TRAdetalk
ARA of Texas
Upcoming events
Panhandle Area Rental
Association (PARA)
meeting
August 2012
7 p.m.
Location to be announced
at a later date
Questions to: Joey Adams
A-Team Rentals
806-373-8326
email: [email protected]
TRA Roundup
July 13-14, 2012
Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa
and Convention Center in
Galveston
Plan now to attend for the:
n Education
n Networking
n Exhibitor connections
n Fun
See Page 4 for details and watch
for the upcoming brochure.
The Rental Show
Feb. 10-13, 2013
Sands Expo and Convention
Center in Las Vegas
May/June 2012 • www.texasrental.org
A message from your president
I
don’t know about you, but I can’t believe
we are in May already. This year is just
flying by.
of lots of things you could
do with some extra cash.
I know I can.
Invest in your business;
attend Roundup
Register by June 8 and
save money, too. The cost
is only $209 per person
as a member for full registration to Roundup.
That includes all educational seminars and
meal functions.
At this rate, Roundup, our big Texas rental
event, will be here before you know it. We
are kicking it off Thursday, July 12, with the
golf tournament. Then, on Friday, July 13,
See inside this issue for more Roundup
and continuing through Saturday, July 14, we
information and a registration form. It’s an
move into the heart of the weekend with the
event you can’t afford to pass up.
educational sessions, networking, equipment
demonstrations, TRA-PAC
Send in your
reception, auctions and
election ballots
more. It’s all happening in
“Roundup will
It’s election time for the ARA
beautiful Galveston at the
offer you the
of Texas board. Ballots were
Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa
mailed May 14. As you can
and Convention Center.
information and
see, we have a great group
If you haven’t registered
tools you need to
of volunteers who are
already, now is the time to
grow
your
business.
willing to serve. Please take
do so. Why? Well, the truth
the time to review the ballot
It’s
that
simple.”
of the matter is that this is an
and vote.
event you NEED to attend.
Your vote does count.
Roundup will offer you the
It’s important that we hear from all of
information and tools you need to grow your
our members. Be sure to return your
business. It’s that simple.
completed ballot by Thursday, June 14.
Learning how to take your business to the
next level, talking with your peers about what Speaking of serving, the ARA of Texas
always is looking for talented and dedicated
has or has not worked for them, connecting
individuals who are willing to serve on the
with exhibitors and seeing equipment in
board or on a committee, or to help with
action are just some of the things you will
an event or meeting, etc. Don’t be shy. If
find at Roundup. All of these can provide you
you want great leadership experience, the
new ideas, show you different ways to handle
opportunity to be on the ground floor of your
your day-to-day operations and broaden your
state association and the chance to gain more
perspective — key elements for keeping your
than what you’ll ever put into it, I urge you to
business competitive. By attending, you are
get involved. Contact me or any of the other
making an investment in your business. Isn’t
board members anytime about what is on
that what all good business owners need to
your mind. Our contact information is on the
do? I sure think so.
inside page of this newsletter.
Plus, if you go, you have the chance to
Until next time …
participate in our Roundup raffle. The grand
prize will be a $1,000 Visa gift card. There will
Willie Strange,
be other great prizes, too. I bet you can think
2011-2012 TRA president
Check out our
Facebook page!
Stay connected with
rental professionals across the state
with the Texas Rental Association
Facebook page.
TRAdetalk is the official publication of the Texas Rental Association.
1
TRA Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Willie Strange • President
Eagle Rentals
Seguin
830-303-2600
[email protected]
Mark Landua • Vice President
U-Rent-It Sales and Service
Terrell
972-524-7368
[email protected]
James Horsley • Secretary/Treasurer
Champion Rentals
Houston
713-694 0133
[email protected]
Pete Post • Immediate Past President
Volvo Rents
Houston
281-540-2005
[email protected]
Area Directors
Steve Berner • Area 1 Director
Rabern Rental Center
Amarillo
806-379-6444
[email protected]
Bill Wadley • Area 2 Director
Taylor’s Rental Equipment Co.
