High-Profile Hantavirus Death Underscores Importance of Rodent Control

CLEVELAND — In March, the Santa Fe, N.M., medical examiner announced that Betsy Arakawa, wife of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-borne respiratory disease. Arakawa’s death underscores the important role that pest management professionals (PMPs) play when it comes to protecting public health.

Dr. Kathy Heinsohn, technical and training entomologist at American Pest, Fulton, Md., reminded that PMPs in the desert Southwest should be particularly aware of hantavirus, which is primarily linked to the deer mouse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began monitoring hantavirus closely following a deadly outbreak in the Four Corners area (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah) in 1993. During that outbreak, 10 people died in just eight weeks, which spurred heightened awareness and response.

“This region serves as the natural habitat of the deer mouse, which carries the virus,” Heinsohn said. “People engaging in outdoor activities like hiking and camping are more likely to encounter the deer mouse and its droppings or urine, increasing the chances of exposure.”

While this recent high-profile case is specific to the desert Southwest, it serves as a reminder that PMPs — regardless of geographic location — should remain vigilant and up to date with training on how to mitigate risks by posed rodents. “Rodents and their droppings are known to carry several harmful pathogens, including hantavirus, which can be transmitted to humans and pets,” Heinsohn said.

PMPs who perform rodent work must take special precautions to avoid exposure to potentially harmful pathogens like hantavirus. Heinsohn recommends using proper personal protective equipment (PPE). “At the very least, PMPs should wear N95 masks or respirators, along with protective eyewear, such as goggles,” she said. “Because rodent droppings can become aerosolized in dry environments, these precautions are essential to reduce the risk of inhaling harmful particles.”

For areas where hantavirus is a concern, additional steps are necessary, and Heinsohn suggests spraying rodent droppings and nests with a mild bleach or ammonia solution before cleaning to reduce the potential for aerosolization. “This simple step can significantly lower the chances of exposure,” said Heinsohn, who added that when cleaning up, it’s best not to sweep or vacuum (because of aerosolization concerns) after wetting down surfaces. — Brad Harbison

Wayne Golden Leadership and Action Scholarship Established

WASHINGTON — Black Ownership Matters (BOM) made a special announcement at its annual dinner meeting at NPMA Legislative Day in Washington, D.C., sharing the establishment of the Wayne Golden Leadership and Action Scholarship.

Golden attended the dinner via FaceTime to hear the announcement of the scholarship that will carry on the impact and legacy he’s made in the pest control industry.

The $1,000 annual scholarship will be crowdfunded by multiple people through NPMA’s Pest Management Foundation, Neighborly Pest Management President Jim Steed said. “I know how many people love Wayne and have been helped by him during his time in pest control, and I wanted to give everyone the chance to be [financially] a part of this,” he said.

While Golden has had a long, distinguished career both at Orkin and Terminix, in many ways he has been a behind-the-scenes contributor, heavily focused on operations and content to let others bask in the spotlight. Golden recently retired from a long career at Rollins as assistant vice president of government relations.

PCT spoke with Golden on the recognition of this scholarship, and he said when he heard the news during the BOM dinner, he was “surprised, honored and emotional.”

“The reason I got involved in BOM after my retirement was not to build my legacy, but to share my knowledge. Even though business practices have changed, running a good business model has not changed,” Golden said. The scholarship’s criteria still needs to be finalized, but Golden said he hopes it can be geared toward supporting mentorship and networking in the small-business community, preferably BOM members. — Amanda Joerndt

PPMA Releases 2024 Annual Report

FAIRFAX, Va. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA), which serves as the consumer marketing and public outreach arm of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), shared its 2024 annual report, which centers around the theme “Level Up Results, Level Up Impact.”

The report showcases how PPMA’s collective efforts — spanning media outreach, digital advertising, video content creation and more — worked in tandem to deliver both immediate and long-term value for the entire industry. In 2024, several PPMA programs significantly expanded their reach and impact.

Building on the momentum of the 2021 Out of Sight campaign, the organization launched What Grows There, a new educational series highlighting the hidden dangers pests pose to homeowners. The campaign resonated widely, generating 6.6 million impressions across social media and content syndication, along with 139.4 million media impressions.

The Mainframe platform also saw a major redesign, offering pest control companies a modern, user-friendly interface with customizable tools, industry insights and trending content — making it easier than ever for businesses to grow, PPMA said.

PPMA’s digital strategies were successful, with paid social media campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest earning 68.5 million impressions, while content syndication on trusted sites brought in another 178.2 million.

