PPMA appoints Dr. Fredericks as new executive director

Dr. Jim Fredericks

The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) selected Dr. Jim Fredericks, BCE, as its new executive director — closing the door on a search process that has been underway for the past several months. The news was shared earlier today at the PPMA Board of Directors meeting during the National Pest Management Association’s PestWorld Convention in Boston, Mass.

Dr. Fredericks, who is also Pest Management Professional’s (PMP’s) “Callback Cures” columnist, is the NPMA’s senior vice president of technical and regulatory affairs. He has a long history of serving as the chief entomologist and spokesperson for PPMA’s consumer media and marketing efforts.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jim into this role, and look forward to the immediate contributions he’ll be able to make in leading and growing PPMA, particularly with the media relations work and consumer education and programming we do on a daily basis.” said PPMA Chairman Bobby Jenkins, who is also a PMP columnist for its “ABCs of Growth” column. “Jim is clearly the right person for this job. He really set himself apart with his strong leadership, network, expertise and evident passion for our industry.”

Dr. Fredericks met with the search committee on several occasions, completing an exhaustive interview process. The committee consisted of Jenkins and PPMA Treasurer Mike Rottler; NPMA CEO Dominique Stumpf; Vault Communications President Jessica Phelan; and current PPMA Executive Director Cindy Mannes, who is set to retire at the end of the year.

“Jim is a long-tenured staff member who has really excelled in his role at NPMA, and we’re so proud to see him take the next step as the Executive Director of PPMA,” said Stumpf. “It is always so wonderful to promote from within and he has NPMA’s full support as he advances to this next chapter in his career.”

Mannes also shares in this enthusiastic endorsement: “I couldn’t be happier with the decision of the search committee and know that PPMA is in excellent hands. Growing PPMA and the pest control market and advocating the value of professional pest control services to consumers has been my life’s work. It’s a proud moment to pass the torch onto someone who I believe in wholeheartedly and who has worked so closely with PPMA over the years.”

The transition will officially take effect on Jan. 3, 2023.