February 7, 2023
Chris Graeler, left, has joined the ARA of Missouri board of directors
Chris Graeler, owner, Expert Rentals, St. Peters, Mo., became the newest member of the ARA of Missouri board of directors at the conclusion of the state chapter’s board elections in December.
Graeler has been the owner and operator of Expert Rentals for 16 years but has been involved in the equipment rental industry for nearly 30. “I started working in this industry at the age of 16. It was my first job while in high school. I worked for this company for five years before moving to a national rental company. I spent seven years working for the national company before starting my own business in 2006,” he says.
RentalU and the partnership with the National Equipment Register (NER) are among the benefits that Graeler places at the top of the list for American Rental Association (ARA) value. Also among these are government affairs and advocacy, and it is in these arenas that he hopes to make a big impact as an ARA of Missouri board member.
“My goal is to see work on Missouri lien laws as it relates to equipment rental,” he says. “Currently Missouri lien law 429.010 has exclusions for rental equipment that make it difficult to file liens on property where rented equipment was used to improve the property. Currently Missouri law states it can only be a commercial property, and the value must exceed $5,000. The change of this law could be helpful for both the state and the rental company. If the rental company does not collect the rent, no sales tax is generated for the state.”
