Each year, the American Rental Association (ARA) honors individuals for outstanding service to the association and the rental industry. This year, two longtime rental industry leaders will become the newest inductees into the Rental Hall of Fame and will be honored at The ARA Show™ 2023 in Orlando.
The Rental Hall of Fame was created in 2000 to honor those individuals who have changed the trajectory of the equipment and event rental industry. Each year, nominations are accepted to recognize outstanding industry leaders who have made a substantial and lasting impact on the industry’s success and growth at the national and/or international levels.
“The Rental Hall of Fame is ARA’s most prestigious award. This year, we are honored to recognize two individuals whose vision and leadership has made a significant impact on the equipment and event rental industry. Their dedication has been felt across the rental community and I would like to personally thank and congratulate them,” says Tony Conant, ARA CEO.
Doron Broadfoot, The Rent-It Store, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Doron Broadfoot has been a member of the rental industry for more than 50 years. It all started in 1972 when he started working for his father at The Rent-It Store in Saskatoon. In 1974, he invested in a business owned by Acklands-Grainger. When the company decided to close — leaving employees out of work — Broadfoot and his business partner, Doug Mitchell, decided to postpone their retirement and purchased the business in 2005.
Throughout his career, Broadfoot always has encouraged both employees and business partners to get involved with ARA and the Canadian Rental Association (CRA). He is being recognized for his leadership and long-term dedication and service to ARA, CRA, and the ARA Foundation.
Broadfoot was CRA president from 1989-1990 and then served as the ARA Region 10 director from 2000-2003. He is a huge supporter of the ARA Foundation both as a volunteer and a donor. He served on the ARA Foundation board of trustees for two terms from 2009-2014 and sat as the chair of the board in 2011 and 2012. He established the Region 10 Doug Mitchell scholarship in honor of his late business partner in 2014. In recognition of his philanthropic efforts, he has received the ARA Foundation James Keenan Award five times and the 1976 Club Award 10 times.
James “Jim” Ziegler, Rental City, Boulder, Colo.
Jim Ziegler started his career in the rental industry in 1969 when he bought an A-Z Rental franchise in Boulder — which would eventually become Rental City. Ziegler built Rental City from the ground up and turned it into a thriving business. After 30 years, he sold the company to NationsRent in 2000. Ziegler also was the CEO of RenTrain, a business he developed to help reduce insurance costs and improve operating techniques through educational programs for rental equipment dealers and provide websites for small businesses.
Ziegler has been actively involved with ARA and the ARA of Colorado for years having served on the ARA of Board of Directors from 1988-1992 and as the 29th ARA president in 1990. While on the ARA of Colorado board, he also served as president.
