NPMA's 2026 Executive Leadership Forum Sets the Stage for a New Leadership Year

NPMA's incoming class of volunteer leaders gathered in Savannah, Georgia, June 16–18, for the 2026 Executive Leadership Forum (ELF), hosted at Hotel Bardo. The annual event brings together the association's top leadership groups to align on priorities ahead of the new leadership year, which begins July 1.

Attendees included the NPMA Board of Directors, the Professional Pest Management Alliance Board of Directors, the QualityPro and NPMA Pro Board of Directors, the Pest Management Foundation Board of Trustees, the Workforce Development Steering Committee, NPMA's committee chairs, the Executive Leadership Program Class of 2025, and Leader Launch participants — a cross-section of the volunteers who will shape NPMA's direction over the coming year.

Committees and Councils Convene

Over the three-day forum, leaders met to review the past year's work and set goals for 2026–2027. That also included sessions for NPMA's new Culture and Engagement Committee and Workforce Development Steering Committee. The Executive Leadership Program Class of 2025 and Leader Launch participants also used the forum to continue building the leadership pipeline that feeds NPMA's volunteer ranks.

Foundation Marks a Milestone with Legacy Fundraiser

A highlight of ELF was the Pest Management Foundation's first official fundraising event for its new Legacy Fund, held Tuesday evening at Savannah's Service Brewing Co. The Legacy Fund was established earlier this year through a $1 million commitment from the Gary W. Rollins Foundation, which includes a matching contribution dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000. Once fully funded, the Legacy Fund will provide $100,000 annually to support applied pest control research — a first for the Foundation in its 65-year history.

The Service Brewing event featured the debut of Legacy Lager, a custom beer created for the occasion, along with live music, a brewery tour, and other festivities. The evening raised $50,945, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by the Gary W. Rollins Foundation — bringing the night's total impact to $101,890 in support of applied pest management research. Combined with the more than $115,000 in founding commitments secured ahead of the event, the Legacy Fund continues building toward its $2 million goal, with the Rollins Foundation matching every dollar raised along the way.

Dinearounds Bring Leaders Together

True to ELF tradition, attendees closed out evenings with dinearounds — small-group dinners around Savannah that gave incoming leaders time to connect outside the meeting rooms before the new term officially begins.

NPMA Board Meeting Caps the Forum

The forum concluded with a meeting of the NPMA Board of Directors, opening with the ceremonial passing of the gavel from outgoing President Emily Thomas Kendrick (Arrow Exterminators) to incoming President Mike Bullert (Big Time Pest Control) as the 2026–2027 board prepared to take office on July 1.

The newly seated Executive Committee includes:

President — Mike Bullert (Big Time Pest Control)
President-Elect — Hon. Bob Dold (Rose Pest Solutions)
Treasurer — Joel Nolasco (NuBorn Pest Control)
Secretary — Julie Tesh-Clark (Pest Management Systems, Inc.)
Immediate Past President — Emily Thomas Kendrick (Arrow Exterminators)
Chief Executive Officer — Dominique Stumpf (NPMA)

They're joined by a slate of returning and newly appointed regional, at-large, and associate directors, rounding out the board for the year ahead.

Photos from the 2026 Executive Leadership Forum are now available on NPMA's Flickr page.