March 5, 2024
The future leaders of the equipment and event rental industry came together on Sunday, Feb. 18, at the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Reception at The ARA Show™ 2024 in New Orleans. The reception took place at Fulton Alley, which offered attendees the chance to play darts, pool, shuffleboard and bowling; compete with fellow attendees; and have fun while growing their rental network.
Reception attendees were all registered members of the American Rental Association’s (ARA) YPN between the ages of 18 and 40 years old. Even though there are plenty of other chances to connect at the show, including during the education that took place earlier on Sunday, the YPN Reception provided those at the reception the chance to network with rental peers of a similar age.
“The education seminars are a great opportunity to learn, but this gives you an opportunity to network with your peers, talk to people who are like-minded, and you never know who you’re going to meet. You get to have a drink and some food and relax a bit in preparation for the next day,” says Robert Copley, CERP, Event Essentials, Windsor, Wis., and ARA Region Five director.
Event attendees included veteran YPN members, like Copley, along with many who were new to YPN and at the reception for the first time. For those who attended for the first time, it was an eye-opening experience to create new connections.
“I think that it’s important to establish connections with people who can help us and that we have resources across the country. We do events nationally, so to have someone a phone call away that can be a resource is
really valuable,” said Sarah Aguirre, PRO EM National Event Services, Phoenix.
“I really want to meet a lot of people in the industry that I can learn from. I’ve been in rental for less than a year now, so I want to learn as much as I can, get to know people who have been in the industry for longer than me, and just gain as much as I can from being here,” said Kiara Verdesoto, American Party Rentals, Durham, N.C.
ARA’s YPN continues to grow in numbers as it builds the next generation of industry leaders. Annual events like the Young Professionals Conference and the YPN Reception at The ARA Show bring the younger generation together to make their mark on the industry’s future.
“Young people are what is pushing the rental industry. We bring so much to the table with everything that we know about our society and our culture, and we’re just bringing a lot to the table,” Verdesoto said.
More information on YPN events and details on becoming a member of YPN can be found at ARArental.org/young-professional-network.
