[Training Update] 'Ace' up his sleeve

T wo managers with Orkin Inc. recently became the first pest management professionals certified under the new Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) program. Jack Kurtzberg, Orkin’s Western regional manager for commercial pest control, and Mark Puglisi, operations manager for Orkin’s South Los Angeles branch, are the first pest control professionals in the country who can add the title "ACE" to their business cards.

"I was excited when I first heard about the program," Kurtzberg said. "Credentials are very important in an industry like ours, and this program provides a much needed opportunity to gain recognition for hard won experience and knowledge."

"These guys are at the top of their game and we’re proud of them," said Pat Copps, Orkin’s West Coast quality assurance manager. "Besides working hard to do their best, Jack and Mark are committed to making pest control their profession, not just their job."

ABOUT THE PROGRAM. The new certification program is the culmination of several years of planning by the Entomological Society of America (ESA), which sponsors the new ACE program, as well as the established Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) program.

"The ACE process is much simpler and fairer to PMPs than the Board Certified Entomologist program," says Dr. Mike Merchant, a board certified entomologist and one of the developers of the program. "Most BCEs are entomologists with college degrees in entomology or related fields who conduct a lot of training and research. The testing and professional maintenance requirements for BCEs are quite rigorous, and different from what most PMPs do for a living. Consequently, we weren’t seeing many pest control professionals who wanted to go through the process."

In order to certify under the new program, Kurtzberg and Puglisi had to provide proof of at least seven years of work experience in the industry (together, they have more than 40 years of pest control experience), agree to a code of ethics and pass a rigorous qualifying exam.

In order to maintain their ACE status, the new program only requires them to maintain their certified applicators’ licenses, and abide by the code of ethics.

Besides the credibility that comes from certification, successful candidates receive a uniform patch, vehicle decal, an online subscription to the ESA newsletter and a discount to attend the annual meeting hosted by the Entomological Society of America.

The ACE program joins the older BCE program offered by ESA since 1992. Formerly known as the American Registry of Professional Entomologists, the BCE program is the most diverse entomology credentialing program in the country. The BCE program offers certification in general entomology, urban and industrial entomology, medical/veterinary entomology, pesticide development, analysis and toxicology, plant-related entomology and regulatory entomology.

According to Merchant, the ACE program evolved after the certification board realized that most practicing entomologists in the pest control field weren’t comfortable getting certified under the BCE program. Only a handful of the 370 or so entomologists currently certified as BCEs lack an entomology or biology degree. Rather than change the BCE program, the board decided to design an entirely new program specifically tailored to the pest management professional.

Is the qualifying exam hard? According to Kurtzberg, "Because of its broad scope the exam is not the kind of test you just sit down and study for in one night. You have to know your stuff. It’s fairly difficult, but I think it was a good test of a person’s pest control experience."

According to Merchant, recommended study materials and the detailed list of standards for Associated Certified Entomologists are posted on the ESA Web site.

Anyone wanting to sample the test can also take an online practice exam. To learn more about ACE credentialing, or to apply for certification, go online to www.entsoc.org/BCE or contact the ESA Membership Services Department at 703/234-4052.