Still focusing on motivation, collaboration and innovation, this year’s National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Academy took place July 20-22 in Orlando, Fla. Now in its 21st year, it was once again organized by the NPMA’s Leadership Development Group (LDG) and sponsored by Dow AgroSciences.
The three-day event featured learning labs, team-building exercises, networking, games and general sessions. Nationally recognized keynote speakers included Steve Donahue, Jason Dorsey and Jonathan Fanning.
Donahue, an internationally known author and motivational speaker, spoke about “Creating a Vision.” Donahue places great importance on creating your “epic story,” and he began the session with his own epic story of crossing the Sahara Desert.
The second speaker was a favorite from NPMA’s PestWorld conference in October: Millennial expert Jason Dorsey. He worked with Dow AgroSciences to gather industry data that shows how businesses can reach and retain millennials as customers and employees.
Author Jonathan Fanning, the third and final speaker, spoke about leadership and who we are becoming as leaders. He’s an advocate of being a leader in both your personal life and professional career.
“The measure of your life is the measure of courage,” Fanning said. He also quoted Mother Theresa: “Do small things with great love.”
Given the enthusiasm, attendance and participation of Academy 2016, many things were done with a great love of this industry, and for the friends and peers we had and have made during this trip.
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- 1. The Blue Team enters the fray with a hoot and holler.
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- 2. The Red Team provides a tunnel of support for their captain.
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- 3. The Green Team uses Frankenstein’s Monster as its mascot.
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- 4. The Yellow Team boogies on down the entrance road.
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- 5. The Orange Team leads with an apt metaphor for PMPs and their many work tasks: Juggling.
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- 6. The Purple Team gives themselves a hand as they enter the competition.
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- 7. Attendees weren’t shy about sharing their love for the annual event.
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- 8. Some see a tennis ball, pantyhose and water bottle. Others see the makings for an Olympics qualifier.
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- 9. Anyone up for a round of Egg Russian Roulette?
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- 10. Swim Noodles made for a challenging obstacle course.
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- 11. You haven’t truly played volleyball until you’ve played it with yoga balls.
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- 12. The Academy’s take on Twister.
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- 13. The race is on.
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- 14. Team captains on display.
Visit the NPMA’s Facebook page to see more prowess on display from these Academy participants.
Photos: NPMA
About the Author
Jeremy Clark is general manager of Dugas Pest Control of Baton Rouge, La., and chair of the National Pest Management Association’s Leadership Development Group. He can be reached via PMPEditor@northcoastmedia.net.
About the Author
Julie Tesh is sales and service manager of Pest Management Systems, Greensboro, N.C. She can be reached via PMPEditor@northcoastmedia.net.
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