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State Technical Meeting Agenda

The agenda below fills you in on everything planned for the STM! All events will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (GRCC), except for the STM Kickoff Happy Hour which will be held in the Executive Lounge at the Hilton Richmond Downtown Hotel. Registration, General Sessions, and the Exhibit Hall will be located on the second floor of the GRCC. Breakout sessions will be located in Ballroom 15A on the 1st floor.  Recertification Credits Available on the Technical Day: We will be applying for recertification credits in VA in categories 7a– General Pest,  7b – Wood-Destroying Pests, 8 – Public Health Pests, and 60 – Registered Tech in Virginia, and the corresponding categories in MD, WV, DC, NC, TN, PA, and KY.
Tuesday, November 12th - Pre-Conference Events
11:00AM - 6:00PM	Gold Sponsor& Exhibitor Set-Up	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
1:00PM - 4:00PM	VPMA Board Meeting - guests are welcome to attend	GRCC,B20, Second Floor
4:30PM - 6:00PM	STM Kickoff Happy Hour hosted by our sponsors	Hilton, Executive Lounge
6:30PM - 8:00PM	President's Reception & Exhibit Hall Opening	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
Wednesday, November 13th - Management Day Schedule
Click the blue session titles to read about each session and learn about the presenters.
7:30AM - 8:15AM	Breakfast & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
8:15AM - 8:55AM	Welcome and Sponsor Introductions	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	John Reid, VPMA President
8:45AM - 9:45AM	Keynote: Unlocking the Power of AI in Pest Control	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Kent Johansen, Signalbox
9:45AM - 10:05AM	Break & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
10:10AM - 11:05AM	Panel: It's a Numbers Game	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Moderator: John Reid, Vice-President, Accel Pest and Termite Control and VPMA President panelists: Chase hazelwood, Ray Mitchell, Brian Post, and Brook Russell
11:05AM - 12:00PM	How to Get Anyone to WANT to Work With You	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Tony Leone, Principal, The Constance Group
12:00PM - 1:20PM	Lunch in the Exhibit Hall	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
1:25PM - 2:00PM	Navigating the Regulatory Landscape: State and Federal Legislative Issues Impacting the Pest Management Industry	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	JD Darr, NPMA
1:25PM - 2:00PM	PMP Safety and Loss Control with Insurance Marketplace Updates	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Cliff Patterson and Kevin Ferguson, McGriff
2:05PM - 3:00PM	Don't Sell, Attract!	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Tony Leone, The Constance Group
2:05PM - 3:00PM	Economics of Finished Products	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	David Moore, BCE, Dodson Brothers Pest Control
3:05PM - 4:05PM	Industry KPIs and Budgeting Best Practices for Pest Control Companies	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Cyrus Ahmadi, CPA and Brian Post, CPA, PCO Bookkeepers & M&A Specialists
3:05PM - 4:05PM	AI Workshop: Mastering Real-Time Prompting and Practical Applications (Max 25)	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Kent Johansen and Madi Allen, Signalbox
4:05PM - 4:25PM	Break & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
4:30PM - 5:00PM	VPMA Annual Meeting	GRCC, Ballroom 21B
5:00PM - 6:30PM	Pest Fest Cocktails & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
6:30PM - 10:00PM	Pest Fest Dinner & Casino Night	GRCC, Ballroom 21A
Thursday, November 14th - Technical Day Schedule
Click the blue session titles to read about each amazing session and learn about our inspiring presenters.
7:15AM - 8:00AM	Breakfast & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
8:00AM - 8:30AM	Welcome & Introductions	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	John Reid, VPMA President
8:30AM - 9:30AM	Keynote: Building the Pest Management Professional	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Scott Koscielniak, ACE, Senske Services
9:30AM - 9:55AM	Break & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
10:00AM - 10:50AM	Peri-Domestic Cockroaches: Identification, Inspection, and Non-Chemical Control Strategies (cat 7a)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	David Price, ACE, Mosquito Joe
10:00AM - 10:50AM	Management of Native and Invasive Termite Species of Virginia (cat 7b)	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Ben Hottel, Ph.D., BCE, PCQI, Rollins
11:00AM - 11:50AM	Tick Talk: Understanding and Preventing Vector Borne Diseases (cat 8)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Stephanie Zeiber, PA, Sentara and Jeffrey Zeiber, ACE, Accel Pest & Termite Control
11:00AM - 11:50AM	IPM and Pesticide Safety for Pest Management Professionals (cat 60)	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Daniel Frank, Virginia Tech
11:50AM - 1:00PM	Lunch & Exhibits	GRCC, Ballroom 21C
1:00PM - 1:55PM	What Lies Beneath: WDOs - ID, Conducive Conditions and How to Fix it! (cat 7b)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Lucas Carnohan, Ph.D., BCE, Pest Management Systems Inc. and Daniel Carr, Mares Exterminating
1:00PM - 1:55PM	Nuisance Ants: Winning the Game Against Your #1 Pest (cat 7a)	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Timothy Husen, Ph.D., BCE, PHE, PCQI, Syngenta
2:05PM - 3:00PM	What's the Occasion? (cat 7a)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Lucas Carnohan, Ph.D., BCE, Pest Management Systems Inc.
2:05PM - 3:00PM	Disinfection, Sanitation, and Bio-sanitation in the Pest Management Industry: Becoming a True Protector of Public Health (cat 8)	GRCC, Ballroom 15A - 1st floor	Jamel Sandidge, MA, Ph.D., BCE, Nisus
3:00PM - 3:10PM	Break
3:10PM -  4:05PM	Dual Perspectives: Insights from Industry Veterans in Technician and Supplier Roles (cat 7a)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Samantha Forrest, ACE, Corteva, Marcus Johnson, Target Specialty Products, and Nathan Narsh, FORSHAW
4:15PM - 5pm	Whose Job is it Anyway? (required session for recert credits)	GRCC, Ballroom 21B	Nicole Wilkins, OPS, VDACS

