FOCUS ON CONVENTION: NPMA, "N'awlins Style"

It was a meeting planner’s worst nightmare. In the weeks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, airlines suffered, hotels suffered and convention attendance suffered. To that end, the week of Oct. 28, 11 conventions were scheduled to take place in New Orleans but only one actually occurred: the National Pest Management Association’s Pest Management 2001 convention.

“We stuck together when others didn’t,” said Dominique Broyles, NPMA’s director of conventions and meetings. “We were the only ones to show up that week. Obviously, we were pleased.”

The Association even changed the show’s theme from “Parade of Professionalism” to “United We Stand” to create a feeling of unity for the entire industry. General Norman Schwarzkopf was immediately booked to speak to attendees and the packed room of pest management professionals heard a presentation from him that encouraged attendees to become leaders within their individual organizations.

“The convention more than met our expectations and we were very pleased with the support from the industry,” Broyles said. “Suppliers were pleased and NPMA was pleased.”