Steve Mau, ECP-SM, president of Brainerd General Rental, Brainerd, Minn., has concluded his one-year term as chair of the board of directors for the American Rental Association (ARA). an international trade association serving the equipment and event rental industry.

As ARA’s board chair, Mau was responsible for effectively guiding a 17-member board of directors and their related work to lead the membership organization in implementing ARA’s core purpose of supporting the success of members and advancing the equipment and event rental community.

Mau has been an active volunteer in the association. In 2024, he traveled to Brisbane, Australia, to represent ARA at Australia’s Hire and Rental Industry Association convention. His other ARA volunteer service includes serving as an Equipment Rental Advocacy Work Group member, Rental Hall of Fame Selection Committee member, Executive Committee member, Technology Advisory Group member, Equipment Rental Shared Interest Group (SIG) member (and SIG chair from 2018-2021), a supporter of ARA’s political action committee, ARA National Legislative Caucus attendee, and ARA Leadership Conference attendee, along with many other acts of volunteerism involving the ARA and his community.

“Over the past three years I have traveled to five different countries meeting folks in [the equipment and event rental] industry. The learning alone has been worth the effort, but the part I have enjoyed the most is that rental people across the globe are similar. We are passionate about finding solutions, we embrace change and we love making new connections with people just like us. The relationships have been the biggest joy for me,” says Mau of his time as a member of the ARA national board.