November 28, 2023
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell, an equipment rental industry veteran and key player in the launching of the rental program for Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, Ind., has been named to the Rental Hall of Fame.
The Rental Hall of Fame was created by the American Rental Association (ARA) in 2000 to honor those individuals who have changed the trajectory of the equipment and event rental industry. Each year, nominations are accepted to recognize outstanding industry leaders who have made a substantial and lasting impact on the industry’s success and growth at the national and/or international level.
Campbell began his career in 1968 in Fort Wayne, Ind., as an employee of an independent rental store. In 1974 he relocated to the Cincinnati area. Then in 1984, he founded L&B Equipment Rental in Harrison, Ohio.
As a rental operator, Campbell served a term as vice president of the ARA of Ohio and two terms as president of the Greater Cincinnati Tool Rental Association. In 1989, he earned an ARA President’s Image Award for L&B Equipment Rental. Campbell sold his rental business in 1992, retired, and became a rental consultant.
Campbell helped rental software provider JK Data Systems, Tampa, Fla., develop and enhance its features in a rental software enhancement.
During the early 1990s, he wrote a monthly column for Rental Management magazine titled “Discovering Rental.”
In 1994, Campbell was instrumental in the launching of a rental program for Do it Best Corp., then known as HWI (Hardware Wholesalers, Inc.). Do it Best Corp., a cooperative that supplies products and services to independent hardware, lumber, and home improvement retailers, was looking for an expert with rental knowledge to help develop the program. Campbell contributed his consulting services to the initiative and helped many Do it Best Corp. members become successful rental operators.
Campbell helped create the Do it Best Rental School — a member education event through which he provided extensive knowledge of equipment, procedures, safety, the latest trends and strong financial knowledge. Through this program, Campbell aimed to instill high standards and the importance of product quality, inventory and customer service.
Over the years, Campbell has worked to continuously enhance the Do it Best Rental School’s curriculum and offerings. Along the way, he has served as an invaluable resource for learning all aspects of the rental industry for program members across the U.S. and abroad.
Campbell has hosted on-site tailored training days each year to help Do it Best Corp. members fine-tune their businesses and boost profits. He has visited members’ stores domestically and internationally to champion the benefits that rental provides, and during the pandemic, he adapted his curriculum to serve more than 50 members by holding two virtual Rental Schools. He remains available 365 days a year to answer questions or offer advice in times of crisis to Do it Best Corp. program members.
Campbell also strongly advocates for his Do it Best Rental School students to become active in ARA both locally and nationally.
