Below is a snippet from Rental Pulse magazine, which highlights the importance of the ARA and ARAM for the events industry. ARAM is the Massachusetts division of the ARA.

ARA member strongly considering a run for Congress

Steve Anthony Colangelo, president of American Event Rentals in Stockton, Calif., is strongly considering a run for California’s 9th Congressional district seat in the United States House of Representatives.

Colangelo has served as chairman of the American Rental Association’s (ARA) Government Affairs committee, but has resigned his position with the committee in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest while he explores the possibility of running for office. He also will not be attending ARA’s Legislative Caucus this year.

“Steve has been very active in state and national politics through his volunteer leadership with both the ARA of California and ARA. He’s served on the ARA of California board of directors and on ARA’s Government Affairs committee, serving as chair of the 2012-2013 committee. We never want to lose a leader like Steve, but it was necessary for him to step down, so that both Steve and ARA are fully compliant with federal election rules should he decide to run,” says John McClelland, ARA’s vice president of government affairs. “We very much look forward to working with Steve in the future and we wish him well.”