Home Improvement

“Pest Control’s Most-Trusted Resource”: Pest Management Professional Lands at No. 15 on HG HomeClub’s Ranking of the 25 Most Influential Publications and Media Platforms Serving Home Improvement, Home Services and Outdoor Living

By HG HomeClub September 1, 2026 20 min read

The 1933 publication that connects technical pest-management education, the PMP Growth Summit, State of the Industry reporting, and the PMP Hall of Fame is recognized as the fifteenth most influential media brand serving the trades

August 29, 2026 – HG HomeClub today named Pest Management Professional, known throughout the industry as PMP, the No. 15 media brand on its ranking of the 25 most influential publications and media platforms serving home improvement, home services and outdoor living. The placement recognizes a publication that has served professional pest management since 1933, helping operators navigate the technical, regulatory, scientific, commercial and workforce realities of a trade in which public health, property protection and customer confidence meet.

The ranking evaluates the publications, magazines, digital platforms and media brands that professional contractors, remodelers, home service operators and outdoor living companies use to make better decisions. Pest Management Professional placed No. 15 in a field of 25 because it combines technical education on pest identification and control with business guidance, market reporting, a leadership summit, a Hall of Fame and a platform built for the operators responsible for protecting homes, businesses and communities.

A curated media platform built on “informed transparency” turns its attention to the publications the trades actually rely on

HG HomeClub is a curated media platform serving homeowners, contractors and the broader home improvement, home services and outdoor living economy. Its work is organized around informed transparency: the principle that better decisions follow from better information, and that people making decisions deserve to see the standards behind a conclusion rather than merely receive a result.

That principle has particular importance in pest management. A pest-control decision can affect a home, a business, food safety, public health, customer confidence, environmental responsibility and the reputation of the company delivering the service. The work requires accurate identification, technical knowledge, product familiarity, careful communication, and compliance with a regulatory environment that can change by product, pest, state, and service category.

Pest Management Professional has built its influence by taking that complexity seriously. The publication covers structural, landscape, public-health and nuisance pests; pest biology and behavior; treatment technologies; business growth; sales; hiring; leadership; profitability; regulations; products; professional profiles; research; webinars; print and digital resources. It serves the pest management industry as both a technical discipline and a contractor-led business community.

The criteria behind the list: usefulness to owners, not traffic, followers or the age of a masthead

Placement on the list was determined against six standards: industry influence and professional recognition; practical value to contractors and company owners; quality and depth of original content; reach among professional decision-makers; strength of rankings, research, events and recognition programs; and the ability to educate and connect the contractor community.

The list is explicitly not a ranking of website traffic, social media followers, advertising volume or publication age. Longevity and circulation were considered, but were not permitted to automatically outweigh a publication’s usefulness to the contractors it serves. Specialized publications were assessed within the context of the markets they serve, on the reasoning that a title with deep authority in a single trade can matter more to the people in that trade than a broader title with a larger audience and a shallower relationship.

Applied to Pest Management Professional, the standards identify a specialized platform with a strong claim to practical authority. PMP scores particularly highly for technical content, industry longevity, business education, State of the Industry reporting, the Growth Summit and professional recognition through the Hall of Fame. Its authority is concentrated in pest control and pest management rather than spread across all contractor sectors. Within that category, it gives operators an enduring resource for making better treatment, business and leadership decisions.

A 1933 resource for a trade where technical credibility is inseparable from trust

Pest Management Professional has served the professional pest-management industry since 1933. That history gives the publication a long view of a field that has continually changed as pest pressures, treatment methods, products, regulation, customer expectations and scientific knowledge have evolved.

The core work of pest management requires expertise that is both visible and invisible. Customers may see a technician at the property, but the real value often lies in diagnosis, inspection, pest biology, exclusion, monitoring, product choice, treatment planning, documentation and communication. A company’s reputation depends on whether it can make a difficult problem understandable and deliver a solution responsibly.

Pest Management Professional describes itself as a technical resource for the industry. Its editorial coverage reflects that role, addressing pest identification and treatment strategies alongside business management, leadership, technology, regulatory developments and market conditions. The platform recognizes that a technically sound operator must also recruit and train people, build routes, retain customers, manage pricing, select tools and systems, protect margins and sustain the public confidence that makes recurring service possible.

