Ron DeFeo, chairman and CEO of Terex Corporation, will give the keynote address at the IPAF Summit to be held on March 26, 2013, in Miami, Fla. Michael Kneeland, president and CEO of United Rentals, also will speak at the summit. The IPAF Summit will be followed on that evening by the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs), which are expected to attract more than 400 attendees.

These two high-profile speakers are expected to be a major draw for delegates as the joint organizers, Access International and IPAF, hold the well-established summit and IAPAs for the first time in the United States, traditionally seen as the home of the powered access manufacturing industry.

DeFeo’s keynote address will examine what responsibilities manufacturers and the industry have in providing support and backup to aerial work platform equipment throughout the lifecycle of the machines. His presentation coincides with a rising focus on the residual values of machinery, seen against the increasing age of fleets in the United States and Europe.

DeFeo has more than 20 years of management and operating experience within Terex. Among other appointments, he also served as a director of United Rentals until June 2005. He has been named to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Hall of Fame and has served as chairman of the AEM.

“We are also delighted to welcome back Michael Kneeland to the IPAF Summit,” said IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman. “Michael first addressed the IPAF Summit 2009 in Dublin, giving valuable strategies for rental companies then fighting the crisis. The consolidation and current changes at United Rentals and RSC will provide a rich area for discussion.”

The IPAF Summit has built up a tradition of challenging pre-conceptions and providing delegates with valuable take-home messages that contribute toward a professional and safe powered access industry. The full program and speaker line-up will be announced later this year. The Summit is held in English, with simultaneous translation in Spanish and Portuguese. Attendance is free and delegates should register in advance.

The IAPAs, jointly organized by Access International and IPAF, celebrate and reward excellence, innovation and best practice in the powered access industry. Award categories range from products and projects, to rental companies and after-sales service. Winners and finalists are chosen by a top-level, independent judging panel.

The IPAF Summit and IAPAs 2014 will be held in the UK.

For more information, visit

www.iapa-summit.info.

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