March 14, 2023
Leon Kothmann, second from left, received the ARA Industry Ambassador Award for the late Fred Dupy.
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 Four.
Industry Ambassador Award: Frederick “Fred” Dupy, American Party Rental, Austin, Texas
Dupy, who served as president of American Party Rental, passed in May 2022. He was very active in the association over the years. He served at the local, state and national levels, including the:
- Heart of Texas Rental Association, from 1995-2006, serving as president in 1996-2000 and then again in 2006.
- Texas Rental Association (TRA), from 1997-2020, serving as president in both 2000 and 2018.
- American Rental Association (ARA) Volunteer Recognition Awards Committee, from 2019-2020.
- Field Services Ad Hoc Committee and chair of Business Development, from 2000-2001.
- General Tool & Equipment Shared Interest Group, from 2005-2006.
- ARA Foundation Board of Trustees, from 2018-2022, serving as chair in 2020.
His service and hard work were recognized numerous times. He received the President’s Image Award in 2003, the Region Four Person of the Year in 2004 and 2012 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Dupy and his wife, Monica, also were recognized with the ARA Foundation’s highest honors for their philanthropic efforts. They received the 1976 Club Award six times and the James Keenan Award eight times beginning in 2012.
Dillon Hughes, second from left, received the ARA Rising Star Award at The ARA Show.
Dupy’s good friend, Leon Kothmann, ARA Insurance preferred agent and owner of Leon Kothmann Insurance Agency, accepted this award on behalf of Dupy’s family. Fred’s brother, William “Bill,” Dupy, vice president of American Party Rental, and his wife, Michelle, offered the following comments about Fred, particularly the new Fred Dupy Memorial Scholarship that was established in his honor by the Texas Rental Association.
“Fred never sought recognition. He never allowed his physical disabilities to dictate his day, nor his dedication to the rental industry, its members or its partners. Every one of you were his family, and, as such, he wanted each of you to succeed. Fred was humble about his own good fortune and quick to tell you the value of hard work and honesty!
“This scholarship represents the most special place in Fred’s heart, which was for the ‘up and coming.’ He wanted to help launch people into the best version of themselves and then watch them grow.
“Fred would be proud of this award and the establishment of the memorial scholarship in his name, not for his namesake, but for those deserving recipients who will, in their own time, make great impacts on our industry!”
Rising Star Award: Dillon Hughes, Only 1 Rentals, Navasota, Texas
Hughes, who started Only 1 Rentals while still in college 11 years ago, has been very active in TRA, serving in every role on the state chapter board. He first served on the board of directors, then secretary/treasurer, then vice president, then president from 2021-2022 and is now immediate past president.
Bryce Puckett, left, presents the ARA Leadership Impact Award to Marty Bamburg.
He was named one of the “12 to watch under 40” in the September 2018 issue of Rental Management and received the President’s Image Award in 2019.
When asked how he felt about receiving this latest honor, he says, “If I had to use one word, I’d say humbling. We try to do what we feel is best for the customer and the growth of the company. We don’t have the accolades in the forefront of our minds in our day-to-day operations or yearly planning, but it’s humbling to see what we do doesn’t go unrecognized,” he says.
Leadership Impact Award: Martin “Marty” Bamburg, Bamco of LA d/b/a Bayou Bounce Co., Shreveport, La.
Bamburg, owner of Bamco of LA d/b/a Bayou Bounce Co., has been active in the ARA of Louisiana since 2017. He has been serving as the state chapter’s president since 2019.
For all his efforts, he received the Leadership Impact Award for Region Four at the show. Bamburg is still a little overwhelmed, not only that he was nominated but also that he received this award.
“It is an honor to even be mentioned at all because so many people in this business — as a collective unit — make everything go. I have so many great people on the ARA of Louisiana board. I look up to them. They offer quality products and quality work. That is what I want people to say when they come to my operation — that we do good work. Receiving this award means the world to me,” he says.
Bamburg’s gratitude overflows when talking about this recognition. “I am so appreciative of the ARA. The association and the people in this industry have been very good to me. I have met so many people in the rental industry and have made so many friends. I know that I can pick up the phone and ask this or that and receive an answer or guidance on where to get the answer. I am so thankful to my board and everyone in Region Four for recognizing me in this way,” he says.
