Progress continues on plans to establish an A.R.A. Party and Event Rental Certification Program. The project's ad hoc committee met in mid-November and chose the term "CERP" (Certified Event Rental Professional) as the designation to those who complete the certification. Neil Graham of Stephens Law Firm, A.R.A. general counsel, had researched several designations, and determined that A.R.A. may use CERP once it is registered with the U.S. Trademark Office.

The Foundations in Party and Event Rental Industry coursework is well under way. There are sections on Management Basics, Sales Strategies, Operations Principles, Products and Services, and Career Paths and Leadership. A "point sheet" to qualify for sitting for certification exams will be distributed with "document collection packets" at the A.R.A. convention in February. Efforts also are under way to secure partners in this certification process for customized publishing services and university psychometric/testing services.

There will be introductory writings requested for the foundation course completed in the near future. These introductory articles will include subjects such the history, leadership, professionalism, cycles of renting and partnership building in the party and event rental industry.

The nine CERP specialties confirmed in the latest meeting are Linens, Tenting, Tabletop, Ancillary Markets, Staging and Risers, Props/

Decor/Theme, Electrical/Lighting, Storage/Warehousing/Delivery, and Sound and A/V.

DACUMs (Develop a Curriculum) are under way with input from field personnel who perform the work in the industry. In Baltimore in early November, the Tent Installation Foreman DACUM identified the competencies of that occupation with the assistance of eight foremen. Shortly after that, DACUM workshops on storage/warehouser/mechanic and operations manager/dispatcher/ router were conducted in Chicago. An event designer DACUM is being planned for January.

Members of the certification ad-hoc committee are Maun Petersen, Diamond Rental & Sales, Salt Lake City, chairperson; John Crabbe Jr., Vermont Tent Co., South Burlington, Vt.; Deb Penk-Reeb, Party Animals, Casper, Wyo.; Jane Gillespie, Festive Occasions, Woburn, Mass.; Steve Belliveau, Tentwares, Londonderry, N.H.; Charles Neffle, All Occasions Event Rental, Cincinnati, A.R.A. board liaison; and Maureen Conway, A.R.A. director of education, staff liaison.