The American Rental Association has announced this year’s winners of the Moline association’s industry contributor awards to be presented at The ARA Show 2024, planned for Feb. 18-21 in New Orleans.
The awards honor individuals for outstanding service to ARA and the equipment and event rental industry.
This year’s winners are:
- Industry Ambassador Award – Byron Alleman, retired owner of Lafayette Rental Service in Lafayette, Louisiana. For two decades, he served on the ARA of Louisiana chapter board of directors including multiple terms in the roles of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. He hosted industry meetings at his business, visited fellow rental store members across the state, and coordinated equipment in hurricane-damaged areas. He received the ARA Region Four Person of the Year award in 2008 and 2016. Nationally, he served on the ARA Insurance Risk Management Committee in 2013 and its Construction/Industrial & General Tool Shared Interest Group in 2016.
- Exemplary Service Award – Scott Pevey, senior manager, Ditch Witch in Perry, Oklahoma. He served the equipment rental industry as associate member director of the ARA Board of Directors from 2021 to 2023. He provided direction and feedback to ARA as it restructured its communications strategy to a multimedia format. From 2018 to 2020, Mr. Pevey served on the ARA Foundation Board of Trustees. There he brought the idea of creating the Community Impact Program and was instrumental in developing a partnership between the foundation and The Toro Company Foundation. The program supports local nonprofits that help improve communities where members work and live. To date, he has volunteered at six of the 11 projects, hosted and assisted in procuring equipment and volunteers from Ditch Witch dealers. He has served on the Exhibitor Advisory Council helping guide the direction of The ARA Show.
- Industry Impact Award – Scott Woodruff, CEO, Tent Ox in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He developed specialized attachments for articulating loaders to do the work of the tent rental industry. The attachments not only assist with tent installations and removals but also with moving materials around job sites. In addition to ARA, he is active with the Manufacturers and Tent Renters Association.
- Rising Star Award – Stefani Donabedian, vice president of Decanted Wine Truck in Hudson, Massachusetts. She recently purchased her wine bar truck transitioning from her role in the equipment segment as a marketing consultant with Worcester, Massachusetts-based Mobile Air & Power Rentals. She joined ARA of Massachusetts in 2020, now serving as president. She also has participated in the ARA Leadership Conference and is a member of the ARA Young Professional Network and a member of the Young Professionals Committee since 2022. She participated at ARA’s 2023 National Legislative Caucus in Washington, D.C. In 2022, Ms. Donabedian was named one of ARA’s Rental Management magazine’s “12 to Watch Under 40.” In 2023, she received the ARA Region One Leadership Impact Award.
ARA leaders make impact
At The ARA Show, the association also will present 10 Leadership Impact Awards in each of its regions to individuals who have benefited their state and/or local association over the past year. This year’s honorees are:
Dan Morris, Kennebec Equipment Rental Co., Fairfield, Maine, Region One; Tina Behnke Spence, AirPac Rents, Front Royal, Virginia, Region Two; Brandon Ahlgren, Elite Events & Rentals, Tampa, Florida, Region Three; Jennifer Rodrigeuz, Marianne’s Rentals, Oklahoma City, Region Four.
Sean Williams, First Place Rental, Oswego, Illinois, Region Five; John Schupp, Rental Supply, O’Fallon, Missouri, Region Six; Herb White, Continental Divide Marketing, Golden, Colorado, Region Seven; Tim Allen, Allen Rental, Roseburg, Oregon, Region Eight; Michelle Nelson, MK Equipment Corp., Honolulu, Hawaii, Region Nine; and Jim Boddez, Five Bo, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, Region 10.
