Each year, the American Rental Association honors outstanding volunteers for their service to the association. The Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, Special Service and Outstanding Leadership Awards will be presented during Lunch with ARA on Sunday, Feb. 10, at The Rental Show in Las Vegas, while the Regional Persons of the Year and President’s Image Awards are presented during the regional receptions on Monday, Feb. 11.
Hal Roe, president of Bradley Rentals in Cleveland, Tenn., will receive this year’s Distinguished Service Award. He is being honored for his continued service and dedication to ARA since 1992, when his business opened. This award, the association’s most prestigious next to the Rental Hall of Fame, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership with long-term service to the association at the national, state/provincial and local levels.
Roe served on the ARA of Tennessee board and on a wide range of committees for ARA as well as the ARA Insurance board, the ARA Political Action Committee Council and ARA Foundation board. He was elected an officer of the ARA board in 2009, serving as president-elect, president and chairman of the board. He continues to serve as an ARA Foundation Rental Executive Advisory Program advisor, providing mentoring and guidance to others within the industry.
Terry Bryant, president of Bryant’s Rent-All of Lexington in Lexington, Ky., will receive the Meritorious Service Award for his personal activity, support and dedication in the area of public policy and government affairs. He has been a member of ARA since 1976. Bryant has served as the legislative chair for ARA of Kentucky, as well as on ARA’s Government Affairs Committee, and has been a continuous supporter of ARAPAC for more than 17 years.
The Special Service Award recognizes an industry supplier who has made an outstanding contribution to the association. It will be presented to Dave Garton, marketing manager for John Deere, Moline, Ill.
Garton has worked in the rental industry and been involved with ARA since 2006, serving on the Construction and Industrial Services Shared Interest Group and Construction U Task Force. Currently he’s serving a three-year term as ARA Foundation trustee. He has also worked with John Deere in support of The Rental Show sponsorships and donations for the ARA Foundation charity auction.
The Recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award has demonstrated leadership at the grassroots level — state, local or provincial. Darren Morizet , owner of PartyTime Rentals in Poughquag, N.Y., is this year’s recipient. He is being recognized for his work in reactivating ARA of New York.
The Regional Persons of the Year are ARA members who have made outstanding contributions to the association and the rental industry on the regional, state, provincial or local levels. Recipients this year are:
- Region 1: George Jones, Solutions by Computer, North Bennington, Vt.
- Region 2: Carol Frederick, Tel-Power Tool and Equipment Rental, Altoona, Pa.
- Region 3: Jim Browning, The Browning Agency, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
- Region 4: Willie Strange, Eagle Rentals, Seguin, Texas
- Region 5: John Fuchs, Anchor Industries, Evansville, Ind.
- Region 6: The late Dennis Vis, Attema Marketing, Burnsville, Minn.
- Region 7: Joseph Muench, ProCon, Las Cruces, N.M.
- Region 8: Mike Blaisdell, Bunce Rental, Tacoma, Wash.
- Region 9: Ted Cook, Ventura Rental Center, Ventura, Calif.
- Region 10: Mike Maltby: Ingersoll Rent-All, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
The following are recipients of the President’s Image Award, which recognizes a business facility or store that shows a commitment to improving the rental industry image through a remodeling, rebuilding or renovation project:
- Aspen Rent-All, Aspen Colo. – Beth Hoff Blackmer
- Aurora Rents, Seattle – Larry Steele
- George’s Tool Rental, Hatfield, Pa. – Alan Wismer
- One Stop Party Shop, Webster, Texas – Karen Keesler
- Rental World, Harlingen, Texas – Bryan Wolf
- Robinson’s Hardware, Hudson, Mass. – Steve Reitter
Headquartered in Moline, Ill., ARA is an international trade association for owners of equipment rental businesses and the manufacturers and suppliers of construction/industrial, general tool and party/event rental equipment.
