August 18, 2005
Doug Fleury
Rebel Rents
4218 Winchester Road
Temecula, CA 92590
Dear Doug:
This letter references the conversation ARA has had with you regarding how the rental industry can develop future service technicians. It also serves as confirmation for your participation at the Roundtable session.
As you are aware, the rental industry continues to find it challenging to have available and hire adequate numbers of qualified service technicians. These positions are represented by a broad range of service personnel, including mechanics skilled in all technical disciplines of heavy equipment, truck technology and engine repair.
While other industries or individual manufacturers have worked to develop relationships and programs with technical schools or community colleges to benefit them respectively, there is no such avenue for the rental industry. The ARA is the logical organization to address this issue for the rental industry and to facilitate a solution for members of all size rental businesses.
In that regard, ARA will be sponsoring a Roundtable session with a representative group of rental company members that carry a construction/general tool inventory. The purpose of the Roundtable is to give more complete definition to the issue and to define possible steps to achieving a solution.
ARA is inviting three national company members, three mid-size regional members and three members with anywhere from one to ten independent rental stores to attend and participate in the Roundtable. All members who attend reflect an interest in this issue and can discuss all facets of how the industry can best address the issue from their viewpoint. ARA staff will facilitate the discussion. Carla Brozick, ARA’s director of education and training will be spearheading this project for the association and, if she hasn’t already, will be in contact with you prior to the meeting.
The agenda will be defined from talking with confirmed Roundtable participants and other rental members, in addition to ARA staff researching the issue to provide background information prior to and during the discussion. It is hoped the discussion will define a clear path on necessary steps to positively address and provide optimum solutions to this critical issue for the membership and industry. Following this initial session, ARA staff members will rely on attendees for some degree of feedback as the project starts to take shape.
The ARA will hold the Roundtable in the Chicago O’Hare airport area, for ease in attendance by all participants, at the Doubletree Hotel in Rosemont. We are asking participants to arrive the evening of Tuesday, September 13, and to meet from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14. If your arrival is in time on Tuesday evening, we invite you to attend an informal dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Gibsons Steakhouse, which is connected to the Doubletree Hotel.
This will be an ARA-sponsored function, to include meeting coordination, agenda preparation and facilitation, payment of the Roundtable facility fees and meals, as well as handling travel and housing expenses for the participants.
ARA looks forward to your participation and a fruitful discussion. Thank you for accepting the challenge to address this industry issue with ARA.
Sincerely,
Christine L. Wehrman
Chief Executive Officer
Enclosure
cc: Kathy Schwartz, ARA
Allison Box, ARA
Carla Brozick, ARA