Hotel

Conference Site 

The State Technical Meeting has a new home at the Greater Richmond Conference Center (GRCC) located at 403 North 3rd Street, Richmond, VA 23219. This conference facility provides us with ample space for learning, networking, and socializing. Enter the GRCC on the corner of North 5th Street and Broad, and take the elevator or escalator to the second floor. 

• Registration - B21 Foyer
• General Sessions - Ballroom 21B 
• Breakout Sessions - B15A
• Breakout Sessions B15C
• Conference Hub & Exhibits will be in Ballroom 21C

Click here for a map of the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

GRCC parking can be found at 351 N. 3^rd Street. That garage has a direct entrance to the building on the 3^rd level which guests can utilize throughout the duration of the event. Daily parking is available at the GRCC for $8/entry. Overnight parking is available for $26/day with no re-entry. Guests will need to specify the number of nights needed upon entering the garage.

Accommodations

The Hilton Richmond Downtown, located at 501 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, will provide attendees with overnight accommodations. The Hilton is located diagonally across the intersection of Broad and North 5th Street from the GRCC. The Hilton will serve as a home base before and after events scheduled at the GRCC. Attendees will enjoy meeting up at the spacious Gather & Hem Bar in the lobby, grabbing breakfast at the 1885 Café & Market, or dining at La Grotta for a northern Italian feast.

VPMA has negotiated a discounted room rate of $172 for reservations made by October 27, 2024. To make your reservations within the group block a credit card must be provided to cover the first night's deposit, refundable up to 72 hours in advance of arrival. The group rate will be honored for reservations between November 8th through November 15th. The Hilton has Valet Parking available at $41.00 per car per day, and $51.00 for oversized vehicles. Self-parking is $20.00 per vehicle per day. Parking is also available at the GRCC - see information provided in the Conference Site section above.

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Sponsors/Exhibitors

2024 Education Sponsors

VPMA is so fortunate to have so many engaged, generous sponsors to support the mission of VPMA through the education that we provide. 

