NPMA Celebrates Academy's 10th Anniversary in Phoenix

PHOENIX, Ariz. — More than 300 attendees — making for the second largest turnout ever — braved 100°F-plus temperatures to take part in the 10th annual NPMA Academy, held at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort.

This year’s conference, titled “The Academy 10th Anniversary meeting – A Decade of Excellence” and lead-sponsored by Syngenta Professional Products with supporting sponsors, once again was filled with speakers and team-building activities aimed at providing attendees with innovative business and marketing solutions for improving their businesses.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary, a slideshow opened the conference and long-time attendees were presented with plaques. During the past 10 years, NPMA Academy is one of the most eagerly anticipated meetings in which professionals learn from one another and build lasting relationships.

“The speakers, the sessions and events like the Olympics are a really important part of this meeting, but where you get the value out of this meeting is the peer networking and team building,” said NPMA Executive Vice President Rob Lederer.

Highlights of this year’s event included:

• Review of the “Pesty Awards” entries. Throughout the conference, bulletin boards posted many of the best entries for the Pesty Awards, a new program NPMA launched last year, which was an opportunity to celebrate excellence in marketing and advertising executed by pest control companies.
• Dr. George Belch of San Diego State University, reviewed how advertising strategies have changed as a result of new media. For example, satellite radio, TiVO, cable TV and the Internet have all greatly impacted traditional advertising venues such as network television, radio and the Yellow Pages. Belch reviewed the Pesty Awards and said he was impressed by many of the innovative marketing campaigns used by PCOs, which, in may instances, have responded to the new advertising landscape. Some of these included: sponsorship of baseball games; creative use of service vehicles; branding one's company through mascots; use of advertising materials on bathroom walls.
• PCT and Syngenta Professional Products presented awards to winners of the first-ever Best-In-Class Customer Service Awards: Truly Nolen of America, Tucson, Ariz. – Category: Large company ($3,000,000+ in annual revenues); A-Active Termite & Pest Control, Virginia Beach, Va. – Category: Medium company ($750,000 to $3,000,000 in annual revenues); ZipZap Termite & Pest Control, Gladstone, Mo. – Category: Small company ($250,000 to $750,000 in annual revenues). CLICK HERE to read more. 
• Fitness expert Andy Pfefferkorn, a certified personal trainer based in Virginia, held workout sessions and provided attendees with information to better understand metabolism.

In addition, team-building activities included: Southwestern themed activities such as: Texas Hold ‘em, bingo, line dancing, lassoing, etc.; an Apprentice-themed marketing campaign activity and the popular Olympics.

This year’s conference was lead-sponsored by Syngenta Professional Products with supporting sponsors FMC Specialty Products, Dow AgroSciences and Oldham Chemical Company.