The American Rental Association’s Region 8 enjoyed a solid turnout for its Northwest Rental Conference in Portland, Ore., last week. Conference organizers said attendance was higher than the last two years, showing an upward trend since regional participants resumed the annual fall conferences, which had been discontinued nationally because of exhibitor dissatisfaction.
The two-day conference, held at the Portland Airport Holiday Inn, featured two days of exhibits, a vendor appreciation dinner and a cruise on the Williamette River. Speakers included John Mitchell, a U.S. Bank economist, who analyzed the region’s economy; RER editor Michael Roth, who spoke on future trends in the rental industry; ARA president Tom Fouts; and Craig Weiss from ARA Rental U.
Region 8 participants presented its vendor of the year award to Neil Edmonds of Essex Silver-Line West, Vancouver, Wash.; and presented its rental person of the year award to Dean Eklund of Lew Rents, Olympia, Wash. Eklund was credited with playing a major role in the revitalization of the regional conferences in the Northwest.
