PCOC Monthly Blog November 2016

PCOC-KarenBest joke heard at a District meeting….
Did you hear about the two bed bugs who met in the mattress?
They go married in the spring!
See what you are missing by not attending the meetings….

The last two months have been a flurry of termite swarmers! I missed last months’ blug traveling to Southern California where I had the chance to attend district meetings in San Diego and Orange County. In between meetings, I was able to stop by potential members. I then ventured to NPMA’s Pest World in Seattle. Little did I know that there were so many ways to get rid of pesty little and BIG bugs. I was able to attend the Professional Women in Pest Management Council and it is an amazing group of women. I look forward to starting a council in California! Our first meeting will be in at the Board of Directors meeting in Palm Springs See you there!

After my adventure in Seattle (yummy and amazing food) I traveled not only to Redding to attend the Shasta District where I was able to reach out again to non-members but also to the Vintage District where I lost the chance to pull the blue ball out of the bag. I was able to attend a couple of vendor events. Target had a training and Geoteh celebrated the grand opening of their new location.

By the end of 2016 I am proud to say that I will have traveled to all but 3 districts (look out January here I come) Just a few reminders to current members, any assistance with non- members is always appreciated. If you have any ideas for more benefits, please contact me. Registration for our 2017 Expo has been sent and I look forward to visiting my old stomping ground at Disneyland. Who knows I might throw out a princess waive.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and safe travels!

PCOC Monthly Blog-September-2016

PCOC-KarenWow how time flies! I must be enjoying my new job! I cannot believe I missed my August entry to my blog. It has been a crazy first few months of trying to make it to as many district meetings I can. Familiarizing myself with everything, meetings and reaching out to members has been keeping me buzzzy.

I had the opportunity to visit Southern Valley District and not only meet some amazing members but also win a pie and tickets to a 49’er game. I was able to drive around the Fresno area and stop by a few non-member shops, hopefully add some members to that district!

I ventured to the Diablo Valley District and was introduced to subterranean termites. I must have been on a roll from the Fresno meeting because I also left a winner! August ended with a visit to the Central Valley and a class on the Zika virus. We talked how our Pest Control Companies fit into the fight against this new Virus. After that meeting I almost detoured to Vegas because I won another raffle gift.

 

In early September, I had the opportunity to attend a Branch 2 training. I learned more about bugs and rodents then I thought I would ever need to know. I left very impressed with the amount of knowledge that pest control operators must have about repellent verses non repellants and the difference between long residual and short residual. It astounds me! I learned some entomology and the complete and incomplete metamorphism of insects. I seriously did not know that there were so many different types of ants. I thought there was just the little annoying ones that would get into my house and crawl across my countertops. Now I feel quite powerful being a woman and knowing that the female insect rules the house!

Did I mention how much I am enjoying my new job? My husband isn’t appreciating it so much now that I am telling him we need to move the firewood and we need to get rid of the stump in the yard….sort of acting like the queen bee!

I will be traveling quite a bit the next two months and look forward to meeting members in Southern California along with the coastal area. Please feel free to reach out to me with any advice in regards to preparing for the Branch 2 exam.

PCOC Monthly Blog – July 2016

PCOC-KarenHello, and welcome to Karen’s monthly blog – or as my friends say, my “blug.” You will be following me through the process of learning about the pest control business, from knowing very little to, hopefully, learning what a rodenticide is and so much more. I am the new Director of Membership Development with PCOC, and I look forward to reaching out to the membership with new ideas and growing our membership.

I have had a few adventures in my first few weeks so far, such as driving on an unbelievably windy road to Napa to check on a dry rot situation, and then to a bed bug heat treatment where I walked out itching and scratching but was informed that I was okay because there were no bugs on my white tennis shoes. I also have had the opportunity to visit the Bay Area District meeting. It was wonderful to meet such a great group of men and women.

With this new job, my eyes are always open looking for new ways that I can increase our membership and the benefits that you receive with your membership. I also look for new ideas in this field, such as reading an article on cockroach milk and how it could help our bodies. Who would have thought that something that you deal with, maybe on a daily basis, might be beneficial to our health? I look forward to traveling through the state and meeting as many members I can during my visits. Please reach out to me at any time and follow me as I learn this amazing and ever-changing industry.