This dual focus distinguishes PMP from general home-improvement media. Pest management is not a cosmetic trade. It is an essential home and business service with high stakes for property protection, safety and public health. The publication’s role is therefore practical: help professionals understand what they are facing, what options exist and how to operate a responsible, durable company.

The State of the Industry report creates a recurring benchmark for operators navigating change

PMP’s State of the Industry Report is the publication’s flagship research franchise. Published as a special supplement, the report examines the conditions pest-management professionals are confronting, including business performance, market trends, staffing, customer pressures, operational concerns and the direction of the industry.

The report is influential because it creates a structured place for professionals to compare their own experience with the wider field. A pest-control owner can see whether a challenge involving labor, growth, pricing, routes, product adoption or customer accounts appears isolated or reflects a broader market pattern. Suppliers and strategic partners can better understand the conditions operators are facing. Newer professionals can see the commercial reality behind the technical work.

The 2025 State of the Industry Report, published as a supplement in PMP’s November 2024 issue, received a Silver National Azbee Award in the Print/State of the Industry category. It also received a Bronze National Azbee Award for Best Original Illustration for its cover. The recognition matters because it confirms that the publication treated industry data as substantive editorial work requiring clarity, design judgment and useful presentation – not simply as a collection of numbers.

The report’s limitations should remain visible. State of the Industry findings reflect the professionals and companies who respond to the publication’s research process; they are an informed benchmark, not a mandatory census of every pest-management company in the United States. The value of the report is that it gives readers a recurring picture of industry conditions while preserving the caution required when interpreting survey-based information.

In a service industry shaped by recurring customer relationships, the distinction matters. Revenue, account count and growth can reveal important trends, but they do not independently measure treatment quality, customer outcomes, employee experience or the integrity of a company’s field practices. PMP’s wider editorial platform adds the technical, regulatory and operational context that helps readers interpret business metrics responsibly.

The PMP Growth Summit turns operating questions into peer-level conversations

The PMP Growth Summit is the publication’s principal live business franchise. Since 2017, the event has brought together decision-makers from pest-control companies with at least $1 million in revenue for two and a half days of high-level interaction, strategy discussion, peer connection and solution-focused conversations at the Reunion Resort & Golf Club in Kissimmee, Florida.

The program is designed around the issues that determine whether a pest-management company can grow responsibly: customer retention, employee culture, sales, marketing, hiring, profitability, innovation, technology and leadership. These are not separate problems. A business with strong marketing but poor retention will struggle to build lasting value. A company that grows routes but cannot build a capable team may sacrifice service quality. A technology investment matters only if it improves execution, communication or decision-making.

The 2026 PMP Growth Summit brought together 38 attendees from 28 companies and 15 partner companies. The size is intentional. PMP describes the setting as an environment for building and fortifying friendships, and the format gives participants time for roundtables, one-on-one discussions, networking and direct conversations with partners rather than treating the event as a large convention built around passive attendance.

The 2026 program also introduced a Meet the Editors lounge, where professionals could speak with the editorial team about the PestControlU.net online training program. That detail captures the Summit’s practical value. The event does not simply present industry trends; it connects operators to tools, education and conversations that can improve company performance once they return to the field.

The partner roster included companies supplying chemistry, technology, marketing, route-density and business solutions to the industry. Their presence illustrates the range of decisions modern pest-management companies must make. An operator may need support with field products, software, marketing, training, operational efficiency or customer communication. A carefully structured summit helps leaders examine those choices in context rather than in isolation.

The PMP Hall of Fame preserves the history of a profession while giving current leaders a standard to meet

The PMP Hall of Fame is the publication’s most enduring recognition program. It honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the pest-control industry, including inventors, innovators, forward thinkers and leaders whose work has helped shape the profession.

The Hall of Fame performs an important role in a technical service field. It preserves the professional history behind modern practice. Today’s technicians and business owners may benefit from improved products, integrated pest-management approaches, stronger training and more sophisticated business systems, but those advances are built on the ideas and work of people who expanded what the industry could do.

