Racing legend and successful businessman to discuss how to drive your business toward success.
HOLMDEL, N.J. — WorkWave, a provider of cloud-based software solutions that support every stage of a service business’s life cycle, announces racing legend Rusty Wallace as its 2023 Beyond Service User Conference keynote speaker. Wallace was the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, 1984 Rookie of the Year and 55-time Cup Series race winner, and will go into history as one of NASCAR’s finest drivers. He will provide unique insight into driving business growth and success, and will highlight the leadership and teamwork skills needed to effectively build your business.
Wallace’s keynote will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 8:30-9:30 a.m., with a VIP meet-and-greet to follow. WorkWave’s CEO David F. Giannetto will be kicking off this year’s conference with a keynote presentation on Monday, Jan. 9 from 8:30-10:30 a.m., where he will be joined by other WorkWave executives to discuss the successes the company has experienced in 2022, and its future vision for 2023 and beyond.
“I am thrilled to be joining the WorkWave family at the 2023 Beyond Service User Conference to help its critical customer base of field service professionals build and grow their businesses so they can position themselves for future success,” said Wallace. “It is an honor to join WorkWave on its mission to empower its customers to grow their businesses, this time through the unique and impactful insight they will receive from the 2023 User Conference.”
For 16 straight seasons, Wallace won at least one race in NASCAR’s Cup Series, marking the third-longest such streak in history. At the time of his retirement in 2005, Wallace’s 55 victories marked the eighth-best all-time total and his nearly 20,000 laps led ranked seventh all-time. Wallace is often credited as being one of the catalysts behind the mainstream appeal the sport enjoys today. Currently, Wallace serves as Lead Analyst for MRN Radio, the Voice of NASCAR, where he is heard on more than 700 affiliates nationwide, as well as on Sirius XM Radio.
Wallace is also active in other business pursuits. In 2005, he became the first NASCAR driver in recent history to design a professional racing facility when he inked the plans for the 7/8-mile Iowa Speedway. The facility opened to rave reviews and has hosted rounds of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the Indycar Series. Wallace is also the principal stakeholder in the Rusty Wallace Automotive Group, a collection of eight automotive dealerships located in eastern Tennessee.
“We are honored to welcome Rusty Wallace to this year’s User Conference. He is not just a NASCAR racing legend, but a successful businessman who understands how important decision-making, teamwork and focus is both on and off the track. He will absolutely leave our customers feeling inspired and ready to drive their businesses forward,” says Giannetto.
This year’s User Conference will be held Jan. 8-11 at the Hilton Orlando and will be bringing more opportunities to learn, share, get inspired and grow than ever before. Attendees will be able to tap into a network of 1,000-plus field service professionals from various industries, regions and business sizes, and will have the option to join trainings and sessions designed for all skill levels and business functions for all WorkWave customers.
From May 24 to June 30, $25 of every new mosquito control service was donated to the Red Cross.
The Tucson-based firm is supporting local communities it serves.
TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona Pest Control, serving Tucson and Southern Arizona since 1947, has committed over $20,000 to sponsoring sports and education programs at Sabino High School, Ironwood Ridge High School, Catalina Foothills High School, Mountain View High School, Salpointe High School, Empire High School, Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson High School, Cienega High School, and Pusch Ridge Christian.
Additionally, they have made a $5,000 contribution to the Catalina Foothills School District Foundation and $5,000 to the Catholic Tuition Support Organization.
“Excellence in education and after school sports is the key to having successful outcomes for our students and families. Tucson has supported us for the last 75 years and we want to continue to support this amazing community in every way we can,” said Caleb Tennenbaum, marketing director at Arizona Pest Control.
After 25 years serving the marketing needs of the professional pest control industry, June Van Klaveren, owner of Compelling Communications, announces her retirement.
Markham, owner of A-Mark Pest & Bird Management based in Baytown, Texas, passed away on Aug 4. He was 68.
BAYTOWN, Texas - Pete Markham, owner of A-Mark Pest & Bird Management, Baytown, Texas, passed away on Aug 4, at age 68. Markham began his pest control career in the 1970s as a bird control and pest control specialist for Eli Lilly Corporation, working out of Clinton, Ind. Markham was well known nationally for his bird control expertise, particularly with displacing nuisance vultures, starlings, and other pests from oil refineries and similar large commercial properties. Markham started A-Mark in 1986.
