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The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) honored several industry leaders during PestWorld 2026 in Grapevine, Texas. The annual event took place Oct. 20-23 at the Gaylord Texan Resort. At the opening ceremony Oct. 20, NPMA CEO Dominique Stumpf, CAE, presented two awards:
• The NPMA Sustainability Task Force was named the 2025-2026 Committee of the Year.
• Curtis Rand, president of Rose Pest Solutions in Northfield, Ill., and chair of the NPMA PestVets Council, received the 2025-2026 Committee Chair of the Year Award.
NPMA presented eight more awards at annual awards ceremony on Oct. 22:
• Janet Hurley, ACE, senior program specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, received the ACE Professional Award, presented by the Entomological Society of America.
• Ryan Olson, COO and third-generation owner of Yankton, S.D.-based Olson’s Pest Technicians, received the Emerging Leaders Award. This award recognizes rising stars who have already made significant contributions to the association or the pest management profession and have shown potential for leadership and continued service. Rentokil Terminix sponsors the award.
• Cincinnati, Ohio-based Scherzinger Pest Control received the NPMA Gives Award, which recognizes member companies that have shown leadership through their dedication and contributions to their communities. The company was founded in 1934 by Bernard Scherzinger, and is today run by his great-grandsons Kurt and Eric Scherzinger, who are president and VP of sales and marketing, respectively. Their father, Steve, who still owns the business, is the son of Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer Ed Scherzinger (Class of 2011) — and also served as the 2005-2006 NPMA president. PestPac by WorkWave sponsors the award.
• Tower Pest Control, based in Hialeah, Fla., received the Excellence in Sustainability Award. The award recognizes companies that have made outstanding contributions to environmental stewardship in the pest management industry. Nisus Corp. sponsors the award.
• Pisgah Pest Control, based in Brevard, N.C., received the Culture Catalyst Award, which celebrates companies that have built exceptional workplace cultures through strong core values and employee engagement. Arrow Exterminators sponsors the award.
• BugBros Pest Control, based in Tulsa, Okla., received the inaugural Technology Adopter Award. The new award recognizes pest management companies that have embraced innovative technology to drive business growth. FieldRoutes sponsors the award.
• Marillian Missiti, president of Buono Pest Control in Watertown, Mass., and the 2023-2024 president of NPMA, received the Women of Excellence Award. The award recognizes female PMPs who show outstanding leadership and have made notable contributions to the development and growth of other women in the industry. Target Specialty Products sponsors the award.
• Russ Ives, chairman of Rose Pest Solutions in Madison Heights, Mich., received the Pinnacle Award, NPMA’s most prestigious honor. The award recognizes an individual who has contributed to the success of both the association and the industry over a lifetime or career. Ives is a third-generation PMP who served as the 2015-2016 president of NPMA, following in the footsteps of his father, Bill (1977–1978), and grandfather, Harlem (1954–1955).
More information on NPMA’s awards is available at NPMApestworld.org/awards.