Media outreach efforts hit new heights as well, placing targeted messages in high-profile outlets such as AccuWeather, USA Today and AARP Magazine. Altogether, these efforts delivered a staggering 1.1 billion media impressions.

To learn more about the annual report, visit www.npmapestworld.org/ppma.

WorkWave User Conference Recap

DALLAS — Members of the pest control, lawn and landscape, and other service industries saddled up in Dallas, Texas for the three-day WorkWave 2025 Beyond Service User Conference, Feb. 3-5.

Sessions highlighted key metrics for business growth in specific areas, including: the gender gap in relatively male- dominated industries; family generational transitions; how to set price increases and customer retention; streamlining merger and acquisition processes; and more.

The conference was a chance for PestPac users to learn more about WorkWave’s suite of software tools including its latest introduction, Wavelytics. The event included hands-on demonstrations, networking across industries and learning about the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technology.

WorkWave CEO Kevin Kemmerer said during his keynote speech that the company continues to invest heavily in its four core markets: pest control, lawn and landscaping, commercial cleaning and security management.

“We’re on the next wave of massive disruption with technology data and AI, and we’re in a great place to bring in that next generation and apply technology to solve business problems,” Kemmerer said.

See additional coverage of this event. — Amanda Joerndt

NEPMA PestVets Unit Collects Food and Clothing Items for Veterans

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The New England Pest Management Association’s (NEPMA) PestVets Unit shared the success of its most recent community outreach initiatives supporting Liberty House, a Manchester, N.H.-based organization dedicated to empowering homeless and struggling veterans.

As part of NEPMA’s annual Spring Training event, PestVets organized a canned food drive, encouraging attendees to bring non-perishable food items and gift cards to benefit Liberty House. Thanks to the generosity of industry professionals from across the region, several hundred food items were collected, along with $435 in gift cards and cash donations.

This initiative complements New England PestVets’ fall clothing and snack drive, held last October through mid- December. That drive saw the collection of hundreds of essential items including socks, t-shirts, underwear and snacks, all of which were delivered directly to Liberty House to support the needs of veterans in their care.

Liberty House provides substance-free housing and vital community connections to veterans facing challenges such as homelessness, substance misuse, PTSD and unemployment.

Hands United Foundation Supports PMPs in Hardship

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — After seeing a gap of resources available to individuals in the pest control industry who experience tragedy and face financial hardships, several PMPs rallied together to start the Hands United Foundation.

The foundation aims to provide financial assistance to either members of, or family members of, those that serve within the pest management industry.

The founders of this organization — Kim Kelley-Tunis, Nisus; Van Wagner, Arrow Exterminators; and Wally Holden, Rentokil Terminix — identified this need after experiencing their own challenges and recognizing that there were few resources available in the pest management industry to help those in a time of need.

Wagner, current president of the foundation, said the pest management industry is a unique group of people that work together to protect their people and communities they work and live in. “Regardless of the name or brand of the organizations that we all work for, we have always felt the need to support each other,” he said. “We feel that as part of the pest management industry, it is our responsibility to give back to an industry that has benefited us for several years.”

Over the past five years, the foundation has been able to support several industry members financially, Wagner said.

“A single mother with cancer was out of work for several months with little to no relevant income, but the bills continued to come in. She is now a cancer survivor and during her time of struggle we provided financial support. An industry member passed away unexpectedly and left his young wife and children with financial setbacks, “ he said. “We were able to support the family of a young girl that was fighting cancer.”

Wagner said although growing the foundation has come with challenges, a number of pest control companies have provided generous donations since its inception. With the support of organizations like the Georgia Pest Control Association (GPCA) and the Certified Pest Control Operators of Georgia, the foundation has been able to slowly increase the level of funds available to all those that apply for financial assistance.

To learn more visit https://handsunited.us. — Amanda Joerndt

Third Hantavirus-Related Death Confirmed in Calif.

MONO COUNTY, Calif. — Mono County Public Health confirmed in April a third death due to hantavirus in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

In a press release, Dr. Tom Boo, the county’s public health officer, expressed concern over the rising number of cases, emphasizing the unusual occurrence of multiple deaths in such a short time frame, particularly so early in the year.

“A third case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, each of which has been fatal, is tragic and alarming,” Boo said. “We don’t have a clear sense of where this young adult may have contracted the virus. The home had no evidence of mouse activity, and while we observed some mice in the workplace, this is not unusual for indoor spaces during this time of year in Mammoth Lakes.” — Source: Mono County Health