Fort Worth
817-332-5258
[email protected]
Mark Wessler • Area 3 Director
United Party Rental Center
Carrollton
972-492-0550
[email protected]
David Bourdon • Area 4 Director
RSC Equipment Rental
LaPorte
281-479-3341
[email protected]
Greg Dugat • Area 4 Director
Prestigious Event Rentals
Magnolia
281-356-5867
[email protected]
Fred Dupy • Area 5 Director
American Party Rental
Austin
512-837-6500
[email protected]
Kevin Reim • Area 5 Director
Redtail Equipment Rental
College Station
979-696-5696
[email protected]
Matt Musgrove • Area 6 Director
Tejas Equipment Rental & Sales
McAllen
956-682-1312
[email protected]
JMax Quenon • Associate Director
at Large
MIS Group
Houston
713-671-9565
[email protected]
Delores Crum, CERP • Director at Large
Premiere Party Central
Austin
512-292-3900
[email protected]
Gregory Kitchens • Director at Large
Tomball Rental Center
Tomball
281-351-8144
[email protected]
2
Your vote does count at many levels
T
he power of voting has
been on my mind a lot
lately — not only because it
is election season or that the
Texas presidential primary is
May 29 and Election Day is
Nov. 6.
Jimmy Pate,
Rather, it is a thought that
ARA Region
has been growing in intensity
Four director
ever since I had the privilege
to attend the American Rental Association’s
National Legislative Caucus in Washington,
D.C., this past March and participate in the
ARA of Texas’ State Legislative Day in Austin
this past April. All of these events reinforced
how important it is to vote and how much
our vote really matters at the local, state and
national levels.
Voting is a right, a responsibility and a privilege.
It is nothing to take lightly or for granted,
especially when you consider how many times
a candidate has won by just a few votes. What
if you were just too busy that day to vote and a
candidate who advocated policies that would
help your business lost by just a few votes? It
is important to encourage other members and
their employees to vote. We need pro-business,
like-minded representatives from all over Texas
representing us at home and in Washington,
D.C., to work together to pass the laws that
help our business, our industry and our
country.
First, we need to make sure that everyone
in our operation is registered to vote. The
American Rental Association can help in this
effort. Go to the ARA website, ARArental.
org, and click on “VOTE!” under the
“Government Affairs” tab. You will find
information on voter registration, early voting,
absentee voting and even your polling place.
You also can go to www.votetexas.gov for
more information about voting in Texas.
Registering to vote isn’t enough, though.
You have to know the issues and know where
candidates stand on those issues. Go to the
“Government Affairs” section of ARA’s
website and click on “National, State and
Local Representative.” On that page, you
can find your U.S. senator and congressman to
discover how they voted on ARA federal issues.
Encourage your employees to read this
newsletter to learn about the issues our
lobbyist, Chuck Bailey, is helping the ARA
of Texas with — from the margins tax to the
recently implemented heavy-equipment
property tax changes.
Leave newspapers in your break room so
employees can learn about what is happening
in your area. Talk about how various legislation
impacts your business. You can’t tell someone
how to vote, but you can share how matters of
importance affect your business.
You and I both know that we can’t run our
country in a vacuum. All of us have to listen
and be informed from many different sources
— even those we might not agree with. Why?
Because doing so broadens our minds and
helps us define what it is we really feel and
why we feel the way we do. It makes each of
us examine, think and better understand how
issues, legislation and regulations impact our
business and our livelihood.
So, I encourage all of you during
this election season and after to stay
informed, help your employees get
registered and then vote. Voting is so
crucial for keeping our democracy alive. After
you vote, stay in contact with your legislators
not only to hold them accountable but also to
keep pertinent matters in front of them.
If you would like to get more involved in
this area and learn more, contact me at
325-356-3177, ext. 203, or Alysia Ryan,
ARA director of state government affairs, at
800-334-2177, ext. 271.
Calling all TRA young rental professionals
for a get-together in Houston
A
re you between the ages of 18 and 40 and
working in the equipment rental industry
in the Houston area? If you are, then you are
wanted for a fun ARA of Texas social event at
Dave & Buster’s, 7620 Katy Freeway, Suite 100,
in Houston, from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, July 11.
