Call to Order

AJ Alonso called the meeting to order at 1:40 PM and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

President’s Report — AJ Alonso

Carlita, AJ and Kurt attended the AIM meeting in Washington DC. AJ presented the OPMA handbook and explained that all board members will receive a digital copy.

Immediate Past President’s Report — BJ Gall

A Past President’s lunch was held and there was a nice discussion.

Vice President’s Report — Cory Phillips

Cory sent a note welcoming everyone and thanking them for their hard work.

Secretary’s Report — Eric Scherzinger

Eric Scherzinger presented the minutes. Tony Bohnert made a motion to approve the minutes, and Jeremy Chester seconded. All were in favor and none opposed.

Treasurer’s Report — Eric Scherzinger

Eric presented the budget and discussion was held. Dave Ramsey made a motion to approve the budget and Brad Sparks seconded. All were in favor and none opposed. Jeremy Chester then made a motion to accept the financial report, and Tony Bohnert seconded. All were in favor and none opposed.

Allied Council — Dave Johnson

Dave welcomed everyone to the meeting and stated that the meeting had good representation. There have been vendor changes, but things are going well.

Communications — Brad Sparks

The newsletter will go out this winter and will highlight the roadshow, winter meetings and PestVets event. Carlita and Brad will discuss potential new software.

Constitution and Bylaws — Jeff Teague

Jeff was absent due to a death in the family. The constitution and bylaws are currently being reviewed.

Education and Training — Heather Alonso

There was one ACE test taker, who passed, resulting in a 100% pass rate for the year. PHE and CIT are offered every other year. Discussion included adding a cram session before testing and placing an insert in ODE mailings to advertise educational offerings. A strategic meeting is planned for January to discuss test preparation.

Executive Review — AJ Alonso

AJ is meeting with Carlita and Ryle this week.

Legislative — Kurt Scherzinger

Members were encouraged to attend legislative dinners in the fall because they are informal and effective. ODA will institute a $30 testing fee. The pesticide law update has passed the legislature and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The pesticide registration fee has increased to $200, and Ohio ID will soon be required by ODA.

At the NPMA level, there is interest on both sides in passing a farm bill. No rodenticide news is expected until Q3 of 2026. Ohio was relatively quiet in 2025, although New Hampshire attempted to ban glue boards. Legislative Day is March 15–17, with dinner planned during the event.

Long Range Planning — Cory Phillips

The report is included in the packet. Updating the committee book and engaging members are currently important priorities for the organization.

Membership — Dave Ramsey

Three new members have been added since the last meeting, and several are attending the winter meeting. The theme for 2026 will be “reengagement,” with a focus on strengthening relationships with current members and encouraging greater involvement.

Nominating — BJ Gall

Jeremy Chester and Jeff Teague will serve terms on the board due to current vacancies.

PAC — Eric Scherzinger

The PAC fund currently has $6,711. Socks will be available for a donation.

Past President’s Council — William Gall

Nothing to report.

PestVets — Dave Ramsey & Brad Sparks

An event was held on Veteran’s Day with six veterans in attendance along with several vendors. The group would like to pursue community outreach. NPMA is looking to help cover costs for ACE and other training opportunities for veterans.

PWIPM — Adrian Culpepper

Melisa Manns is coming to present on legal issues facing companies. A PestVets/PWIPM mixer is scheduled for Thursday night. Quarterly meetings are virtual, and PWIPM sponsors help offset costs. Sponsorship opportunities were also discussed.

Scholarship — Molly Marsh

The goal is to award three $2,000 scholarships this year. Greater Cleveland Pest Control Association presented a check for $3,000. OSU has Seun in the entomology department, which should also help.

Summer Meeting — B. Alonso

The meeting will be held July 10–12 at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky. The room block is open. Golf outings and a fishing charter are being considered.

Winter Meeting — R. Szczech

R. Szczech welcomed the OPMA Board to the meeting and outlined the events taking place over the course of the meeting.

President’s Report — AJ Alonso

The Legislative Day dinner was a huge success and had great attendance.

Past President’s Report — BJ Gall

Nothing to report.

Vice President’s Report — Cory Phillips

Nothing to report.

Secretary’s Report — Chris Wible

Jeremy Chester made a motion to approve the December minutes, and Eric Scherzinger seconded. All were in favor and none opposed.

Chris asked whether anyone wanted to add anything to the agenda. There were no responses.

Treasurer’s Report — Chris Wible

OPMA has approximately $12,000 more than at the previous report and the financial position is improving.

