Warren Clayton, ARA of South Carolina president, offers a look at what’s ahead

July 7, 2023

Warren Clayton

Hello, American Rental Association (ARA) Region Three members. I’m Warren Clayton, president of Asheville Hwy Rental in Spartanburg, S.C., and president of the ARA of South Carolina. It’s a hectic time for most everybody in our line of work right now — and that’s good — but I hope you’ll find time to take a breath and sign up for some of the exciting industry events that are coming up.

On July 14-16, the ARA of Florida will host its annual Summer Getaway in Clearwater Beach, Fla.

On July 20-21, we’re excited to present another Women’s Retreat for members here in the ARA of South Carolina. This year, we’re encouraging attendees to invite a young professional (woman in rental under age 40) to attend as their guest as an opportunity to empower the next generation of industry leaders.

On Aug. 8, the ARA of Georgia will present a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at Cinelease Studios – Three Ring, Covington, Ga., to get an insider’s view of the state-of-the-art motion picture studio, peek at sets and props, and hear stories from behind the camera from an expert tour guide.

The ARA of North Carolina will host a Family & Staff Appreciation event at Carowinds on Aug. 13.

Over the weekend of Aug. 17-19, the ARA of Alabama is hosting a Weekend on the Gulf.

Then, on Aug. 20, The ARA of Mississippi will host a Mississippi Braves vs. Biloxi Shuckers baseball game outing at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.

In October, the ARA Women in Rental and Young Professional Network (YPN) conferences will take place right here in Region Three, in Clearwater Beach, Fla. The Women in Rental conference is sold out, but seats still remain for the YPN conference.

Go to the ARA Calendar of Events for more information on all these events and to register.

I personally get so much out of going to events like all of these, on both a personal and professional level. For instance, our last two events here in South Carolina were a tour of BOMAG’s facility in Ridgeway, S.C., in December, and a Family and Staff Appreciation Day at Carowinds in June. Talk about a great mix of education (getting a firsthand look at how a world market leader operates at BOMAG) and fun (rides, water park and fun with family and industry friends at Carowinds).

Keep an eye on your email for all the events your state-level ARA leaders are organizing for later in the summer and heading into the fall, and plan to attend. You’ll be glad you did.

I also want to give a shout-out to the industry up-and-comers from our region who have received scholarships through the ARA Foundation and its affiliate programs for the 2023-2024 school year:

Megan Geho, West Coast Rental, Land O’ Lakes, Fla., who received the Leonard Hawk Founders Scholarship worth $5,000 and an ARA of Florida Scholarship worth $1,000 for a total of $6,000.
Ryan Wechsler, Atlas Event Rental, Boynton Beach, Fla., who received an ARA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship worth $3,500 and an ARA of Florida Scholarship worth $1,000 for a total of $4,500.
Wendy Arthur, Dixie Equipment Rental, Sylvania, Ga., who received an ARA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship worth $2,000 and an ARA of Georgia Scholarship worth $2,000 for a total of $4,000.
Amy Goodwin, CJ Rentals, Millbrook, Ala., who received an ARA of Alabama Scholarship worth $1,000.
Jack Throop, Moore’s Ace Hardware, Jupiter, Fla., who received an ARA of Florida Scholarship worth $1,000.
Alexander Lohrman, Party Reflections, Greensboro, N.C., who received an ARA of North Carolina Scholarship worth $1,000.
Emma Hatcher, Sunbelt Rentals, Blountsville, Tenn., who received an ARA of Tennessee Scholarship worth $1,000.