UPFDA members reconnect in-person

Enjoying UPFDA’s reception taking place after its annual member meeting at PestWorld 2021 are, from left, James Rodriguez, ACE, B&G Equipment Co.; industry lobbyist George Braun, Esq.; Agri-Turf Distributing’s Lon Records and
Rich Records; and Paragon’s Brennan Brashears. PHOTO: UPFDA

After nearly two years of meeting virtually, members of the United Producers, Formulators and Distributors Association (UPFDA) were happy to be back together in Las Vegas, Nev., at the National Pest Management Association’s PestWorld 2021 conference and trade show. Members met mid-week for the annual UPFDA member meeting and reception on Nov. 3. UPFDA President Tom Forshaw IV, president of Charlotte, N.C.-based FORSHAW Inc., called the meeting to order.

One highlight of this meeting was Jackie Angulo’s description of the new UPFDA Strategic Plan. Angulo, VP of Superior Angran, San Juan, Puerto Rico, shared that her work with the strategic planning committee was a personal priority. Donna Giacalone, another member of the strategic planning committee and executive VP of The Bug Stop, Chicago, Ill., likened the work this committee did to “building our organization from the basement into a full building!” The committees are completing their strategic plans that will align with the organization’s plan.

The new guiding vision and mission of UPFDA are:

PelGar’s Andrej Branc and The Bug Stop’s Donna Giacalone enjoy catching up at UPFDA’s annual member meeting and reception held during PestWorld 2021. PHOTO: UPFDA

VISION: UPFDA will be known as the premier national association leading the continual advancement of professionalism, high standards and ethics to empower the manufacturers, distributors and industry partners of the most highly developed products, solutions and services for the pest management industry to ensure the health and safety of our communities.

MISSION: To empower professional collaboration, development, growth and success.
Another item of business taken care of at the member meeting was the 2021 board of director election. We are happy to have Lee Barrett, president of Nisus Corp., Rockford, Tenn., join the UPFDA leadership team as a director on the board. We also bid a fond farewell, and thank-you, to
Will Shively, the Kansas City, Mo.-based regional manager of FORSHAW, as he leaves the UPFDA board.

At the conclusion of the member meeting, we moved on to the UPFDA member reception. A few additional members joined us for the reception, which is always a great opportunity for UPFDA members to do what we do best: socialize and network. The UPFDA reception is always a friendly, neutral space for members to turn off their sales pitches and really enjoy themselves.

2022 SPRING CONFERENCE

UPFDA is moving ahead with hosting an in-person spring conference. We will be gathering April 26-27, 2022, at The Don CeSar in St. Pete Beach, Fla. The event format has been compressed to allow for just a one-night stay if desired. The conference content is being developed now. We hope to bring our members relevant speakers to address operations, communications, strategy and relationships, all within our theme of adaptability. Registration is open now online at UPFDA.com. While the conference is created with our members in mind, we also welcome suppliers to the pest control industry to attend and learn about the beneficial relationships you can build by being a part of UPFDA.