Scholarship opportunities were discussed, including connecting with Kerry regarding OSU and a related job fair.

Eric Scherzinger noted a discrepancy in the P&L comparison. January–February of the prior year showed $45,655, while the current year showed $9,630. Ryle is looking into the discrepancy. Deferred dues total $40,085, and total income is $52,678.38. Revised numbers are shown on the Previous Year P&L.

Allied / Vendor Committee — Dale Baker & Dave Johnson

Dave reported that there was not much new information to review. Vendors would like to revisit the separation of sponsorship and membership categories and see greater value for the dollars they are investing.

The group would like a review of sponsorship benefits, with more specific contact and recognition for participating vendors.

Communications Committee

Nothing to report.

Constitution / Bylaws

Nothing to report.

Education Committee — Dale Hodgson

The virtual training held the previous day was a great success, with 47 attendees and $4,425 in revenue.

The Education Committee will be combined with the Winter Meeting Committee for education planning.

Executive Review — Cory Phillips

Cory met with Carlita and Ryle to discuss the transition. There was nothing further to report.

Legislative — Kurt Scherzinger

The State House meeting and Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman were discussed, and Lang attended the legislative dinner.

ODA plans to work with the EPA regarding the rulemaking process and proposed Restricted Use Pesticide language. A proposed change would alter terminology from pesticides being “applied” to “used,” potentially affecting anyone who handles or mixes pesticides.

Green Advocacy Day is planned for February 2026. Minimum wage changes are also under consideration.

At the NPMA Legislative Days, 16 Ohio members participated and met with Senator Husted. A major focus was state-level pesticide preemption.

The farm bill remains a major issue. NPMA named GT Thompson Legislator of the Year. Senator Boozman is leading efforts on the Senate side.

The PestPAC subcommittee revised the 2025 giving plan, and Eric serves on the subcommittee. Glue trap restrictions and South Carolina’s restricted-use reclassification of four rodenticides were also discussed.

OPMA will connect with Sean regarding a grant to support cockroach research, and a letter of recommendation has been submitted.

Gary Wagner reported that ODA is conducting a survey and would like OPMA participation regarding vector control needs.

Long Range Planning — Cory Phillips

Membership continues to grow. The committee is working with the Education Committee to encourage members to continue attending training.

Membership — Brad Koehler

The committee had not yet met for the year but planned to meet soon to discuss goals for 2025.

This will be the third round of membership postcards. The committee is focusing on prospective members and hoping for a strong response.

Cory reached out to ODA to obtain a list of pest management companies in Ohio.

Nominating — BJ Gall

Additional nominations are still some time away. Anyone interested in serving on the Board should speak with BJ.

PAC Fund — Eric Scherzinger

There have been no recent contributions. Approximately $7,000 is currently in the PAC account.

Past President’s Council — BJ Gall

Nothing to report.

PestVets — Cory Phillips & Brad Sparks

The committee had not yet met for the year. Dave Ramsey was initiating a Veterans appreciation event at his brewery along with a shooting event at a nearby range.

PWIPM

The committee is looking to speak with several potential presenters for the Winter Meeting.

Scholarship Committee — Molly Marsh

Three applications were received and all were strong. Because there was a tie, Molly proposed awarding three $2,000 scholarships.

Summer Meeting — Rob Szczech

The Summer Meeting will be held July 10–13 and will have a Renaissance theme. Kacey will serve on the committee. Registration fees will increase slightly.

Winter Meeting — Rob Szczech

The committee has met and is building the speaker lineup. Plans include adding a wildlife exclusion and wildlife services speaker.

OPMA will remain at the Marriott for two more years. Vendor-sponsored breaks are being considered, along with potentially inviting Sean to speak about cockroaches.

Old Business

Nothing to report.

New Business

Nothing to report.

Call to Order

AJ Alonso called the meeting to order at 1:06 PM, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance, and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

President’s Report — AJ Alonso

AJ attended the NPMA Board Meeting, where several bylaws changes were discussed. Membership-related topics were also addressed. OPMA continues to grow its membership, and discussion focused on how to address new door-knocker companies.

Immediate Past President — Molly Marsh

Nothing to report.

Vice President — Cory Phillips

Nothing to report.

Approval of Agenda & Minutes

Cory Phillips presented the minutes to the Board in Chris Wible’s absence. Jeremy Chester made a motion to approve the minutes, and Dave Ramsey seconded. The motion passed unanimously with no objections.

Eric Scherzinger made a motion to approve the agenda, and Dave Ramsey seconded. The motion passed unanimously with no objections.

