Adam Cholakian profile

PCA PROFILE
Adam Cholakian: Welcomes Clients’ Involvement in Pest Management Decisions
Joyce A. Basan, Programs/Communication Director
A
ctive in the industry for 15 years, Adam Cholakian has
been a PCA for ten.
Adam has worked the last four years with Isagro USA,
consulting in most major crops. He describes his job duties
with his current employer as a sales representative that
covers the southern half of California. “I’m responsible for
sales growth, sales support and product awareness for the
products that our company manufactures and distributes,”
says Adam.
Adams previous employment was with Fowler Packing Company, Fresno CA, where he worked for 10 years.
“When I worked for Fowler Packing Company, I started out
as an extra pair of eyes in the growers’ tree fruit orchards. I
also moved bin trailers, ladder trailers and toilets between
ranches. At that time I also started checking insect traps
and coordinated the paperwork for some of the export programs that they participated in,” recalls Adam.
“Throughout the years I continued to work with their
tree fruit growers as well as worked with their tree fruit
production team by incorporating IPM (integrated pest
management) practices for marketing enhancement programs that they participated in. It was my last few years
when I then became responsible for their citrus farming
operations in Kern County.”
His description of what he feels is the most challenging pest management experience encompasses a wide range
of factors. “It’s taking into account the target pest you’re
treating, while choosing the most effective treatment option, while also considering the neighboring surroundings
as well as the grower’s treatment cost and potential impact
• Adam Cholakian •
CAPCA Chapter: Fresno Madera
Education: B.S. Plant Science - Plant Health option from
CSU Fresno
Family: Wife of 3 years, Stephanie
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling and spending time with
family and friends
on both the surroundings and also beneficial insects.”
What pest does he see as posing the most problems
to his clients and the growers? “In my opinion it would be
any pest that has limited registered and available effective
product choices that could be used to control this pest, as
well as very limited windows of application for control,”
Adam explains.
With all the challenges in pest management there
are growing concerns Adam sees for the industry. “To me,
it is any pest that can cause widespread major damage on
a moment’s notice without any known effective control
measures, such as a pest like the Asian Citrus Psyllid. This
pest has a very broad range of hosts and could potentially
cause severe damage to the citrus industry as well as the
economy.”
There have been many aspects to being a PCA that
Adam finds memorable. “When I was on the production
side of the industry my biggest highlight was producing the
cleanest and largest crop that had the least amount of product that didn’t make it into a packed package,” he recalls.
“As a manufactures sales rep my biggest highlight is helping
a PCA recommend an effective treatment plan for whatever
crop they are consulting for that is affective.”
“My favorite part is being part of a profession that
helps all growers produce the goods that feed the world,”
says Adam.
CAPCA Adviser 43
PCA PROFILE
Growing up around the industry, agriculture captured
Adam’s interest at a young age. This was his motivation in
becoming a PCA. “As I was going through college I was
working on a project for the company I was employed with
at the time and worked closely with a PCA. Once I learned
more of what this PCA did, it captured my interest.”
His motivation in his decision making in the field for
clients involves listening, as well as providing alternatives
when needed. “My decisions are based on listening to their
questions and thoughts on what they would recommend
and either agreeing with their plan or offering them another
thought or sharing a past experience to hopefully give them
an opportunity to choose the most effective course of action,” says Adam.
The interaction with a client’s involvement in pest
management decisions depends on the situation. Adam
explains: “If the distributor provides full service to their
growers then they are usually very involved with pest
management decisions and recommendations made to that
grower. If it’s a larger grower and the PCA just sells them
products, then the PCA doesn’t get as involved with the
pest management decisions.”
There is definitely a give and take relationship between Adam and his customers. “I feel that any time I talk
to a PCA or talk to a grower, everyone in the conversation
is able to learn something from one another.”
44 August 2013
Taking into account of a broad based approach, integrating a wide range of practices for economic control for
pests is Adam’s idea of IPM.
He also believes that there is more need to educate the
public about IPM and pest control. “Just because a chemical is sprayed on a crop it doesn’t mean that the industry is
harming the environment, harming those who work around
agriculture, or hurting the consumer of the end product,”
he reflects.
As president of the Fresno-Madera chapter, Adam
believes in the value of the PCA and the importance of
CAPCA in the leadership arena for the future. “I would like
to see CAPCA continue its efforts in maintaining the professionalism of all Pest Control Advisers as well as continue
the efforts in reaching out to the younger generations as
they are entering the industry.”
His own ongoing education is important to Adam in
improving his own professionalism. “I continue to attend
CE courses and university research meetings to not only
stay on top of the required CE hours but to also stay current on new products and the best practices to both prevent
and treat pests and diseases.”
In addition to CAPCA, Adam belongs to the St. Agnes
Men’s Club of Fresno CA. The focus and purpose of the
organization is to raise funds for the benefit of the St. Agnes
Medical Center, through the St. Agnes Foundation. ❧