June 13, 2024
Brian Richardson, ARA Region Two director
Greetings American Rental Association (ARA) Region Two. Summer has arrived here in the mid-Atlantic and I know that like the temperature, business is heating up. Please keep an eye on your mailboxes as our state associations are planning many great summer events. I hope that you and your staff will get out and support your state chapter boards who are planning these events for you.
You can also stay up to date on what’s happening locally at ARA’s Calendar of Events.
As I write this, I am traveling to my hometown of Lewiston, Maine, where I will be joining ARA of Maine members to assist in an ARA Foundation Community Impact Program project at Veterans Memorial Park, which was damaged by flooding back in December.
This project is very special to me as I have known many of the people honored at the memorial, including my dad, Davis Richardson. I want to especially thank ARA Region One Director Sarah Wilper, CERP, and ARA of Maine President Dan Morris for undertaking this project and allowing me to be part of it.
Thanks to the generous support of The Toro Company Foundation, ARA state chapter board members, and countless volunteers from the rental community, the ARA Foundation has been able to make a meaningful impact in numerous communities across the U.S. and Canada through the Community Impact Program. Check out the page to learn more and see how to submit a project near you for consideration.
Have you checked out RentalU lately? ARA’s online learning platform has more than 33 courses available, including the recently-added “Foundations of Safe Tenting” — essential viewing for anyone involved in renting tents for events.
Many of our team members here at L & A have enrolled in certification programs at RentalU, including those involving Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), Forklift Training and Box Truck Training. Certification programs like these and the Tent Ballasting video series have really upped our professional game. I urge you to check them out for yourself and even though things are busy, it’s always a good idea to carve out some time to review even some of the shorter videos to keep good and safe practices in mind.
The dates are set for this year’s ARA Women in Rental (WIR) and Young Professional Network (YPN) conferences. Sending key staff members to these events is a great way to keep them engaged in the industry and, by extension, your business. WIR will take place Oct. 21 – 22 with YPN to immediately follow on Oct. 23 – 24. Both conferences will take place in Nashville, Tenn., with registration to open July 2. Don’t let registration slip past you amid the frenzy of summer. These events sell out quickly, so I strongly encourage you to register early to secure your spot. You can find full details on both conferences and registration information here.
This is the time of year when ARA gathers nominations for its annual Industry Awards — including the Rental Hall of Fame and a variety of Industry Contributor Awards. Do you know someone in the equipment and event rental community who has gone above and beyond to help the industry thrive? You can help ARA give that individual the recognition they deserve. All it takes is a nomination from you. Visit ARArental.org/Industry-Awards to learn more and submit your nomination(s). The deadline is Friday, Aug. 9. Recipients selected will be honored at The ARA Show™ 2025 in Las Vegas.
Wishing you a successful summer and I hope to see you at some local events.
Brian Richardson, ARA Region Two director
L & A Tent Rentals
Trenton, N.J.
609-584-0054
brian@latents.com