Following a one-year hiatus, the Hall of Fame committee selected a Class of 2026 comprising six inductees recognized for leadership, dedication and industry influence. The formal induction was scheduled for October 19, 2026, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, preceding the National Pest Management Association’s PestWorld 2026. The event is structured as a black-tie evening with cocktails, dinner and an awards ceremony.

The Hall of Fame’s connection to PestWorld gives the ceremony an appropriate professional setting. The annual conference is a central gathering point for pest-management professionals, and the induction program adds a reminder that the future of the industry depends on continuity: new practitioners need to understand the standards, innovations and leadership traditions that made the profession stronger.

PMP’s award-winning work shows that technical trade journalism can be rigorous and accessible

Pest Management Professional has received multiple national and regional Azbee Awards of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for editorial presentation, design, special reporting and industry coverage. The record matters because technical information serves no one if it cannot be understood, found and used by the people responsible for real decisions.

The publication earned a Gold National Azbee Award in the Design/Front Cover Illustration category for the “Circle the Wagons” cover in its August 2024 issue. It received a Bronze National Azbee Award in the Design/Front Cover Photo category for its “Mosquito Control” cover in the April 2024 issue. These honors recognize an editorial design approach that makes complex, specialized subjects accessible without making them superficial.

PMP’s November 2024 issue earned both national and regional recognition for the 2025 State of the Industry Report. The report received a Silver National Azbee Award for print State of the Industry coverage and a Bronze National Azbee Award for its original illustration. The same issue also received regional design recognition. The publication’s 2024 Bed Bug Management Supplement received a Bronze Heartland Region Azbee Award for Print/Special Issue or Supplement, highlighting the importance of focused education on a difficult and consequential pest-control category.

The 2024 PMP Growth Summit Event Recap also received a Bronze Heartland Region Azbee Award for Print/Single Topic Coverage. The recognition confirms that the publication treats its live programming as editorial work, not merely as event promotion. A good recap should identify the questions leaders confronted, the lessons that emerged and the ideas worth carrying back into the business.

The editorial team connects scientific knowledge with the operating needs of a service company

Heather Gooch is editor-in-chief of Pest Management Professional. Diane Sofranec is senior editor. Together, they guide a publication that must translate complex pest-management issues into information that operators, technicians, business owners, manufacturers and other professionals can use.

That task demands editorial breadth. Technical coverage may involve pest biology, identification, chemistry, equipment, behavior, exclusion, treatment methods and public-health considerations. Business coverage may involve acquisitions, routes, hiring, culture, customer retention, sales, marketing, profitability and growth. Regulatory coverage may involve changing requirements that affect products, practice and liability. The strongest publication connects these subjects instead of treating them as separate worlds.

Pest Management Professional delivers this work through a monthly magazine, digital editions, online reporting, newsletters, webinars, events and training resources. Its website includes pest-management content, State of the Industry coverage, the PMP Hall of Fame, the PMP Growth Summit, webinars and other resources. The format mix gives professionals access to both immediate updates and deeper technical or strategic learning.

The wider platform helps operators learn at the pace pest-management work demands

Pest-management professionals do not have the luxury of treating information as an occasional activity. Pest pressures change with seasons and geography. New products and technologies require evaluation and training. Regulations can affect methods and documentation. Customers expect clear explanations and results. Companies must recruit, retain and develop technicians while maintaining service quality across a growing customer base.

Pest Management Professional responds through articles, digital resources, webinars and live events. Its webinar and on-demand programming cover pest-control technology, regulations, business management, pest identification and treatment techniques. The platform’s continuing education function is especially important because a technician’s knowledge and an owner’s operating systems both require regular improvement.

The monthly magazine and digital editions provide a reference point for longer-form content, while web coverage gives the publication room to address current developments. The Growth Summit provides high-level business connection. The Hall of Fame recognizes industry legacy. The State of the Industry Report benchmarks market conditions. Together, these elements create a platform that can support professionals at different stages of their careers and companies at different stages of growth.

