During The Rental Show each year, the American Rental Association recognizes individuals for outstanding service to the Association and the rental industry. Following is the list of award recipients for The Rental Show 2009, which was March 2 to 5 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Distinguished Service Award
This award, which recognizes an ARA member for continuous involvement and contributions to ARA at the international, national, regional, state and local levels, was presented to Gene Rahll, vice president of Rabern Rentals, Amarillo, Texas, and partner in ABC Rental Centers in Catonsville, Md., Towson, Md., and Columbia, Md. Throughout his 40-year rental career, Rahll has hired and mentored nine rental entrepreneurs who, with Rahll’s guidance and support, since have gone on to successfully run their own rental businesses.
Rahll has been active in ARA, serving as Region Two director and currently as an ARA Foundation REAP (Rental Executive Advisory Program) advisor, and with the former Maryland Equipment Rental Association.
Meritorious Service Award
Nancy Marshall-Vokorokos of Reading Rentals, Reading, Pa., received the Meritorious Service Award. The award honors an ARA member who has made a significant contribution and demonstrated leadership pivotal to the success of a project or program. Marshall-Vokorokos is being recognized for her work with the ARA Foundation scholarship program. As a trustee from 2006 to 2008, she was instrumental in creating the foundation scholarships for technical and vocational students in 2007 and worked to develop the affiliate scholarship program.
Special Service Award
The Special Service Award, presented to an individual not in the general rental business who has made significant contributions through involvement in ARA, was presented to Roger Euliss, who retired as president of Multiquip at the end of 2008. He is being recognized for the company’s involvement with the National Equipment Register (NER). In 2007, Multiquip began registering equipment that sells with NER to help its customers combat equipment theft. Other equipment manufacturers have since followed Multiquip’s lead.
Outstanding Leadership Award
Recipients of this award provide examples of superlative leadership at the grassroots level of the American Rental Association. Timothy Cahall, of The Main Event, Mount Airy, Md., was honored for his work in reactivating ARA of Maryland.
Regional Person of the Year Awards
This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions at the regional, state or local level.
Region One — Eugene LaPierre, retired, West Springfield, Mass.
Region Two — John Haedo, National Insurance Specialists, Garnet Valley, Pa.
Region Three — Roscoe Nesmith, Portable Air Conditioning, Cocoa, Fla.
Region Four — Willie Strange, Eagle Rentals, Seguin, Texas
Region Five — Dick Fullmer, Caro Rental, Caro, Mich.
Region Six — Bob McClelland, Bob McClelland Sales Co./Party On, Buffalo, Mo.
Region Six — Michelle Evans, Evans Equipment Co., Glenwood, Iowa
Region Seven — Krista L. O’Rourke, USI Rental Specialties, Elizabeth, Colo.
Region Eight — Doug Hanson, A-1 Rentals, Billings, Mont.
Region Nine — Sherri Creighton, Pleasanton Rentals, Pleasanton, Calif.
Region 10 — Ken Fingler, Hayhurst Elias Dudek, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
President’s Image Award
This is a store award that celebrates a commitment to improving the rental industry through a remodeling, rebuilding or renovation project.
Region Two — Norman Longman, Choice Party Linens, Prospect Park, Pa.
Region Three — Jim Baxter, East Tennessee Rent-Alls, Johnson City, Tenn.
Region Three — Jeremy Rardin, Rent-All Store, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Region Four — Delores Crum, Austin Party Central, Austin, Texas
Region Four — Tommy Reynolds, Ken’s Rent-It Center, Midland, Texas
Region Five — John Bibbo Jr., Event Source, Lewis Center, Ohio
Region Six — Kevin Barrra, The Aries Co., St. Louis, Mo.
Region Six — Tom Fouts, Bledsoe Rentals, South Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Region Nine — Scott Maxson, Pape Rents, North Las Vegas, Nev.
Region 10 — Carlos Serpa, Bel-Ayre Rentals, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
For more information, visit www.TheRentalShow.com.
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