January 10, 2023
Bryce Puckett
Happy New Year, American Rental Association (ARA) Region Four members.
I still can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that we have ushered in a new year. I know last year was quite challenging with labor and supply chain issues, but the latter seems to be easing up a little. To make sure you are geared for a successful new year, you need to be prepared. That means educating your team, connecting with other rental operators to share and learn, having the right equipment for your customers and knowing the latest industry trends.
A great place for all of that is The ARA Show™ in Orlando, Feb. 11-15. It is going to be a terrific show, so make sure you take full advantage of it — the networking, 20-plus hours of education (including the two new Saturday options), the buying and more. I can’t wait to see you there.
As you may have noticed, this newsletter is being offered to you in a new format — a more user-friendly version that leads you to the new-and-improved Rental Management website for industry news. To help you stay connected with your rental colleagues and events happening in your state and region, these newsletters will be arriving in your inbox every month, with a rotation of special guests providing the welcome message. Enjoy it as you stay in the know.
I wanted to let you know that this marks my last official message to you as your regional director. My term ends at the conclusion of the show in February. The good news is you have a great new director coming in. Angela Nussel, CERP, who is the vice president at Premiere Events in Austin, Texas, will hit the ground running. Without speaking too much for her, I know she will be your advocate much in the same way that I and all the directors before me have been.
Many times this message deals with the topic of the season, but I want to take a moment and just have you reflect on how great an industry we have the blessing to be in. We fought through COVID, we survived hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, economic uncertainty and everything in between. Although we’re technically all competitors, not once have I ever seen one rental operator fighting the other in a time of need. Instead, I witnessed again and again those in rental choosing to rally around one another. I like to believe our industry is unique in that way. We focus on what is good for the whole, giving of our time and resources to ARAPAC, local government advocacy, market awareness, education and local community projects. That is awesome to see and makes me so proud to be in this industry.
The ARA in its simplest form is an association directed by rental people for rental people. I have been blessed to be able to serve you, and I appreciate the opportunity you have given me. I want to encourage you to volunteer and be involved. In the end you always get more out of it than you put in. I am living proof of that.
Thank you for making rental a great industry to be in. Here’s to a successful 2023!
Bryce Puckett, Region Four director
Kirby-Smith Machinery
Fort Worth, Texas
817-937-0581
bpuckett@kirby-smith.com