Its No. 15 placement reflects exceptional pest-management depth within a cross-category ranking

Pest Management Professional scored highly for industry longevity, specialized technical knowledge, practical value to pest-control operators, the State of the Industry Report, the PMP Growth Summit, the Hall of Fame and its ability to connect the profession through print, digital, education and recognition. HG HomeClub assesses PMP as one of the most important information and education platforms in a service category that protects homes, businesses and public health.

Its No. 15 placement reflects scope rather than a lack of authority. PMP is highly concentrated in pest control and pest management, which makes it less directly useful to contractors focused on residential remodeling, HVACR, roofing, plumbing, electrical construction, landscaping, pools, building products or general homebuilding. Its research programs and recognition initiatives are also specialized to the particular business models, technical practices and regulatory demands of pest management.

The 14 titles ranked above it each occupy a different structural position in the contractor ecosystem: Qualified Remodeler, Roofing Contractor, Power100, ACHR NEWS, Pro Remodeler, Lawn & Landscape, Journal of Light Construction, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, Contracting Business, CONTRACTOR Magazine, Pool & Spa News, BUILDER, Fine Homebuilding and Landscape Management. Within professional pest management, PMP is unmatched in combining technical education, business intelligence, leadership connection and an enduring record of the people who have shaped the trade.

Pest management needs trusted media because the consequences of misinformation are real

Pest-management companies are operating in a market shaped by changing pest pressures, public-health concerns, technology, regulation, customer expectations, staffing challenges and the need for sustainable growth. The work is increasingly sophisticated. Professionals must understand pest biology, integrated pest-management practices, treatment technologies, safety, documentation, customer communication and the financial mechanics of running a recurring service business.

That complexity makes trusted trade media more valuable, not less. Operators need information that connects technical judgment to business outcomes, a forum where company leaders can exchange ideas, research that provides a realistic market benchmark and recognition programs that honor both current excellence and the profession’s history. Pest Management Professional provides all four.

Since 1933, PMP has supported a profession built on knowledge, judgment and trust. Pest-management technology will continue to change, as will the service models and regulations surrounding it. The core need will remain: professionals need accurate, useful information to protect customers, develop people and run stronger companies.

The complete ranking: HG HomeClub’s 25 most influential publications and media platforms serving home improvement, home services and outdoor living

About HG HomeClub

HG HomeClub is a curated media platform serving homeowners, contractors and the broader home improvement, home services and outdoor living economy. Built on a principle of informed transparency, HG HomeClub publishes rankings, research and editorial coverage that make the standards behind its conclusions visible, so that homeowners and professionals can judge the reasoning as well as the result. More information is available at Sources: hghomeclub.com.

About Pest Management Professional

Pest Management Professional is a trade publication and multimedia resource serving the professional pest-control and pest-management industry since 1933. It covers structural, landscape, public-health and nuisance pests; technical treatment methods; products; regulations; business management; growth; hiring; profitability and industry trends through its monthly magazine, digital editions, online reporting, newsletters, webinars and events. Its signature programs include the PMP Growth Summit, PMP Hall of Fame and the annual State of the Industry Report. Learn more at Sources: mypmp.net.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HG HomeClub?

HG HomeClub is a curated media platform serving homeowners, contractors and the broader home improvement, home services and outdoor living economy. Its approach is built on informed transparency, meaning readers should be able to see the standards and reasoning behind editorial rankings and conclusions. The platform curates useful industry information and publishes original rankings, analysis and editorial coverage designed to help decision-makers evaluate both the result and the process behind it. Its media ranking assesses the platforms that contractors, owners and professionals use to learn, operate, connect and prepare for changing market conditions.

What is the ranking that Pest Management Professional placed fifteenth on?

Pest Management Professional placed No. 15 on HG HomeClub’s ranking of the 25 most influential publications and media platforms serving home improvement, home services and outdoor living. The list evaluates organizations that contribute useful reporting, technical education, research, rankings, recognition, events and professional connection to contractor-led industries. It includes broad platforms as well as specialized trade authorities. PMP earned its place through its long-standing pest-management role, technical education, State of the Industry reporting, the PMP Growth Summit, the PMP Hall of Fame and its practical value to pest-control operators.

How was the ranking determined?

