NCPMA is saddened to hear of the passing of Dennis Griffin with Griffin Exterminating. Dennis was a long-time member of NCPMA, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

When Bernard Buttone moved to North Carolina in 2011, he never imagined that he'd soon begin a career in pest management. 

 

"I was working in a restaurant, about to have a baby, and the hours were not ideal. I came in for an interview with (NCPMA Past President) Donnie Shelton, and I saw the passion that he had for what he was trying to accomplish," Bernard said. "I wanted to be a part of that. Once I got into the industry, I realized how different it was from other ones that I was a part of."

 

Now he's an Associate Certified Entomologist who is working as Chief Operations Officer of Triangle Pest Control in Raleigh and is serving his first term as a board member of NCPMA.

 

Bernard serves as Chair of the Awards Committee which oversees the association's Technician of the Year and Administrative Professional of the Year awards and as Chair of the Fundraising Committee, which oversees and coordinates all of NCPMA's fundraising efforts.

 

He enjoys being able to make a difference through pest management.

 

"The thing that has been the most interesting to me is the interaction with people that do not understand the importance/skill of pest management. I have been in countless conversations with people and they ask what I do. I tell them I am in pest control, and they respond with something like, 'Well what are you looking to do in the future?'" he said. "The stigma of pest management is interesting, and I like changing people's perception of it."

 

Bernard and his wife have three sons. In his downtime, you'll find him building things and enjoying sports of any kind, and he's looking forward to traveling again once the pandemic is over.