“This will be an opportunity for young rental
professionals to get together and meet each
other in a relaxed environment,” says JMax
Quenon, director of sales with MIS Group in
Houston, who also serves as the ARA of Texas
associate director at large. “We have a lot of
rental companies that do business with each
other, but not everyone knows each other. This
will be a way for those in the industry to meet
others in the same industry.”
Quenon encourages young rental professionals
to stop by to enjoy appetizers and then stay
for bowling or billiards — fun team events that
build camaraderie.
“As everyone knows, the rental industry is a
tight-knit industry. That is one of the beauties
of this industry. I would love to see it continue
that way,” he says, noting that he hopes rental
owners will share this information with their
employees so they can attend and make this
social a way for young rental staff to keep that
tradition going strong.
Even though this event is free to those
who attend, pre-registration is required.
Share this information within your business.
To register, contact Quenon at 281-900-6122
or [email protected].
Roundup: It’s the place
you need to be this July
R
oundup, July 13-14 at
Moody Gardens Hotel,
Spa and Convention Center in
Galveston, will be jam-packed
with the education, equipment
and demonstrations you need
to keep your business moving
on the right track. Plus, there
will be plenty of fun on hand to
make this weekend a relaxing
getaway from the day-to-day
business pressures.
Make sure you are a part of
this Texas rental tradition and
must-attend event of the year. See the particulars of this year’s
Roundup by reading the stories in this issue. Then, if you
haven’t already done so, register for Roundup and the golf
tournament by completing the registration forms included in
this newsletter.
Register by June 8 and pay only $209 per
person for Roundup as a TRA member. Full
registration includes all educational sessions, Friday steak
cookout, Saturday lunch and Saturday dinner. The charge
for TRA prospective members is $259 per person. The golf
tournament is only $65 per player.
For more information on Roundup, go to www.texasrental.
org.
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© 2012 The Toro Company
3
There’s plenty to do at Roundup
Take a look at what is planned. There will be something for
everyone’s taste and rental emphasis.
Kick off Roundup
with a game of
golf on Thursday
W
ith a 7:30 a.m. shotgun
start on Thursday, July 12,
you’ll experience some friendly
competition as you enjoy 18 holes
at the Moody Gardens Golf Course
in Galveston.
As you play, you will meander
through upland and lowland native
areas, the natural wetlands habitat
of beautiful Sydnor Bayou and
more than 500 palm trees. This
$16 million-renovated golf course
includes new Paspalum turf grass,
green complexes, elevations, cart
paths and club house.
The cost to play is only $65 per
player. To register, complete the
registration form included in this
newsletter. For questions about the
tournament, contact Sue Widner,
ARA of Texas, at 512-440-8388 or
[email protected].
Win big just by
attending Roundup
I
n addition to the education,
equipment demonstrations and
networking benefits, you could
leave Roundup a grand prize
winner, too.
On Friday during Roundup,
there will be plenty of raffle
opportunities for:
Grand prize: $1,000 Visa card
Second prize: Two nights’
hotel stay at Horseshoe Bay
Resort in Marble Falls, the site
of Roundup 2013
Third prize: Two full registrations
to The Rental Show 2013 in
Las Vegas
The raffle drawing will be held
Friday night during the steak
cookout. You must be present
to win.
4
Thursday, July 12: Optional
Saturday, July 14:
7:30 a.m.: Golf tournament
Moody Gardens Golf
Course
1700 Sydnor Lane
8:30 to 10 a.m.: Find more information on the course at
www.moodygardensgolf.com. Advance
registration and payment is required.
“This is YOUR Wakeup Call” with Russell
White, CSP, Pinnacle
Solutions
10:15 a.m. to noon: “The Agile
Advantage”
with White
Friday, July 13:
12:15 to 1:30 p.m.: Business lunch, meeting
and awards ceremony
8 to 8:30 a.m.: Continental breakfast
for early bird attendees
2 to 3:30 p.m.: Educational round-table
sessions
8:30 to 11 a.m.: Early bird training
sessions
n Grassroots political involvement
n Tool and equipment track
n Membership in ARA and TRA: What’s in
it for you?
n Party and event track
n Texas Workforce Commission
11:30 a.m.: Light lunch for early
bird attendees
1 to 4 p.m.: Exhibits/demonstrations
1 p.m.: Certified Event Rental
Professional
(CERP) testing
n Risk management
n Rental contracts
n Department of Transportation
regulations
n ARA Foundation: What your
contributions mean to the industry
The exam is free — just pre-register by
contacting ARA’s Sue Gassen at 800334-2177, ext. 240, or susan.gassen@
ararental.org prior to Roundup.
