When the opening bell for The ARA Show™ 2021 rang on Sunday, Oct. 17, it had been a long and, for many, difficult 20 months since the equipment and event rental community last gathered face-to-face to network and learn from peers, industry experts and vendors. For those who were in attendance in Las Vegas, it was time to reconnect and focus on the future.
“It’s fantastic to be back — it’s nice to see everybody and network,” said Sarah Wilper, director, Mazzotta Rentals, Middletown, Conn., and ARA of Connecticut vice president, echoing a popular sentiment at this year’s show. “It was weird to not see everybody for two years, but to come back and be out and about feels like a little bit of normalcy.”
The 65th edition of the world’s largest equipment and event rental industry-specific convention and trade show organized by the American Rental Association (ARA) kicked off on Sunday with a full day of education at Resorts World followed by three days of the trade show from Monday, Oct. 18, to Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The educational sessions included presentations by engaging, expert speakers and rental industry panel discussions across tracks in business management, leadership and culture, technology and human resources,
and event. Then, following Monday’s Keynote Session presented by Carey Lohrenz — the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy — attendees focused on the trade show that featured more than 600 exhibitors.
Brittany Sherwood, owner, Tents Unlimited, Torrington, Conn., who also serves as ARA of Connecticut president, described the show as “a great opportunity for us to get out and look at what’s become available in the last 18 months.”
“We are ready to do some buying and see what we can add to our inventory,” she said.
Dave Mansbart, product specialist/trainer, ABLE Equipment Rental, Deer Park, N.Y., and ARA of New York president, agreed with Sherwood’s assessment that the show unlocked unique opportunities between the buyer and seller.
“With the pandemic, we had a lot of time to do things that we’ve wanted to do for a long time. One of these was telematics. I’ve been working on that with a lot of different companies. Now I want to take that information back to the [exhibiting] manufacturers and have specific conversations with each of them to ask, ‘What can you do for me, and what kind of products do you have that can incorporate into what we’re already doing?’ So, I have a plan and a goal here at the show,” Mansbart said.
The first day of the trade show closed with the Regional Receptions, where Lindsay Sirochman, CERP, event rental manager, Abbey Tent & Party Rentals, Fairfield, Conn., was presented in absentia with the ARA Region One Leadership Impact Award.
While attendance at the show was somewhat lighter due to uncertainty around the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, exhibitors said the attendees who came to Las Vegas were there to buy.
“We did not know what to expect and we didn’t really know who was coming, but it has been very positive because the decision-makers are here. There may not be as many people, but the people we are talking to are here to buy,” said Jason Stanczyk, vice president, EDCO, Frederick, Md.
“It feels fantastic to be back and great to be amongst the industry again and see everybody. It’s great to be outside the house. Our staff, except for a couple of people, have barely traveled, so to have that sense of normalcy is fantastic and we’re glad ARA moved forward with having the show,” Stanczyk said.
In addition to the trade show on Tuesday, the day started with the return of the Women in Rental Breakfast, which featured guest speaker JJ DiGeronimo, president of Tech Savvy Women — a national organization of experienced women in technology.
Beth Hoff Blackmer, president, Aspen Rent-All, Basalt, Colo., who also serves as ARA board chair, commented on the impact that ARA’s Women in Rental program is having across the equipment and event rental industry.
“Women in Rental has shown the industry that there’s women here who make a difference and are decision-makers,” she said.
Tony Conant, ARA CEO, welcoming the equipment and event rental industry back together for the first time since the last show in February 2020, said it all with: “Welcome to The ARA Show 2021. I’ve been waiting for a while to say those words. It’s so good to be here.”