Fifty A.R.A. state and local association incoming presidents attended this year's leadership conference Aug. 27-28 in Denver. The annual conference helps prepare the leaders for their roles in the upcoming year.
Speakers included Michael Williams of the Stephens Law Firms, McLean, Va., A.R.A.'s general counsel. He talked about current legislation affecting the rental industry and specifically about conversion laws and his development of a packet that helped stores in Minnesota. Kyle Cox, Iberia Rental Service, New Iberia, La., then told about his state association's work on tax issues.
Other featured speakers included Mark Towers, Speak Out Seminars, Atlanta, who gave advice on running a successful meeting. Steve Garcia, Garcia's Tents & Events, Albuquerque, N.M., said "Mark Towers was most effective and had lots of good information for us. He sure didn't let you fall asleep."
Also speaking was Mike Hourigan, Hourigan and Associates, Huntersville, N.C., on the subject of time management. "Mike Hourigan's session on how to get everything done and still have a life was excellent," said Terry Bryant, Bryant's Rent-All, Lexington, Ky. "He kept us involved."
A.R.A. officers also fielded questions from the group. Updates were given on the MBA program and A.R.A. Insurance Services. Kevin Lentz of A.R.A.'s advertising agency, Kragie/Newell, Des Moines, Iowa, also spoke about marketing.
Construction Rental Profitability 2000, to be held Feb. 13, 2000, in Anaheim, Calif., will feature keynote speaker, Daniel Kaplan of Daniel Kaplan Associates, Livingston, N.J.. Kaplan is the former president of Hertz Equipment Rental Corp.
After the keynote address, attendees may choose a management or operations track. Kaplan also will present a management session about forecasting profits.
Larry Kaye, past chairperson of the A.R.A.'s Construction and Industrial Equipment Services SIG, will present an analysis of the construction rental industry during the luncheon.
Phil Goldstein, CPA, business consultant and Rental Management financial writer, will present a management session about performance engineering to identify hidden costs and gaps in performance. Goldstein is a partner in Levitan, Yegidis & Goldstein, a business consulting and accounting firm in Middleton, N.Y. He specializes in counseling construction companies.
Tom Shay, a fourth generation retailer and authoer of EZ Cashflow, will give a management session about competitive pricing.
The operations track offers three sessions, including a panel of leading pump experts and afternoon demonstrations that feature submersible, centrifugal, diaphragm and trash pumps.
A brochure was mailed to A.R.A. members in the convention mailer at the beginning of September.
For more information, contact A.R.A. Director of Education Maureen Conway at (800) 334-2177, ext. 241.
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The A.R.A. Board of Directors at its August meeting in Denver adopted bylaws changes that erase the differences among types of member rental companies.
Before the changes, the association drew distinctions among types of member companies: general (or independently owned), national (corporate owned) or franchise. Now, member companies are referred to as general members, and have the same rights and privileges of membership.
In order to improve communication between the association and its member companies, one bylaws change makes a provision for members to designate a specific person in their organization - not necessarily the head of the company - as the designated representative to the A.R.A. That person would receive all communications from the A.R.A. and would be the person authorized to vote in association elections.
While more than one person from a member company can be active in A.R.A. - for example, employees of branch locations could hold offices in several state or local associations at the same time - only one person at a time from any member company can serve on the A.R.A. Board of Directors.
Regardless of the size of the rental business, all members will benefit from another board decision - to observe National Rental Month in April 2000. National Rental Month will focus a publicity spotlight on equipment rental, with special emphasis on contractors, the event industry and do-it-yourselfers.
The event will use commercials promoting equipment rental on a number of cable television networks - The Weather Channel, Home and Garden Television, The Learning Channel, Lifetime, The Nashville Network and ESPN. Print ads will appear in trade publications and special-interest magazines to inform each of the target audiences with information about how rental can benefit them. And every A.R.A.-member rental business will receive a kit of merchandising items that they can use - and add to - in order to bring the National Rental Month observance directly to their customers.
In coming months, a national membership recruitment drive will inform nonmember companies of the advantages to their business of belonging to the association. Despite losing many members to consolidation, A.R.A. membership had a net increase of more than 90 companies in the last year. Even so, the board decided to launch a recruitment campaign now, when A.R.A. has the largest number of members in its history.
To enhance the value of membership, the board voted to adjust the annual convention registration fee, beginning in 2001, so members pay $50 less than nonmembers do. A nonmember's registration fee would be credited toward first-year membership dues, if he or she joins within 30 days after the convention. The full schedule of registration fees will be published well in advance of the 2001 convention in Orlando, Fla.
In response to special petitions from affiliated state associations for revenue-sharing to support state legislative initiatives, the A.R.A. Board voted to approve:
The board also decided to reschedule its 2000 State and Local Associations Leadership Conference to a time and place to serve a maximum number of incoming presidents of those organizations.
Three key leadership positions were filled during the Board meeting:
Jeff Wearing, Ready Rent All, Decatur, Ga., was approved to complete the unexpired term of Larry Kaye, Jax Rental, Jacksonville, Fla., as Construction Special Interest Group chairman. Kaye sold his rental business and was no longer eligible to serve. Luke Fry, American Rental & Party Center, Jacksonville, Ill., was elected a director of A.R.A. Insurance Services. Jack Greenfield, Bunce Rental, Tacoma, Wash., was re-elected to a one-year term as president of AIS.
In his report to the board, President Richard Paquette announced his intention to push for establishment of a Rental Industry Hall of Fame. It would provide recognition for contributions to the rental industry beyond what is possible under the current A.R.A. annual awards. Paquette will present a plan for the new program to the board at its next meeting in February 2000.
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