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Exhibits and
demonstrations
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Reception with
exhibitors
7 to 9:30 p.m.: Dinner inside the
Aquarium Pyramid
7 to 9 p.m.: Steak cookout with
TRA-PAC live and silent
auctions
Sunday, July 15:
8:45 p.m.:
Raffle drawing
9 to 11 p.m.: Next Generation
networking after-party
6 to 7 p.m.: Noon: TRA-PAC reception
Hotel checkout
Experience the wonders of the ocean during
dinner inside the Aquarium Pyramid
I
t’s a sensory experience you won’t
want to miss: dinner surrounded by
10,000 marine animals native to the
North Pacific, South Pacific, South Atlantic
and Caribbean swimming in 1.5 million
gallons of water.
“touch tanks.” You won’t want to miss the
opportunity to see the:
It’s all available during Saturday’s dinner
— marking the last event of Roundup
2012. You will be able to explore this
10-story, blue-glass aquarium pyramid
building featuring four unique exhibits
that represent different areas of the
oceanic world as well as tide pools and
n South Atlantic exhibit: See
King, Chinstrap, Rockhopper, Gentoo
and Macaroni penguins in this exhibit
that is patterned closely to the rocky
beaches of the South Georgia Islands
with two levels of viewing above and
below the surface.
n Caribbean exhibit: Enjoy
seeing the sharks, sea turtles, eels and
thousands of tropical fish.
See what Galveston has to offer
B
efore or after Roundup, take some time to explore Galveston, a 32-milelong, 2½ -mile-wide island that offers beautiful historic buildings, unique
shopping experiences and plenty of fun.
Here are just a few attractions:
n Historic Strand District: Galveston’s historic downtown district is
home to shops, galleries and museums, including the Galveston Island
Railroad Museum and the Ocean Star Offshore Energy Center and Museum.
www.galvestonrrmuseum.com
www.oceanstaroec.com/museum.htm
n Lone Star Flight Museum: This is home to one of the finest
collections of restored aircraft and aviation exhibits in the nation. More
than 40 restored aircraft are displayed and most are in working condition.
The collection includes World War II fighters, bombers, liaison trainers and
executive planes.
www.lsfm.org
n Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark: This is the first
convertible waterpark with an entire area that can be opened or closed for
indoor/outdoor year-round operation. During the summer season, enjoy
more than 33 aquatic adventures — fun for the entire family.
http://schlitterbahn.com/gal
n Tree Sculpture Tour: When Hurricane Ike covered most of the island
during a tidal surge in 2008, many of the trees were uprooted. Months
later, sculpture artists turned these ruined trees into whimsical sculptures.
Tucked into gardens and nestled in side yards, the sculptures are there for
the public to enjoy.
www.galveston.com/treesculptures
n The Colonel: Experience the elegance and romance of the paddlewheel
from a bygone era aboard the Colonel, a triple-deck sternwheeler. Her
750-passenger capacity makes her one of the largest paddlewheelers that
has ever cruised the Houston/
Galveston area. Regularly
scheduled day and dinner/
dance cruises are available.
Reservations are required for
dinner cruises but not for
day cruises.
www.moodygardens.
com/attractions/colonel_
paddlewheel_boat
See why your
rental peers attend
Roundup
R
oundup has become a tradition
for many rental operators. Below
are a few reasons why some of your
peers make sure Roundup is an event
they always attend.
“I have attended TRA’s Roundup
since it began — first as a vendor
and for the past four years as a rental
member. What keeps me coming
back is the wonderful arena that is
offered as a place to interact among
my rental peers to gain knowledge,
share ideas and make friends in this
industry that last a lifetime. It is truly
a rewarding and heartfelt experience
that I would strongly recommend to
those who have never taken part in
the conference!”
