FAIRFAX, Va. — Attracting more than 3,600 pest management professionals (PMPs), suppliers and distributors, including 545 international delegates from 58 countries and 156 exhibiting companies, the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) PestWorld 2009 Convention & Exhibition broke attendance records in Las Vegas last month.  Additionally, the PMP to exhibitor ratio of three-to-one exceeded everyone’s expectations – resulting in a jammed-packed trade show floor and unprecedented participation at all convention events.  The attendance at PestWorld 2009 was a 20 percent increase from 2008, and surpassed the previously held attendance record from PestWorld 2007 in Orlando.

The PestWorld 2009 theme “Connect. Learn. Innovate. Grow.” focused on innovative ideas that promote personal and professional growth for pest management professionals.  Throughout the convention new ways to learn, new ways to network, and new ways to lead their businesses’ to success were offered over the course of four days with 75 hours of educational programming, interactive Thought Leader sessions, a New Product Showcase, and an expansive Exhibit Hall representing every segment of the pest management industry.

Following a moving video with the song “Stand by Me,” Rob Lederer, NPMA’s Executive Vice President, stated that the video’s message captures what NPMA and PestWorld are really all about – an association that supports an industry, a community of association leaders that give their time to support other members, and a supplier community that continues to invest in our industry and supports the association. 

During Tuesday’s Opening General Session, NPMA presented Dr. John Osmun, professor emeritus of Purdue University’s Department of Entomology, with the 2009 Pinnacle Award.  Inscribed on the award are “Symbolic of the pinnacle of success in the pest management industry, the Pinnacle Award is given in recognition of outstanding contribution to both the NPMA and the industry as a whole.”

In conjunction with Wednesday’s General Session, Emily Thomas Kendrick, president and chief operating officer of Arrow Exterminators, was awarded the first-ever NPMA Women of Excellence Award, presented by Orkin, Inc.

At Wednesday’s Happy Hour in the Exhibit Hall, the PestWorld 2009 Harley-Davidson Raffle was awarded to John D. Gilliland of Advanced Exterminating Company in Buffalo, New York.  The raffle was sponsored by FMC Professional Solutions.

Other show highlights included the Rat Pack’s performance at the Opening Ceremony, sponsored by Bayer Environmental Science; keynote speaker Jeffrey Ma, a strategy expert and member of the MIT Blackjack Team that inspired the move “21,” sponsored by Dow AgroSciences; keynote speaker Bob Pritchard, a global marketing expert, sponsored by the Professional Pest Management Alliance; and PestWorld Vegas Night with the World Classic Rockers, featuring former members of Santana, Journey, Boston, Steppenwolf, Toto, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, sponsored by BASF Pest Control Solutions. 

Photos of PestWorld 2009 can be viewed on Flickr through www.npmapestworld.org.  Speaker presentations and handouts are available to registered PestWorld attendees at www.npmapestworld.org.

PestWorld 2010, NPMA’s 77th annual convention and exhibition, will be held October 20-23 in Honolulu, Hawai’i at the Hawai’i Convention Center.  The Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort & Spa is the official convention hotel.  Registration and additional information about PestWorld 2010 is available at www.npmapestworld.org/events.