Treasurer’s Report

Chris Wible was absent but submitted a report. OPMA’s income was $98,578.97, representing a 7.8% increase over the prior year. The organization is operating in a positive financial position.

A profit was realized from the Summer Meeting, while expenses related to the upcoming Winter Meeting are anticipated. The reimbursement form available to members with eligible expenses was also discussed in detail.

Allied Council — Dave Johnson

Dave sent well wishes to Dale Baker, whose mother is ill. Veseris has a new committee member. Jeremy Brown and Craig Valentine have moved to SiteOne. Tom Forshaw is no longer with Forshaw this year. Neogen has a new representative, and Sarah Starinshak is moving to a new territory.

Communications Committee — Brad Sparks

The newsletter is expected to be released in approximately one month. The 10A book is also available. Training information and industry highlights will be included in the newsletter.

Constitution & Bylaws — Jeff Teague & AJ Alonso

Discussion centered on NPMA bylaws changes and whether OPMA should institute a morals clause. NPMA has a code of conduct addressing meetings and harassment. Jeff reviewed the OPMA Constitution and confirmed that a morals clause is already included.

The group discussed potentially issuing a press release when companies are not in good standing with OPMA, as well as adding links to the Constitution and Bylaws and highlighting OPMA’s ethical standards.

Jeremy Chester made a motion to review the Constitution and Bylaws every five years, and Cory Phillips seconded. Carlita will send the Constitution and Bylaws to all Board members. Billy and BJ will assist with the review.

Education Committee

The committee is looking for several 10D speakers, including high-caliber and new presenters for the Winter Meeting.

Executive Review — Cory Phillips

Nothing to report.

Legislative Report — Kurt Scherzinger

AJ, Cory and Lonnie Alonso attended Representative Peterson’s golf outing. NPMA would like to explore ways to better connect national and local political efforts. NPMA Legislative Day is scheduled for March 15–17, 2026.

OhioPlant H2Ohio funding was reduced by approximately $150 million, with about $120 million cut from ODA, OPMA and EPA-related groups. ODA pesticide legislative updates were also discussed.

OhioPlant is looking at rolling back some regulations related to Restricted Use Pesticides. Senate flat-tax proposals were approved, with income tax expected to gradually phase down to 2.75%.

Federal budget reductions include approximately $230 billion from the SNAP program. As a result, the Farm Bill has moved into the background and pesticide preemption language is currently on hold.

NPMA is supporting an opportunity related to the Safe Shelter Act so certain housing program funds could be used to pay for pest control. The proposal has bipartisan support and multiple co-sponsors.

Proposed 2026 EPA budget cuts could affect pesticide programs and federal funding to ODA. The Make America Healthy Again initiative does not currently address pesticides. Glue-board bans have been introduced in California, and Tony is tracking several new bills.

Members may contact Kurt with legislative questions.

Long Range Planning — Cory Phillips

The Board discussed when membership dues should increase and by what percentage, along with the potential impact of those increases.

The Membership Committee should meet and develop recommendations for annual dues increases. AJ noted that monthly committee meetings may not be as effective as they should be and encouraged more long-range planning.

The Vice President will begin reaching out to committee chairs to assess their needs. A formal Board training program should also be developed.

Membership Committee — Dave Ramsey

NPMA is changing its bylaws, and OPMA re-signs the joint membership agreement. NPMA would like members to pay dues only to the state in which they are incorporated. OPMA is seeking clarification on how these changes may benefit members.

Nominating Committee — BJ Gall

Nothing to report.

PAC Fund — Eric Scherzinger

Peterson for Good Government received a donation from OPMA. Socks are available for sale. Cornhole proceeds are expected from the evening event and the following day’s auction.

Past Presidents Report — BJ Gall

Nothing to report.

PestVets — Brad Sparks

Plans include a brewery event and a shooting-range event on Veteran’s Day. The group is also discussing having Liz speak about SkillBridge.

PWIPM — Adrian Culpepper

The Women’s Forum was held in May, and a larger Board meeting took place last month. PWIPM is looking forward to the networking event on Saturday.

Scholarship Committee — Molly Marsh

Three scholarships will be awarded this year. Gary Wagner III, one of the recipients, will attend the meeting this year.

Summer Meeting Committee — Brian Alonso

Brian welcomed everyone and expressed appreciation for the turnout. The committee is looking at locations for next year and considering new ways to increase attendance.

Winter Meeting — Rob Szczech

The committee is looking for vector and termite speakers. OPMA has a new contract with the Marriott for the next several years.

Old Business

Nothing to report.

New Business

Nothing to report.