“I attended the TRA Roundup last
year, honestly not knowing what to
expect, as this was my first year to
attend. I was pleasantly surprised to
find an open environment to discuss
and learn from counterparts within
the industry. I was most impressed
with the educational round-table
sessions. They provided an excellent
opportunity to discuss issues,
bounce ideas off one another and
learn from the experience of others
gathered around the table. The
facilitators at each discussion session
did a good job of adding to the
conversation and directing the path
during the allotted time. I plan on
attending again in July.”
Photos courtesy of the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
You also can meet a penguin up
close in a penguin encounter.
n North Pacific exhibit:
Watch harbor seals. A tide pool with
sea urchins, anemones and other
colorful marine creatures is only a
few feet away. In addition, a kelp
forest showcases the rich and diverse
underwater world from Northern
California to the Gulf of Alaska.
n South Pacific exhibit: Journey
to the depth of the Great Barrier Reef
and Coral Sea to see a tide pool with
vivid sea anemones and sea urchins.
In the lower level, gain an underwater
view to see more than 200 species of
fish, stingrays and sharks.
Don’t miss out. It will be an evening
to remember.
— Laura Page, rental
consultant, Marquee Event
Group, Austin
— Bryce Puckett, Texas
division rental manager,
Kirby-Smith Machinery,
Fort Worth
“I’ve been going to Roundup for
as long as I have had my store —
11 years. I really enjoy it as I have
the chance to see other owners
who I don’t get to see that often.
We bounce ideas off of each other
and problem-solve. It’s a great
networking opportunity. Plus, it’s a
lot of fun. It’s a minivacation.”
— Charley King, owner,
King’s Events & Tents,
Victoria
5
Insights were
gained at State
Legislative Day
T
he margins tax and an assessment of the
political climate during the next session
of the Texas Legislature were key topics of
discussion when members of the ARA of Texas
board attended State Legislative Day on April
18 in Austin.
Board members who participated included:
n Mark Landua, vice president
n Pete Post, immediate past president
n Steve Berner, Area 1 director
n Bill Wadley, Area 2 director
n Fred Dupy, Area 5 director
n Kevin Reim, Area 5 director
n Matt Musgrove, Area 6 director
n JMax Quenon, associate director at large
They were joined by Sue Widner, ARA of Texas
state coordinator, and Jimmy Pate, American
Rental Association Region Four director. Chuck
Bailey, ARA of Texas lobbyist, conducted the
meeting and invited other key speakers to
address the group.
“This was a great thing to do on the off-year
when the legislature was not in session,”
Dupy says. “This was modeled on how the
ARA National Legislative Caucus is handled in
Washington, D.C. I was very thankful because
this is a proven model. The whole event was
well-planned and well-done.”
Post agrees. “The meeting was led by our
lobbyist, Chuck Bailey, who provided an
update on the current issues, particularly the
franchise and property taxes. He also invited
Jesse Ancira, acting chief of staff to Texas
Speaker of the House Joe Strauss (R-District
121). Jesse was very informative concerning
the current political climate in Austin and
the options that may be available to the TRA.”
he says.
Gaining Ancira’s insight was particularly
helpful, Dupy says. “Jesse was a great speaker
and very knowledgeable. His angle was that it
might be possible for the legislature to bring
up the franchise tax because of the exemptions
given to the formalwear business. If the
economy in Texas picks up, we have a better
chance for the franchise tax to be amended in
our favor. The problem is that the legislature
already has captured the money and spent it.
Texas is a no-new tax state. We’ll have to see.”
The day was important because it allowed
everyone to “to discuss the issues more indepth,” Dupy says. “It was important for us to
come together and get ready for the next year.
We are on the right track and we need to keep
working on these issues,” he says.
6
During Roundup, support the TRA-PAC
Y
ou can support
the ARA of Texas’
ongoing legislative
program by helping
raise funds for
the Texas Rental
Association’s political
action committee (PAC)
through two events
during Roundup.
