Brittany Sherwood, owner/lead event coordinator, Tents Unlimited, Torrington, Conn., has taken on the role of president for the ARA of Connecticut. Sherwood, who has been a participant on the ARA of Connecticut board of directors since 2017, succeeds Lindsay Sirochman, CERP, event rental coordinator, Abbey Tent & Party Rentals, Fairfield, Conn.
Tents Unlimited was founded in 1988 and has grown from meeting the event rental needs in Litchfield County to serving the wider spectrum of northwest Connecticut. Sherwood has been a co-owner of Tents Unlimited since 2012 and has a bachelor's degree in PR and marketing with more than 20 years in customer service and hospitality.
Sherwood has been active in the industry as a member of the Manufacturers and Tent Renters Association (MATRA) since 2012 and the American Rental Association (ARA) since 2016. She has attended ARA's Leadership Conference, has represented Connecticut rental operators in Washington, D.C., as part of ARA's National Legislative Caucus and is a member of ARA’s Young Professional Network.
Sherwood’s primary mission during her time as the state chapter’s president is to “engage more of our 90-plus members in the state in our activities, make sure they are aware of all ARA has to offer and really help them get the most out of their membership,” she says.
Another platform for Sherwood will be a push to make sense of the complex web of state and local regulations that event rental companies must contend with.
“I definitely am going to be pushing our state and local officials — fire marshals and building officials — to be a little bit more in unison on enforcement on the party side when it comes to inspections. That’s something we really struggle with because it’s really town-to-town how the rules are interpreted,” she says.