On April 26, American Rental Association (ARA) members in New York got together for a special event that blended Topgolf fun and a primer on how to develop effective rental contracts.
The ARA of New York’s double-bill program was hosted at Topgolf in Holtsville, N.Y., where attendees enjoyed food, drinks and golfing. For attendees like Giovanni Femia, regional manager, Partner Rentals,
Kingston, N.Y., who also serves on the ARA of New York board, the venue was ideal for fun and rental peer interaction.
“This was my second time at a Topgolf facility,” Femia says. “It is extremely fun and interactive. It’s a great time for all golf skill levels. The venue, networking and group interaction was all amazing. It was well worth my three-hour drive out to Long Island.”
Dov Goodman, managing owner/CEO, Rent A Tool, Brooklyn, N.Y., who also serves on the ARA of New York board, agrees that Topgolf was a great choice of location. “We did Topgolf at the March 2020 ARA YPN [Young Professional Network] event in Orlando. That was amazing and fun, and this event was as well. I met new people and got some more industry connections going,” he says.
“Topgolf was fantastic. Much like the [ARA of New York-hosted] Yankee games, the value of what we pay to what we get is totally appreciated,” says Mark DeLeon, operations and strategic client manager, PMT Forklift Corp., West Babylon, N.Y.
During the business education portion of the evening, James Waite, Esq., of James Waite Law, advised attendees on the relevant clauses related to cancellations, acts of God, enforcing (or not) rental cancellation policies, essential language for rental contracts, their responsibilities as rental operators and more.
“James did an amazing and thorough job throughout his entire presentation, which was extremely informative and kept the whole group engaged. He presented a lot of great fail-safes for our ever-changing industry,” Femia says.
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| James Waite, Esq., delivered rental contract advice remotely at the ARA of New York Topgolf event. |
Goodman agrees that Waite’s presentation was informative, even to the point of inspiring him to make immediate adjustments to his own rental contract. “James was great, and he shared a lot of knowledge. After the presentation, I spoke to Dave Mansbart [of ABLE Equipment Rental, Deer Park, N.Y., who serves as ARA of New York president] and told him I’ve got to change my contract immediately!” he says.
Attending the event turned out to be a money-saver for DeLeon. “Our lawyer charges over $375 per hour. The materials James presented and how he explained them were timely and valuable. And [Waite’s offer of] a free review of our documents? That is fantastic,” he says, adding that between the subject matter, the peer interactions and the Topgolf venue, he asks the ARA of New York to “please do this again. The networking is great.”
Goodman suggests that ARA members in New York can indeed expect more events down the road that blend fun and rental education. “The ARA of New York board would love to arrange more of those events, and we are working on it,” he says.