On Friday night after the steak
cookout, be sure to participate in
the live and silent auctions. There
will be plenty of valuable treasures
to bid on. Each bid will help build
funds for this important program.
Then, on Saturday evening, buy
a ticket to partake in the TRA-PAC
reception. Hear from TRA lobbyist
Chuck Bailey. Enjoy beer, wine and
hors d’oeuvres while learning what
the TRA-PAC is doing to advocate
on your behalf at the state level.
Building the TRA-PAC is important,
says Pete Post of Post Rentals of
Texas d/b/a Volvo Rents in Houston.
“As we all know, elections have
consequences that directly affect
our rental businesses. The TRA
legislative committee continues
to stay on top of the
issues and pending
legislation, taking
direct, face-to-face
actions with the
various elected and
appointed officials
in Austin. These
activities require that
we maintain a strong
TRA-PAC within the
association,” he says, noting that
“The auctions and your nontax-deductible donations at the
annual Roundup are the source for
building this fund annually.”
Fred Dupy, president of American
Party Rental in Austin, agrees.
“Capturing more funds for the
TRA-PAC will help us gain more
consistency on the state level. We
have to be a player to get our voice
heard,” he says.
Participating in the silent and live
auctions as well as the TRA-PAC
reception will go a long way in
helping the concerns of the Texas
rental industry be heard at the
state level. Tickets for the TRA-PAC
reception may be ordered when
you register for Roundup.
Three Texas students awarded ARA
Foundation, affiliate scholarships
T
hree Texas students’ educational
goals just became a little easier to
achieve, thanks to the ARA Foundation
and affiliate scholarships — including
the Texas Rental Association
Scholarships and the new Bill Loomer
Houston Area Rental Association
Scholarship — awarded for the 20122013 academic year by the ARA
Foundation scholarship committee.
“These three outstanding students
from Texas as well as 26 other
students shared $54,500 worth
of ARA Foundation and affiliate
scholarships,” says Jenni Venema, ARA
Foundation director of development.
“The winners, who were selected
during an anonymous screening of
applications, were awarded these
scholarships based on their academic
success, leadership, rental industry
involvement, written essays on rentalrelated questions and references.
Many received multiple scholarships,
ranging from $500 to $3,000, which
will go a long way in helping them
pursue their education related to the
equipment rental industry.”
The Texas recipient of an ARA
Foundation scholarships is:
ARA Foundation Undergraduate
Scholarship worth $2,000
n Cameron Dupy, American Party
Rental, Austin, Texas
The Foundation also administers
scholarships for affiliated rental
organizations. The scholarships and
the Texas recipients include:
Bill Loomer Houston Area Rental
Association Scholarship worth
$1,000
n Cameron Dupy, American Party
Rental, Austin, Texas
Texas Rental Association
Scholarships worth $1,000 each
n Walter Burke, 4-B Rental Source
d/b/a Taylor Rental, Wylie, Texas.
n Cameron Dupy, American Party
Rental, Austin, Texas.
n Darby (Maranda) Slack, Tejas
Equipment Rental & Sales, McAllen,
Texas.
Texas rental operators rely on
ARA’s Compensation and Benefits Report
for answers they need
B
oth Brian Jenkins, president of Dallas
Party Tent and Event in Arlington, and
Andy Jones, CERP, owner of the Fairfieldbased Red Hat Rentals, wanted to know
how their companies’ compensation
packages compared with others in
the industry.
“I wanted to see how our employee
compensation compared with like
employees in our region and nationally,”
Jenkins says.
“Until I had something to compare to,
I just didn’t know where we stood,”
Jones adds.
To learn the answers, they not only
participated in the online Compensation
and Benefits Survey, offered by Industry
Insights for the American Rental
Association, but they also used the online
access to discover the answers in the
follow-up report. Why online? Because it
was “quick and easy,” they say.
Plus, the information they discovered was
valuable to their businesses.
“I found out that we are in the top
5 percent as far as what we pay our
tent installers, that we are in the top
25 percent for what we pay our sales
personnel and are within the average for
our warehouse personnel,” Jenkins says.
“That was really good to know. I was glad
that we did not fall below average in any
category. This affirmed that we are paying
our employees fairly.”
