July 7, 2023
Jared Medaris
Happy summer to all American Rental Association (ARA) members in Region Nine.
My event rental business has thrived during our busy graduation season. I feel like this year is setting a precedent for the new normal. The effects of the pandemic seem to be settling and a lot of our event rental clients are back holding annual events. I hope you all have had a great start to summer, too.
Some of the ARA of California members who enjoyed an evening at the ballpark June 24 to see the San Diego Padres take on the San Francisco Giants
The ARA of California is on the same path. Last month we offered baseball games in both Northern and Southern California. They were a blast! See more about the fun we had on our ARA of California Facebook page.
We are continuing that outreach with more social and educational events this summer and fall. We hope you can join us at the following gatherings:
- July 19: The state chapter is hosting the MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) Train-the-Trainer event in Southern California. There is still room to register for the morning and afternoon sessions.
- Aug. 1-3: James Auerbach, ARA vice president, event segment leader, and I will be hitting the road for our summer tour of California. Join us. You will be able to meet James, learn how to get the most out of your ARA membership and enjoy tours of member businesses. On Aug. 1, we will be at Encore Events Rentals in Windsor, Calif. On Aug. 2, we will be at my operation, Expo Events, in Fresno, Calif., and on Aug. 3, we’ll be at Yennis Party Rentals in Orange, Calif. I am so stoked for the opportunity to accompany him and meet with members from north to south.
- Sept. 13: The ARA of California will be sponsoring the educational speaker for the California Rental Association Vintage Territory meeting at Made in the Shade Tent Rentals in West Sacramento. Paul Smith from Ogletree Deakins, a law firm affiliated with ARA that specializes in human resources law, will be giving members an update on current employee law. You won’t want to miss this.
- Oct. 19: Your state chapter will be hosting another Topgolf extravaganza — at three locations (San Jose, Roseville and El Segundo) on the same evening. We had a great time hosting this event last year. I am not a golfer, but I loved seeing the scores from all three locations on the leaderboard. I am looking forward to participating again.
- November: We plan to host a Football Tailgate for the Fresno State vs. Boise State game in my hometown of Fresno. Our state chapter wants to give members of the Central San Joaquin Valley a chance to spend time together, network and socialize.
There also will be exciting events planned for those in Hawaii.
- July 26: Take advantage of the ARA MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) Train-the-Trainer event and ARA MEWP Operator Training, both at Calvary Chapel Christian School in Aeia, Hawaii. Online classroom training and testing via RentalU must be completed by Monday, July 24.
- July 27. The next day, attend ARA Resources 101 at Accel Tents & Events in Honolulu. You will learn about the many valuable resources available from ARA, including how to formulate an in-house safety program.
All of these events, whether on the mainland or Hawaii, are about making connections, networking and learning how to make your business even better. All are valuable parts of your ARA membership, so I hope you can attend.
I also want to congratulate recipients of the ARA Foundation and affiliate scholarships. A total of $123,500 in scholarship funds has been awarded to 43 students for the 2023-2024 school year. Students from Region Nine who were honored include:
- Aaliyah Perillo, Danny Thomas Party Rentals, Sunnyvale, Calif., who received an ARA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship worth $2,000 and an ARA of California Scholarship worth $1,500 for a total of $3,500.
- Joshua Alarcon, Far West Rents & Ready Mix, Lincoln, Calif., who received an ARA of California Scholarship worth $1,500.
Please offer your congratulations to these students and be sure to tell those in your operation who are thinking of going on to school to pursue a career in the industry to apply next time. These funds can go a long way to help defer the cost of an education.
I look forward to seeing you this summer and fall.
Jared Medaris, CERP, ARA of California president
Expo Events
Fresno, Calif.
559-495-3300
jared@exporentals.com
