March 14, 2023
John Bibbo, CERP, second from right, received The ARA Foundation 1976 Club Award for his company, Event Source, at The ARA Show.
There are so many memorable experiences that occur at The ARA Show™ — the numerous educational seminars, the trade show, all the events and the networking. One that stands out is when those in the industry are honored for their dedication and service. This year’s show in Orlando was no exception. See who was honored in Region Five.
ARA Foundation 1976 Club: Event Source, accepted by John Bibbo, CERP, Event Source
Bibbo, president of Event Source as well as Panache Events and So Cool Events, Pompano Beach, Fla., has been an active association volunteer for years, including serving as president of the American Rental Association (ARA) Board of Directors from 2019-2020.
That service started in 1998 when he served as president of the Northeastern Ohio Rental Association. His national service began in 2014, serving on almost every committee and task force, including on the ARA Foundation Board of Trustees from 2018-2021.
A recipient of several awards, including the Rental Excellence Award: Party & Event Services — Best Business in 1999, the President’s Image Award in 2002 and 2009, and The Rental Show First Recipient Award in 2012, he was recognized at The ARA Show™ in February with the ARA Foundation 1976 Club Award, one of the philanthropic organization’s highest honors.
This award is presented in honor of the year the ARA Foundation was established. This award goes to those who have contributed a total of $5,000 or more to the ARA Foundation in a single year.
Dean Miller, CERP, left, presents Dan Fielitz with the ARA Leadership Impact Award for Region Five.
The reason why he is so passionate about supporting the ARA Foundation is because, “from my early days in the industry, ARA leaders were very helpful in navigating the ins and outs of our industry. This inspired me to be a leader in ARA and give back to the organization and industry. As a former officer of ARA, I feel my contributions helped the association in many ways. Now that my board service is over, I want to still continue to help develop and bring good things to those who are just entering our industry and/or those in need. The Scholarship Program and the Disaster Relief Programs that I currently support help both functions. My contributions to the ARA Foundation ensure that those programs are supported long into the future,” he says.
Leadership Impact Award: Dan Fielitz, General Rent-All, Massillon, Ohio
Fielitz, president of General Rent-All, has been involved in both the local and state associations for many years. He has been involved with the ARA of Ohio since 2014, serving as president from 2020-2022 and currently serves as chair of the board. He served as secretary of the Northeastern Ohio Rental Association from 2017-2019. On the national level, he served on the Construction/Industrial Services and General Tool Shared Interest Group (SIG) from 2014-2015. Also, he served on the Equipment Rental SIG during 2022 and will continue to do so through the end of this year.
For his efforts, he received the Leadership Impact Award for Region Five at the show. Fielitz still can’t quite believe he was honored in this way.
“I’m flattered that someone felt strongly enough about a contribution I made to nominate me, even though I don’t know what I did to deserve this acknowledgment. I am just glad to have been able to help and serve. There are a lot of well-intentioned people who have put a lot of effort into this association. I am proud to have been considered a useful part of their work,” he says.
