Serving on the ARA of New Jersey board in a variety of capacities for nine years and as chair of the American Rental Association (ARA) Government Affairs Committee from 2019 to 2021 has offered Brian Richardson, president and CEO, L & A Tent Rentals, Hamilton, N.J., a deep familiarity with the members of the equipment and event rental community. When he assumes his new role as ARA Region Two director this spring, he looks forward to achieving a personal goal of forging new bonds on a grander scale.
“I have always enjoyed traveling and networking with my industry peers,” Richardson says. “This position will allow me to continue to meet new people within our industry. I am very excited to be part of the board of directors and to work with the ARA staff to continue delivering value to members, providing networking and career growth opportunities to our industry.”
Richardson will succeed Michael Fitzwater, general manager, Special Events Entertainment, Portsmouth, Va. as Region Two director in March 2022.
As Richardson gears up for his new role, he is reaching back to his experience as a trainer and a springboard for promoting industry education initiatives. Richardson has conducted sessions for state and local fire departments and for ARA state associations in the proper installations of tents and fabric structures. He also contributed to the latest revision of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Procedural Handbook on the safe installation of tenting in 2017.
“During my time on the ARA board, I hope to support ARA’s mission while identifying new opportunities and contributing to continuous improvement of our organization. I look forward to continuing my mission of the importance of educating rental companies on the proper policies and safety procedures to make our industry safer,” Richardson says.