Members present during the Pi Chi Omega meeting included PMP Editor Heather Gooch, far left. Photo: PestWorld
During PestWorld 2016 in Seattle, the international industry fraternity Pi Chi Omega held meetings for its board and membership. The group meets one other time a year, in January during the Purdue University Professional Pest Management Conference.
New board members voted in during the meeting are Dr. Cassie Krejci, Polyguard (left), and Marie Knox, Control Solutions Inc. Photo: PestWorld
At the October membership meeting, President Judy Black recognized Blair and Julie Toblan, the son and daughter-in-law of late Pi Chi Omega Executive Director Vern Toblan, as guests of the meeting. They flew in from Calgary along with Blair’s sister, Brenna, to celebrate their father’s induction into the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame the night before. In fact, all four 2016 inductees — Toblan, Dr. Vernard Lewis, Dick Sameth and Larry Treleven — are Pi Chi Omega members.
Black was pleased to announce that associate members had been given the right to vote as of last January’s more than half of members fall into that category (defined as holding a college degree outside of entomology). Fourteen new member applications were submitted and voted in during the meeting.
The Pi Chi Omega Financial Committee, comprised of Tom Wright (Chair), David Fincannon and Larry Hanks, were thanked during the meeting for their unwavering commitment to straightening out matters during the transition from Toblan’s estate to the management company, Cooper Coron & Associates.
Andrea Coron says the organization is looking to strategize, to “shape how we move forward and continue the work that we do.” With that in mind, she encouraged members to watch their inboxes for an online survey, take it and provide honest feedback and input.
The Pi Chi Omega Scholarship Committee is starting its awards process for 2017. The deadline is March 30, and the awards will be given in mid-May.
More information can be found online at PiChiOmega.org/scholarship.php.
About the Author: Heather Gooch
Heather Gooch is editor of PMP magazine. Contact her at hgooch@northcoastmedia.net.
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