Arrow’s Thomas Kendrick Addresses Crowd as NPMA President, Olympian Gives PestWorld Keynote

ORLANDO, Fla. – On Wednesday morning of PestWorld 2025 in Orlando, Fla., attendees were entertained, encouraged and inspired by leaders of the pest control industry and four-time Olympian Chaunte Lowe.

To kick off the general session, which was sponsored by Corteva, the Blues Brothers Show gave the audience a fun and jazzy performance. After the duo left the stage, the 2024-2025 National Pest Management Association (NPMA) board of directors and incoming 2025-2026 board of directors gathered on stage.

Cook’s Pest Control Director of Governmental Affairs Faye Golden, and former 2024-2025 NPMA president, passed the role and its responsibilities to NPMA President Emily Thomas Kendrick. 

“It has truly been an honor to serve as president of the National Pest Management Association,” said Golden. “I’m thrilled this morning to pass the gavel to Ms. Emily Thomas Kendrick who will lead this association with energy.”

As Thomas Kendrick took to the podium, she thanked Golden for her service and leadership as president, as well as her friendship. “Good morning to the greatest industry on earth — the pest management industry,” said Thomas Kendrick.

Thomas Kendrick, who is third-generation CEO of Arrow Exterminators in Atlanta, Ga., spoke about her journey to the pest control industry, which can be read about in PCT’s Convention Extra 2025 issue.

Thomas Kendrick pointed out that many people don’t realize the vital role the pest control industry plays in protecting people all around the world.

“We know the truth. We protect the public health, we protect the public property and we protect the nation’s food supply,” said Thomas Kendrick. “We provide peace of mind in a world that quite frankly doesn’t always feel predictable.”

Although the industry is growing in a positive direction, Thomas Kendrick said its biggest challenge is “attracting, developing and keeping great people.”

As generations retire, there is a large transfer of leadership occurring, she said, making it clear that workforce development is crucial for the industry and for NPMA to prioritize recruitment initiatives.

“When we onboard and empower people the right way, we don’t just build jobs; we build careers, we build futures and we strengthen our profession worldwide,” said Thomas Kendrick.

Thomas Kendrick thanked her Arrow family, board of directors, parents, sister, husband and family for their support throughout her career.

Tom Jarzynka, chair of QualityPro and NPMA Pro, came to the stage to share more about the launch of NPMA PRO Certified.

“This certification demonstrates the pest management professional’s knowledge, professionalism, commitment to the industry and best practices,” said Jarzynka. “NPMA PRO Certified sets you a part and gives your employer and your customers the assurance that they hired someone who is professional and knowledgeable.”

Wednesday morning’s keynote speaker was Chaunte Lowe, a four-time Olympian in the high-jump, who spoke about having a champion’s mindset and building boundless resilience. Lowe encouraged the audience to adopt her framework to learn how to thrive even through life’s most challenging circumstances. In 2019, Lowe was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to keep pushing forward by training during the Tokyo Olympics.

Lowe said she started having dreams of going to the Olympics when she was 4 years old.

However, difficult times in her childhood resulted in her losing hope for that dream. Her grandmother, Juanita Booker, who performed at former President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, never gave up on her singing dreams and gave Lowe hope to chase her own dreams.

Today, Lowe is a mother of three, a wife, an American high-jump record holder, an Olympic medalist, a three-time World Championship medalist, a breast cancer survivor and a motivational speaker who inspires people with her stories and outlook on resilience.

“Even if we don’t have all the answers, it is OK to advance with audacity because rules change, risks change but bold leaders advance with audacity,” said Lowe. “Don’t tip toe around the trial that you guys are facing and I love that you come together and collect like this [at PestWorld] because you’re facing your trials head on. But you have to move through them with bold, forward-looking hope.”