Dave Mueller, retired owner of Insects Limited, Westfield, Ind., recalled, “Pete’s assignment to pest control from Eli Lilly came about after a pallet loaded with high-valued pharmaceuticals was shipped to Japan and returned when a bird feather was found in a pallet. Because of Pete’s background as a hunter and fisherman from the backwoods of Virginia, he was assigned the quality control/pest control job to manage a heavy bird population on the 1000-acre Eli Lilly campus next to the Wabash River. Pete was an observer. He arose before sunrise to observe where the birds landed and their habits. This keen observation helped him start his own family business in Texas and beyond.”
Purdue University’s Dr. Gary Bennett remembered Markham from his early days at Purdue. “He was always ready to help me out — whether it was the Purdue Conference, a field trip with students, or a departmental seminar. He and his wife, Val, established the Markham/Eli Lilly scholarship about 25 years ago that has helped many of our entomology students, many of whom have gone on to successful pest management careers. He and his family have been great supporters and friends to me and Purdue University. He will be greatly missed.”
Stoy Hedges, owner of Stoy Pest Consulting, said of his friend, “Pete’s infectious, good-natured enthusiasm converted most anyone into an instant friend. He was readily willing to share his knowledge with anyone experiencing issues with birds or wildlife. He built A-Mark from scratch into a sought-after bird and wildlife problem solver within the oil and gas industry, in particular, as well as for many other types of industries. Pete was an outdoorsman through and through. He loved to hunt and fish, translating those skills into his business as a keen observer of wildlife. I will miss fishing with him, particularly since we had yet to make that flyfishing trip to Alaska we had always planned.”
Mueller added, “Pete Markham was a much sought-after educator on bird management. His presentations were always entertaining. One day, I asked Pete to speak at one of our conferences. He began his presentation and we soon found out he had brought the slides from his family vacation. He laughed with that crooked smile that Pete was known for and advanced to his actual bird slides, relating stories about the many experiences he accumulated over the years managing birds. That is why he was so much in demand: he did the work himself and found unique methods to solve pest problems. I will miss his friendship and sense of knowledge of pest management. I know our industry will as well.”
Gene White, global director of vector management for Rentokil, recalled, “Many years ago I heard Pete make a presentation about the unusual pest work his career had led him to. I was totally amazed at the complexity of the pest problems he presented and how he distilled those problems into simple, feasible solutions through his observations and knowledge of pest biology. Pete had such a calm presentation demeanor (and personality) about dealing with rattlesnakes, feral hogs, and other nasty animals that I just had to meet him in person. Over the years we became good friends, meeting at various functions that always started with a handshake, a smile, and some wild or funny story from the field! It didn’t take me long to understand that Pete was a brilliant pest management strategist whose personal mark was humility and personal gratification in solving some of our industry’s most difficult pest situations. For our industry, we’ve lost a great gentleman, teacher, and colleague. I believe Pete’s legacy of innovations will stand next to the best forefathers of our industry.”
Another industry professional who met Markham at Purdue was Mark “Shep” Sheperdigian of Rose Pest Solutions, Tory, Mich. Sheperdigian said he “got to know him at an annual fishing trip. We all work in pest management and the fishing is great, but much time is spent sharing knowledge and interests. It was always a seven-course meal of stories and experiences, and Pete was always the main course. His advice was always worth the price of admission. He was colorful, but soft-spoken. Without being flashy, Pete managed to quietly stand out in every room he entered.”
Mike Potter, professor emeritus, University of Kentucky, also shared fond memories of Markham. “Pete was a keen observer of nature and learned his craft from a life spent outdoors, much in the mountains of Virginia. He was a perennial favorite at the UK Pest Control Short Course and my ‘go-to’ speaker on pest birds. His usual fee was dinner and a bear hug. From time to time, Pete would text me pictures of critters captured around his accounts — big, toothy ones like feral hogs, alligators, and epic rattlesnakes. He was tops in the world at managing vultures, an increasingly important problem in many areas of the country. A gentle giant, friend to everyone, and an industry icon.”
Markham loved his family above all else — his wife, Val, his two sons, Pete Jr. and Benjamin, his daughter, Jessica, his 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild. His children will continue to operate A-Mark Pest & Bird Management.