March 14, 2024
Alberto Pianelli
Hello, my fellow American Rental Association (ARA) Region Nine members.
I am so pumped from The ARA Show™ that was in New Orleans a few weeks ago. It was awesome! I always come back re-energized and ready to tackle the new year. Everything was so inspiring, from the educational sessions and the keynote to the trade show, the Regional Receptions and all the events. It was awesome, and I loved seeing so many members from our region in New Orleans!
I also must give a shoutout to Michelle Nelson from MK Equipment Corp. in Hawaii. She received the Region Nine Leadership Impact Award at our Regional Reception. Way to go, Michelle. Learn more about why she was so honored in the story in this issue.
The week after I came back from the show, I headed out again, this time to Hawaii, to visit with members there. That was a wonderful experience. The members of the Hawaii Task Force have done such a tremendous job. It was great to see so many rental colleagues in the Aloha State. We hope to schedule a Legislative Day in the near future.
I hope you caught the latest update from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding renewable diesel. For more details, read the story running in this issue.
Now that we are entering our busy spring season, I would like to touch on an important subject that every rental operation, whether equipment or event, needs to pay attention to. That is employee retention. Why? Because it is good for morale and good for your business.
Your employees are the face of your operation. They make your operation flow. If they feel good about where they are working, everyone, including your customers, will see it. It rubs off on everyone. The benefits are well-documented:
- Better customer experience and customer satisfaction.
- Increased productivity.
- Stronger work culture.
- Easier onboarding experience.
- Employees who have a vested interest in taking care of the business.
So invest in your employees, show them how important they are to your operation and make sure they know they are part of the team. For help in this, check out the resources from ARA, including those from RentalU. If you have questions, contact education@ararental.org.
Investing in your employees is investing in your business. Start investing now.
Before I close, I would like to offer our condolences to the family of William Robert “Bob” Bradshaw, who died Jan. 21 in Florida. Bob was well-known and well-liked by so many in the California rental industry, having worked at Genie for 22 years before he retired in 2019. He also served as the ARA of California associate member director-at large from 2011-2012. His son, W. Benjamin “Ben,” senior vice president of sales at H & E Equipment Services, followed in his father’s footsteps of service by serving on the ARA of California board from 2021-2022 before he was transferred to Baton Rouge, La.
Have a great spring!
Alberto Pianelli, Region Nine director
F & B Rentals
Santa Ana, Calif.
949-307-8301
alberto@fbrentals.com