HG HomeClub evaluated each organization using six standards: industry influence and professional recognition; practical value to contractors and company owners; quality and depth of original content; reach among professional decision-makers; strength of rankings, research, events and recognition programs; and the ability to educate and connect the contractor community. It is not a ranking of website traffic, social-media followers, advertising volume or publication age. Longevity and circulation were considered but did not automatically determine placement. Specialized publications were evaluated in their own markets because deep authority within one trade can be more valuable to working professionals than broad but shallow coverage.

What is Pest Management Professional?

Pest Management Professional is a professional trade publication and multimedia resource that has served pest-control and pest-management professionals since 1933. It provides technical, scientific, business and industry content for companies working with structural, landscape, public-health and nuisance pests. Its coverage includes pest identification, treatment methods, pest biology, products, control technologies, regulations, hiring, sales, leadership, profitability, industry research and company profiles. The platform includes a monthly magazine, digital editions, newsletters, online reporting, webinars, the PMP Growth Summit and the PMP Hall of Fame.

What is PMP’s State of the Industry Report?

PMP’s State of the Industry Report is an annual special report on conditions affecting the pest-management industry, including business performance, market trends, staffing, customers, growth and operational challenges. It offers a recurring benchmark through which operators can compare their own experience with industry conditions. The 2025 report appeared as a special supplement in PMP’s November 2024 issue and received a Silver National Azbee Award in the Print/State of the Industry category. Its findings are survey-based rather than a census of every company, so the report is most useful as a structured market indicator and source of professional context.

What is the PMP Growth Summit?

The PMP Growth Summit is a two-and-a-half-day leadership and business event for decision-makers from pest-control companies with at least $1 million in revenue. Since 2017, it has been held at the Reunion Resort & Golf Club in Kissimmee, Florida, with a focus on sales, marketing, leadership, hiring, profitability, customer retention, employee culture and innovation. The 2026 Summit hosted 38 attendees from 28 companies and 15 partner companies, with roundtables, one-on-one conversations and a new Meet the Editors lounge for discussion of PestControlU.net training. Confirm future dates, venue and eligibility directly through PMP before publishing.

Who leads Pest Management Professional’s editorial operation?

Heather Gooch is editor-in-chief of Pest Management Professional. Diane Sofranec is senior editor. Their work guides a platform that translates complex pest-management subjects into practical education for operators, technicians, manufacturers and industry leaders. This includes technical topics such as pest biology, identification, treatments, products and regulations, as well as business subjects such as sales, hiring, growth, customer retention, culture and profitability. Their editorial roles help ensure that technical pest-management knowledge is presented alongside the operating context companies need to deliver responsible service.

What is the PMP Hall of Fame?

The PMP Hall of Fame recognizes people who have made significant contributions to professional pest management, including inventors, innovators, forward thinkers and leaders. The 2026 Hall of Fame Class includes six inductees selected by the committee after a one-year hiatus. Their formal induction was scheduled for October 19, 2026, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, preceding PestWorld 2026. The program preserves the history of the trade while offering today’s operators, technicians and leaders visible examples of the commitment and innovation that advance a technical service profession.

Why does PMP place technical education alongside business management?

Pest management is a technical service that depends on responsible business operations. A company cannot deliver reliable pest control without accurate identification, treatment knowledge, equipment, product awareness, regulatory compliance, documentation and communication. It also cannot sustain quality without recruiting and developing people, building customer relationships, managing routes, protecting margins and making informed growth decisions. Pest Management Professional covers technical and business topics together because they determine the same outcome: whether an operator can solve customer problems safely, effectively and consistently while building a durable company.

Why did Pest Management Professional place at No. 15 rather than higher?

Pest Management Professional scored highly for specialist technical content, pest-management industry longevity, the State of the Industry Report, the PMP Growth Summit, the Hall of Fame and practical value to operators. HG HomeClub views it as an essential information and education resource for pest-control professionals. Its No. 15 placement reflects scope: PMP is highly focused on pest management and therefore less directly useful to companies in remodeling, HVACR, roofing, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, pools or general homebuilding. Within professional pest management, PMP is unmatched in combining technical knowledge, business guidance, research and industry recognition.