Jones discovered that “I was not as far out
of norm as what I thought I was,” he says.
“I am going to use this as a guide to do a
complete review and see where we might
need to adjust.
“I offer a pension plan and was looking
for information regarding what kind of
matching companies were doing and to
see whether my benefits package was
within the industry norms,” Jones adds.
“It gave me information on what direction
small companies like mine are going.”
Jenkins also discovered that it might
be more beneficial to hire a full-time
employee instead of contracting out for
certain services. “The information we
discovered will help us strategize on
future steps,” he says.
Both were disappointed that they couldn’t
drill as deep into some of the regional
statistics because there weren’t enough
participants from their region. “That
was the only disappointment,” Jenkins
says. “I would like to see more people
participate.”
Even with that, both feel the report offers
them the information they need. “It’s a
great tool,” Jenkins says. “I would love to
see it offered every year.”
Jones agrees. “I hope ARA keeps offering
this. It gives small businesses the
information they need.”
Find out how this report can benefit you
and your business. Go to the “Shop
ARA” section of ARArental.org and
select “Compensation and Benefits
Report 2012.” The premium selection is
the online version. The standard is a hardcopy offering.
For more information,
contact:
Leon Kothmann Ins. Ag. LLC
3901 Cheycastle Ct.
Arlington, TX 76001
Cell: 512-750-0936
Fax: 817-483-5323
[email protected]
7
TRAdetalk
Texas Rental Association
May/June 2012 • www.texasrental.org
It’s time to Round Up more revenue
By Russell White, CSP, Pinnacle Solutions
T
hose of you who attended
The Rental Show opening
session heard me talk about
how the industry seems to be
emerging from the doldrums
of the Great Recession. We are
returning to a better economy,
but it is nothing like the old
economy.
The new economy is driven at the speed
of technology and customers have
greater power, literally at their fingertips,
than ever before. How do we prepare
for this new economy to maximize our
revenue opportunity? That is what I will
be focusing on in my two programs at
this year’s Roundup in July in Galveston.
This is YOUR Wake-up Call
Like most business owners, many of us
are drawn to working in our businesses.
I know of rental owners who decided
not to hire additional staff during these
last few years and instead spent their
own time working inside the business
to save expenses. We bought less at the
Show, we worked more hours and we
cut as many expenses as we could.
Now is the time to work on your
business instead of working in your
business. The rules for success have
changed from the old, good economy
we last saw, and owners and managers
need to look at ways to generate better
revenue in this new economy.
“This is YOUR Wake-up Call” will provide
fresh ideas on prospecting, customer
development, marketing and
brand management. To be
exceptional, you have to be
the exception. Join me as we
talk about how to build an
exceptional rental business in
this session.
The Agile Advantage
Stability is being replaced
with agility as the key to business
success in the new economy. How
long you’ve been in business no longer
matters to today’s customers. They want
to know what you are doing for them
right now. How do we successfully
manage the speed of change in the new
economy? We get in front of the change
curve. We accomplish this by becoming
more agile. What is the Agile Advantage?
n Benefiting from using the intellect of
your entire staff.
n Creating an expectation of innovation.
n Developing talent to create a highperformance work environment.
n Being proactive to meet customer
expectations and demands that are
slightly in the future.
These programs will be full of ideas.
You will see your business from a
different perspective and get ideas
that you will be able to apply
immediately. This is not theory.
This is “put it to work and make
it happen” information. See you
in Galveston.
8
Ro u n d u p R e g i s t r at i o n
TRA Roundup Registration
Moody Gardens
Galveston
MoodyHotel,
Gardens
Hotel, Galveston
July 13-14, 2012
(For ARA Office Use Only)
July 13-14, 2012
Date Received:
Amount: $
Type:
Company Name:
Address:
City/State/ZIP:
Phone:
Fax:
TRA Roundup Registration
Moody Gardens Hotel, Galveston
July 13-14, 2012
(For ARA Office Use Only)
Date Received:
Amount: $
Type:
Email
Address:
Company
Name:
Address:
R
EGISTRATION FEES
Full registration includes all Educational Seminars, Friday Steak Cookout, Saturday Lunch and Saturday Dinner.
