following through the way I'd hoped.

"I back [MPM] 150 percent," he adds. "This is one of the best things that's happened to the NPMA in a long time. We all can benefit from coming together and learning from each other."

Current NPMA president (and Pest Control editorial advisory board member) Steve Scherzinger also is excited about the prospects of working with MPM.

Richard Diggs Owner, Alexandria (Va.)Pest Services Diggs has been employed in the pest management industry for more than 20 years.

"I think it's a great idea, one we perhaps should have started 15 or 20 years ago," Scherzinger says. "We're happy that this group of dedicated individuals got together and took the initiative to do this. It's a win-win for everyone."

WHERE WE STAND

Holmes was surprised when she first joined the industry at how little input the association had from the diverse groups that comprise it.

"At the present time, the association doesn't reflect the consumer base well or the variety of pest managers out there," Holmes says. "That's one of the reasons we decided to found this group — to help the national association be more representative."

On the MPM Board

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are 69,000 minority members of the pest management industry (see sidebar chart for breakdown). Holmes compiled a list of 312 minority-owned companies after calling the state agencies in each of the 50 states responsible for registering pest management firms, but she says she encountered roadblocks in discovering precise information. She doesn't believe the lists the states have are a complete or accurate reflection of the number of minority members involved in the pest management industry.

Diggs says he's been frustrated over the years by the relatively small representation of minorities in industry ownership positions compared to the large numbers in technician and management levels. It's not that the association had ever discriminated against minorities or purposely made them feel unwelcome — Diggs just doesn't think the needs of minorities have been given much thought.

"One of the major goals, at least initially, is to let all the members of the NPMA realize that there's a whole group of pest managers out there whom they may not know about," Diggs says. "Sometimes in the past, as a group, we've felt like we don't belong.

"I believe the numbers are underreported, and our group wants minorities to know they're welcome," Holmes says. "We've been humbled by the response we've received."

Mentorship has its privilege

It became clear to many of the founding members of MPM that something had to be done to correct some of these shortcomings.

A MOVEMENT STIRS

As the discussions about how to diversify the NPMA progressed, the group gravitated toward the idea of putting together the organization that would eventually become MPM. The planning for the group began in earnest at PestWorld 2004 in Hawaii. The group's founding members got tired of the surprised looks at association functions when they said they were in the pest management industry, says Lennie Carter, owner of Carter Termite and Pest Management in Sicklerville, N.J.

"It was kind of difficult sometimes," Carter says "It wasn't that we ever got cold shoulders, especially from the vendors, but we were different. Other attendees never quite knew who we were or how to react to us."

By the time PestWorld 2005 rolled around in Nashville, the outlines of MPM came into focus. At the NPMA's Annual Membership Meeting, Holmes introduced the group's idea as new business. Then Darrell Garner, president of Grand Central Exterminating in Hempstead, N.Y., proposed MPM's formation, which inspired a rousing round of applause from the assembled PMPs.

"We weren't looking to put undue pressure on the NPMA, but we also didn't want to wait," Diggs says. "Since that initial meeting, we had so many people come up to us and react positively to what we're doing, we knew we were on the right track."

Lopsided Representation

Rob Lederer, executive director of the NPMA, says the association never realized the level of interest a group such as MPM would generate until Nashville, but he's glad the group's founders spoke up.

"We have to be all things to all people, and we want to help them reach their goals and objectives," Lederer says. "We'll do everything we can to provide them with guidance. It's been a great dialogue, and we look forward to working with MPM as it grows."

Holmes is quick to point out that MPM isn't limited to pest management professionals (PMPs). The group welcomes minority members from all facets of the industry, including vendors, pest managers, technicians and office staff — any minority involved in the pest management industry at any level.

Ka Tsu, territory manager for ServicePro.net, says when he first heard about the formation of MPM, he was thrilled. As the child of parents who fled from China to Hong Kong and then to the United States, he understands the need for groups such as MPM.

"Some of the issues facing minorities in this industry are unique," Tsu says. "Ultimately, what we want to do is educate the industry that there are many people representing various ethnicities that make up the pest control industry. I'm looking forward to helping this group grow and prosper in whatever way I can."

GOALS AND RESULTS

Holmes says the group's goals mirror those of that national association. The first goal is to raise the profile of minority members of the industry and train them to become future industry leaders.

"We're looking forward to the day when there are other minority members of the NPMA's board of the directors," Holmes says. "That will mean we've taken huge steps as an industry."

It's not merely about expanding opportunities for minorities, however. Carter says the group wants to exchange ideas with his fellow pest managers to improve business for everyone. For example, Carter, who is an Air Force veteran, had conversations with non-minority PMPs who never knew that there were opportunities like VetBiz, a program designed by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs to help veterans establish small businesses. Carter believes many PMPs, could benefit from this underpublicized program, and he's enjoyed sharing this information with non-minority PMPs he's met while promoting MPM's activities. Fresh perspectives like this could enervate discussions on a host of industry issues.

"There are opportunities that cross the artificial divides of race," Carter says. "Through this kind of cooperation, PMPs everywhere can benefit."

Then there's the issue of how to sell minority populations on the benefits of the industry's services, Holmes says. Differences in cultures and a lack of adequate communication can create misunderstandings between PMPs and minority populations, leading many minorities to forgo the use of professional pest management services. That's an enormous amount of business the industry leaves on the table each year, Holmes says. One of MPM's missions is to help bridge those gaps in understanding, so the overall industry can continue to grow beyond the $6.5 billion dollars it currently contributes annually to the U.S. economy (according to the latest figures from the NPMA).

"There's a great number of minority and ethnic populations out there who desperately need our services but don't know we exist, don't know what we do or aren't sure where to find us," Holmes says. "MPM can help the NPMA and individual PMPs develop nontraditional marketing plans to tap into this potentially lucrative market."

Finally, MPM wants to ensure the participation of minorities in the pest management industry long after the group's founders leave the scene, Carter says. To that end, the group plans to raise money for scholarships, with the goal of giving away a scholarship at PestWorld 2006 in Dallas.

"We want to get more minority students involved in the industry at an earlier age," Holmes says. "This is a great industry that offers many opportunities for minorities, if they just know it's available to them."

The proof of the pudding is in the eating but what's happened in the brief five months of MPM's existence is encouraging. The leaders of the group have traveled to each of NPMA's regional conferences (save one due to circumstances beyond the group's control), and its efforts received largely positive reviews.

Scherzinger says MPM already is one of the more active divisions within NPMA. "They're doing positive work to expand the industry for everyone, and that's something we can all get behind."

Diggs says he's honored to have been one of the founding members of the group and can't wait to see the new directions it can help take the industry. His excitement at the possibilities is palpable, even over the phone.

"We're feeling a lot of energy has been generated by the formation of this group," Diggs says. "We believe in this industry and want to make it stronger through our presence and direct participation. We can't wait to join the rest of our industry colleagues to make that dream come true."