The American Rental Association (ARA) recognizes individuals each year for outstanding service to the association and the rental industry. Here are those who will be honored at The Rental Show 2015 in New Orleans.
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes continuing service to the rental industry at the international, national, state and local levels, and is the highest volunteer recognition award given by ARA after the Rental Hall of Fame. Doron Broadfoot of The Rent-It Store in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, receives this year’s award in recognition of his longtime service to ARA, of which he’s been a member since 1975, the ARA Foundation and the Canadian Rental Association (CRA). He continues to be an instrumental part of all three associations with his long-term service.
Broadfoot has been active in CRA for many years, serving on numerous committees and boards and also assisted with regional trade shows in his home province of Saskatchewan and other provinces. He became active at the national level for ARA in 2000, when he was elected Region 10 Director. Since then he’s served on many ARA committees and task forces, including The Rental Show Task Force.
In 2009, Broadfoot joined the ARA Foundation board as a trustee and will complete his second term at the end of 2014. He was Foundation board chair in 2011-2012 and serves as a Rental Advisory Program coach for the Foundation, counseling many others and especially sharing his expertise to others who have suffered fires in their businesses – something that happened at his own business several years ago. He’s also been a strong donor to the Foundation and has received the Foundation’s 1976 Club Award and James Keenan Commemorative Award.
Meritorious Service Award
The Meritorious Service Award recognizes exemplary leadership in a defined area of service, such as work on a national committee, special project or service activity. ARA of Virginia is this year’s recipient.
In 2014, the ARA of Virginia board of directors orchestrated an effort to make theft of services, previously a civil matter, into a crime in the state. Three of the state association directors – Doug Jones, Joel Theros and Bruce Goodson – worked with their local chambers of commerce and connected with key legislative members in Virginia, which enabled them to successfully get a theft of services bill passed and signed by the governor of Virginia. As of July 1, 2014, theft of services is a criminal offense in the state. The law provides that a person found guilty of fraudulent conversion of leased property can be required to pay restitution, including any reasonable loss in revenue due to the inability to rent the equipment while it was out of inventory. The law is a success story for Virginia, and one more step toward strengthening theft of services legislation nationwide to benefit all of the rental industry.
Special Service Award
The Special Service Award honors a rental industry supplier who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry and ARA. This year’s recipient is John Fuchs, general manager of Anchor Industries in Evansville, IN.
Fuchs is a 25-year veteran of Anchor Industries, which has been an ARA associate member since 1974 and will be exhibiting at The Rental Show for the 41st year in 2015. He has been actively involved in ARA on many committees and task forces, including the ARA Insurance and Exhibitor Advisory committees and the Party and Event Services Shared Interest Group. He’s also been involved at the state level, participating in the reorganization of ARA of Indiana. He was honored for that work as the Region Five Person of the Year in 2013. Fuchs also has been an advocate of Events & Tents, ARA’s educational program for party and special event rental held annually at The Rental Show, and has taken a lead role in Anchor Industries’ long-standing sponsorship for the program. He’s also shared his knowledge as a speaker for Events & Tents as well as other ARA programs and state association events.
Outstanding Leadership Award
The Outstanding Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has provided an example of superlative leadership at the grassroots level. This year’s recipient is Paul Kenyon of Absolute Support Services, Toronto. Kenyon is being recognized for his exemplary leadership demonstrated during the past year to strengthen the coordination and communication of benefits to the members of ARA who reside in Canada and similarly are members of the Canadian Rental Association (CRA).
In his role as Region 10 Director on the ARA board of directors, and likewise as a member of the CRA board of directors, he worked with volunteer and staff leadership within both organizations to better define the long-standing working relationship between the two organizations. Through both communication and coordination, Kenyon supported the respective board members in their roles to better define services and efficiencies to streamline the delivery of benefits to members throughout Canada from the ARA and CRA.
Regional Persons of the Year Awards
These awards honor members who have made outstanding contributions to the association and the rental industry on the regional, state, provincial or local levels.
Region 1: Eugene LaPierre, B.C. Tent and Awning Co., Avon, MA.
Region 2: Joel Theros, Theros Equipment, Gainesville, VA.
Region 3: Josh Nickell, Nickell Equipment Rental and Sales, Fayetteville, GA.
Region 4: Randy Caldwell, Southern Equipment Rental, Benton, AR.
Region 5: Andy Zatik, ABC Rental Center, Parma Heights, OH
Region 6: Ashley Pouche, Platte Rental and Supply, Parkville, MO.
Region 7: Barb Bowen Wyatt, Butler Rents, Glendale, CO.
Region 8: Greg Nelson, Pro Rentals and Sales, Boise, ID
Region 9: Tom Hughes, Hometown Rentals, Pomona, CA.
Region 10: Paul Ravary, Location Ravary, Laval, Quebec, Canada
President’s Image Awards
This is a business facility or store award celebrating a commitment to improving the rental industry image through a remodeling, rebuilding or renovation project.
Region 1: Shaughnessy Rental, Plymouth, MA.
Region 3: First Source Rentals, Burlington, NC.
Region 4: Rental World, Harlingen, TX
Region 5: Steffen’s Tool Crib, Covington, KY.
Region 6: Crown Rental, Burnsville, MN.
The Distinguished Service, Meritorious Service, Special Service and Outstanding Leadership Awards will be presented during the Networking Lunch With ARA on Feb. 22. The Regional Persons of the Year and President’s Image Awards will be presented during the Regional Receptions on Feb. 23. The Rental Show is Feb. 22-25 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