City/State/ZIP:
One person from the company must have a full registration before additional meal tickets can be purchased.
Phone:
TRA Members
TRA Prospective Members
Discount (by May 15, 2012) ....................... $179/person
Fax:
Advance (May 16-June 8, 2012) ................. $209/person
Discount (by May 15, 2012) ........................$229/person
Advance (May 16-June 8, 2012) .................$259/person
Full Price
(after June 8, 2012 ...................... $249/person
Full Price (after June 8, 2012).....................$299/person
Email
Address:
FULL REGISTRATION
ADDITIONAL TICKETS
Discount
@
$179/$229
Friday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
NAME AS IT WILLFA
PPEAR ON
TOTAL
REGISTRATION
EES
Advance
@
$209/$259
Steak
Lunch
TRA-PAC
Dinner
BADGE
DUE
FullSeminars,
Price @ $249/$299
Cookout Saturday
$19/person
$49/person
Full registration includes all Educational
Friday Steak Cookout,
Lunch and Reception
Saturday Dinner.
$49/person
$100/person
One person from the company must have a full registration before additional meal tickets can be purchased.
$
TRA Members
TRA Prospective Members
Discount (by May 15, 2012) ....................... $179/person
Discount (by May 15, 2012) ........................$229/person
Advance (May 16-June 8, 2012) ................. $209/person
$
Advance (May 16-June 8, 2012) .................$259/person
Full Price (after June 8, 2012 ...................... $249/person
$
Full Price (after June 8, 2012).....................$299/person
FULL REGISTRATION
Discount @ $179/$229
Advance @ $209/$259
Full Price @ $249/$299
NAME AS IT WILL APPEAR ON
BADGE
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Friday
Steak
Cookout
$49/person
ADDITIONAL TICKETS
Saturday
Saturday
Lunch
TRA-PAC
$19/person
Reception
$100/person
$
$
Saturday
TOTAL
Dinner
$49/person
$
TOTAL
DUE
$
Check Enclosed
American Express
(Payable to: TRA)
Discover
$
Card Number
Expiration Date
$
MasterCard
Visa
$
Cardholder Name
Payment must be received in full for ARA to
process.
$
TOTAL
SIGN AND RETURN THIS APPLICATION TO:
$
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? CONTACT:
ARA OF TEXAS
METHOD OF PAYMENT
c/o AMERICAN RENTAL ASSOCIATION
1900 19th St.  American
Moline, IL
61265
Check Enclosed
Express
800-334-2177, ext. 234
Fax: 309-277-4208
(Payable to: TRA)
Discover
Card Number
[email protected]
MasterCard
Visa
Authorized Signature
Cardholder Name
Sue Widner, ARA of Texas
512-440-8388
[email protected]
Expiration Date
Authorized Signature
Ro u n d u p G O L F R e g i s t r at i o n
Gardens Hotel, Galveston July 13-14, 2012
ARAMoody
of Texas
Golf Registration Form
Moody Gardens Golf Course
1700 Sydnor Lane
Galveston, TX 77554
Thursday, July 12, 2012: Modified shotgun start at 7:30 a.m.
Company Name:
Address:
City/State/ZIP:
Phone:
Fax:
(Please use area code or international country code for phone and fax.)
Email:
HANDICAP OR 18-HOLE
AVERAGE
GOLFER’S NAMES
COST
$65/PLAYER
1.
2.
3.
4.
Please keep these names together on a team.
Please split them up on other teams.
I, golfer No.____, request to play with
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Check Enclosed
American Express
(Payable to: TRA)
Discover
Card Number
Expiration Date
MasterCard
Visa
Payment must be received in full for ARA to
process.
Cardholder Name
Authorized Signature
SIGN AND RETURN THIS APPLICATION TO:
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? CONTACT:
ARA OF TEXAS
c/o AMERICAN RENTAL ASSOCIATION
1900 19th St.  Moline, IL 61265
800-334-2177, ext. 234
Fax: 309-277-4208
[email protected]
Sue Widner, ARA of Texas
512-440-8388
[email protected]