• State Technical Meeting Premier Sponsor

State Technical Meeting Premier Sponsor

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• State Technical Meeting Gold Sponsor

State Technical Meeting Gold Sponsor

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Message from VPMA President, John Reid, "Vendors - the State Technical Meeting (STM) is entering an exciting new phase, with a fresh location, updated dates, and plans for significant growth. VPMA is introducing major changes, including a fully integrated exhibit hall where all vendors will be in one shared space, complete with a demonstration stage. This exhibit hall will serve as the central hub for the event. Additionally, the VPMA Board is implementing a targeted marketing plan to attract more companies and technicians, aiming to fill the STM with as many PMPs as possible. We are committed to creating a prime opportunity for vendors to connect with a larger audience and showcase their products and services in a dynamic and engaging environment.

Don't miss out—register today and be a part of something truly exceptional!"

The VPMA State Technical Meeting Offers Vendors

An Exciting Opportunity to Exhibit & Connect with Virginia PMPs

New Dates: November 12 - 14, 2024

New Home: Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 North 3rd Street, Richmond, VA 23219

The STM has always been a great meeting - but we're working hard to make it even better! 

VPMA is proud to present the 19th Annual State Technical Meeting (STM) and invite you to join us as we bring PMPs from across Virginia to learn, network and grow their businesses. 

• Exposure to Virginia PMPs - This event provides vendors with an excellent opportunity to interact with more than 200 PMPs over the 2 1/2 day event - plus, VPMA has invested in a professional marketing campaign to drive additional engagement from current members and added participation from companies that have not attended in the past.
  
  
• Key Client Relationships - The VPMA STM provides numerous social events where you will have the opportunity to build vital relationships with owners and key players of Virginia-based pest management companies.
  
  
• Enhanced Exhibit Experience - We have a new home for the STM this year at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and are planning for the Exhibit Hall to be a hive of activity! All vendors will be located together in a single, spacious exhibit hall.
  • We will host all meals in the Exhibit Hall.
  • We will host the President's Reception on Tuesday evening in the Exhibit Hall - previously we charged $65 for this event, but it's included in all exhibit packages in 2024!
  • We  brought back the PestFest Cocktail Hour which will be held in the Exhibit Hall - giving attendees an extended time to visit with vendors on Wednesday evening.
  • A Meet & Greet Game is being planned that will motivate attendees to visit each exhibitor. Think about prizes you can contribute to make the game fun!

• Premier Sponsorships & Gold Sponsorships - Amp up your company's exposure to Virginia PMPs and get year-long benefits by registering for the STM as a Premier or Gold Sponsor. See a list of benefits for each category below to get so much more out of your investment. Act fast to secure one of the limited Premier Sponsorships - only five spots are available for this exclusive opportunity.

Now that you have the details, how will YOU participate?

VPMA strives to provide a meaningful exhibit experience for all of our Sponsors and our Exhibitors! Sponsorships allow VPMA to build a stronger STM. Sponsors get extra on-site perks, plus they get lots of additional post-conference promotion. Our exhibitors are an important part of the mix too, so if this budget-friendly package suits you, just know we will work hard to provide a positive, meaningful experience for you as well. See what is included in each registration package below.

Follow the following links for additional information:

Conference Site & Accommodations

Vendor Timeline & Events

Vendor Parking, Shipping, and Unloading Information

Important Exhibitor Information

By registering to be an exhibitor or sponsor at the 2024 VPMA State Technical Meeting, each company and all of their representatives present agree to the following:

• The exhibitor assumes the entire responsibility and liability for losses, damages, and claims arising out of the exhibitor’s activities on the GRCC and Hilton premises and will indemnify, defend and hold harmless VPMA, the GRCC, the Hilton, their agents, servants and employees from any and all such losses, damages and claims.
• Each exhibitor agrees to represent his/her booth throughout the STM, beginning Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30 pm through 1:00 pm on Thursday, November 14th.
• Each table-top exhibit space will include a table and one chair (upon request). Complimentary wireless internet connection is available in the exhibit area. Please be considerate of traffic flow and other exhibitors’ visibility. VPMA reserves the right to request that any materials causing an obstruction be removed.
• VPMA and the GRCC cannot ensure the security of items left unattended in the exhibit areas. Please be sure to remove all valuables from your booth when it is unattended.
• Allied members who wish to market and promote their company’s services should register as a Sponsor or Exhibitor. Attendee registration is intended for PMP companies and staff only.
• The vendor agrees to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner at all times during the conference.