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- PWIPM
Professional Women in Pest Management
- Overview
- Leadership
- Steps of Hope
The Professional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) is an affiliate group of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) whose mission is to attract, develop and support women in the pest management industry through educational programs, resources, and peer networking.
Each year, PWIPM:
- Hosts professional development sessions and networking events at NPMA's Legislative Day, Academy, and Pestworld;
- Awards professional empowerment grants;
- Recognizes an industry leader through the Women of Excellence Award;
- Raises money for a charity at the PestWorld 5k; and
- Empowers states to start local networks
PWIPM is sponsored by
Sheila Haddad
Bell Labs, Inc.
Windsor, WI United States
Mickey Thomas
Arrow Exterminators
Atlanta, GA United States
Karen Furgiuele-Percy
Gardex Chemicals Ltd
Etobicoke, ON Canada
Allison T Allen, BCE
National Pest Management Association
, United States
Julie Marquardt
Ecolab, Inc.
St. Paul, MN United States
Sara Cromwell
Abell Pest Control
Etobicoke, ON Canada
Suzy Rayner
Valkyrie Pest Solutions
Arnes, MB Canada
Paula Alves
WorkWave
Holmdel, NJ United States
Jacqueline Bell
Envu
Gilbert, AZ United States
Sheri Cunningham
MGK
Minneapolis, MN United States
Angie Davis
Massey Services, Inc.
Orlando, FL United States
Jennifer Fox, ACE
Rentokil Terminix
Memphis, TN United States
Leigh Fryxell
Anticimex
Marshfield, MA United States
Shila Garcia
Ogden, UT United States
Suzanne Graham
Massey Services, Inc.
Orlando, FL United States
Shannon Harlow-Ellis, Ace
Mosquito Joe
Virginia Beach, VA United States
Sara Hartle
FieldRoutes A Service Titan Company and ServSuite by FieldRoutes
McKinney, TX United States
Chelle Hartzer
360 Pest and Food Safety Consulting
Lawrenceville, GA United States
Caitlin Justice
B. O. G. Pest Control
Edgewater, MD United States
Susan Manning
FMC Professional Solutions
Philadelphia, PA United States
Melanie Matthews
Modern Exterminating Co., Inc.
Columbia, SC United States
Emma Neff
Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions
St Louis, MO United States
Natasha Oldham
MissQuito
Marietta, GA United States
Ashley Ortogero
Kilauea Pest Control
Kailua, HI United States
Eve Pappas
Hoffman's Exterminating Co., Inc.
Mantua, NJ United States
Angie Persinger
Rose Pest Solutions
Northfield, IL United States
Layne Salvant
The Bug Man, Inc
Baton Rouge, LA United States
Sara Thibadeau
BirdBuffer LLC
Mukilteo, WA United States
Britta Turney
Syngenta
Windermere, FL United States
Kim Woodland
ABC Home & Commercial Services of Austin
Austin, TX United States
NPMA’s PWIPM Council is encouraging each local network to host a “PWIPM Steps of Hope” charity fun walk/run between September 2023 and September 2024.
Each network is encouraged to select a charity that supports victims of domestic violence or human trafficking. The PWIPM Council will gather all of the stories of success tagged with #PWIPMStepsofHope throughout the year and share them at PestWorld 2024 in Denver.
Scheduled Events
- September
- 23rd: Connecticut raised $3,500 for Safe Haven
- March
- 2nd: Alabama
- April
- 7th: Delaware
Charities
- National: Safe House Project
(If you would like to select Safe House Project as your network's charity, please contact Forshaw, they have built a kit specifically for Steps of Hope and work with this charity).
How to Host an Event
Gain Support
- Reach out to your governing body (your state/provincial/country pest management association) to ensure support. Ideally, they help you run registration, manage the money, promote the event, and engage everyone who participates in the association
- Establish a planning group of 3-4 individuals
- Develop a budget. Consider the following:
- Income
- Registration
- Sponsors
- Support from your state association
- Proceeds from a raffle/selling items
- Expenses
- Shirts/medals
- Donation to the Charity
- Permit
- Marketing
- Water & snacks for day-of
- Items for a raffle/to sell
- Income
- Identify and reach out to your chosen charity (Domestic Violence or Human Trafficking) (they can help you promote!)
- Get donations/sponsors
- Figure out how you will collect money and where you will direct people who want to register.
- Pick the location and see if you need a permit (view example from CT). You can call your city or town’s park and rec for recommendations if you’re uncertain. If you cross any street or intersection the town might require you to hire a police officer for the time of the walk at the street crossing.
- Test the route to make sure it’s a complete 5K, you might have a runner that keeps track. Although this is a casual event and you aren't doing official timing, you don’t want to be too short or too much over.
- Order any branded items you want to have at the event
Get the Word Out
- E-mail pwipm@pestworld.org and complete an Industry Events Calendar request to get your event added
- Use the social share kit to promote your event. We recommend calling it a "Fun Walk/Run" and encourage people to come and do it casually. Make it kid and pet friendly if the location is appropriate.
- Promote it via your local association
- Ask local distributors to promote it
- Reach out to local media to see if they want to cover your event
Run the Event
- Morning-of Shopping/Packing List
- Water
- Coffee
- Donuts
- Ribbon & Scissors for the star/finish line (optional)
- 2 tables (one table for registration and one table for raffle prizes / donations if any)
- Signs:
- Name of the event and any sponsor logos
- Arrows and mile markers (can also use cones/chalk).
- One specially to point out the location of the restroom if not obvious.
- Volunteer Spots
- 2 People for Registration (Have someone arrive 30 min prior to the walk to set up the tables and any signage for the walk.)
- 1 Person at a far point on the route
- 1 Person to be sweep on the route
- Post pictures to social media using #PWIPMStepsofHope
- Take a picture of the start
- Take a picture of the group
- Waiver & Sign In (Download a sign in template)
- Name
- E-mail Address
- Opt-in to Receiving PWIPM Communications
- Company (if pest management industry)
- When walkers arrive, direct them to registration and talk about our mission and talk up the causes we are walking for.
- When everyone finishes the walk, keep everyone together give out water, coffee etc. and when the last one finishes the walk/run hand out a medal and put it on each person, child, and pet!!
- If you have a raffle, pull the ticket
Maximize the Impact
- E-mail the registration list to pwipm@pestworld.org to add people to the PWIPM network (those who opted-in)
- Let pwipm@pestworld.org know how much you raised so we can update the site
- Pay the bills
- Deliver the money to the charity, take a picture & post to social media using #PWIPMStepsofHope
- Send a press release about the event and how much money was raised