Dr. Eric Smith Honored at PCT Rodent Summit

Dr. Eric Smith (center) was presented the first-ever Crown Technical Excellence Award at the PCT Rodent Summit last week. Smith was presented the award by PCT’s Dan Moreland (left) and Syngenta’s Marc Bramhall (right).

ST. LOUIS — Dr. Eric Smith, director of technical services, Dodson Pest Control, Lynchburg, Va., received the inaugural Crown Technical Excellence Award at the PCT Rodent Summit, held last week at the historic Hyatt Regency Union Station in St. Louis, Mo. Sponsored by Syngenta Professional Products, the Crown Technical Excellence Award recognizes the contributions of the industry’s leading technical and training directors.

In presenting the award, PCT Publisher Dan Moreland, said, “Last summer, we solicited nominations from the industry for the first annual Crown Technical Excellence Award, surveying hundreds of our readers and receiving scores of written nominations. Upon evaluating the nominations there was one person who stood head and shoulders above the rest as the consensus pick for the award as a result of his vast market knowledge and selfless commitment to the industry. That person was Dr. Eric Smith.”

Upon accepting the award, Dr. Smith thanked several of his mentors, including industry consultant Harry Katz and Dan Stout, former senior vice-president of Whitmire Micro-Gen Research Laboratories, who passed away in 2001, as well as his colleagues on the Copesan Technical Committee. “They’re the most valuable group of people I know in the industry,” and they’ve contributed immeasurably to his market knowledge, he said. Representing Syngenta Professional Products at the awards ceremony was Marc Bramhall, sales representative, Professional Pest Management. In attendance at the ceremony was Smith’s wife, Deborah Blanchard, whom Smith credits for providing the support necessary for his professional success.

Smith was chosen the inaugural Crown Technical Excellence Award honoree for his contributions to the pest control industry in various capacities as a member of Copesan’s and NPMA’s technical committees, as well as the North Carolina Pest Control Association’s PCT School Board. Perhaps Smith’s biggest contribution to the pest control industry has been publication of the NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests. This unique, 800-page reference source includes detailed information on nearly 200 different structural pests: ants, bees, cockroaches, flies, spiders, termites, and more and is illustrated with nearly 1,000 color photos and drawings and supplied with quick reference tabs and a ruler. The guide includes details on pest recognition, biology and control. It can be found in offices and service vehicles throughout the country.

Currently, Smith is president of Pi Chi Omega, the national fraternity for the pest control industry.

Smith profiled more in-depth in an upcoming issue of PCT magazine.