Tony Conant Appointed as New ARA Executive Vice President and CEO

Words: Dan KamysOctober 20, 2016 — The American Rental Association (ARA) board of directors has named Tony Conant to the position of executive vice president/CEO, effective mid-November. He succeeds Christine Wehrman, who is retiring after 16 years with the association. [caption id="attachment_13961" align="alignleft" width="199"]Tony Conant has been appointed as executive vice president and CEO of the American Rental Association. Tony Conant has been appointed as executive vice president and CEO of the American Rental Association.[/caption] Conant will become the fourth executive vice president/CEO of the ARA since its founding in 1955. He most recently served as chief operating officer (COO) at the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) headquartered in Phoenix. In his COO position, Conant has been responsible for enabling operational excellence across the company and building capabilities for ISM’s future growth. As the leader of the certification, publications, membership, research, finance, IT and human resources functions, Conant helped to enable ISM’s vision by managing project prioritization, decision ownership, effective resource alignment, measurement and accountability across the company. Conant has spent more than 20 years developing advanced practices in operations and supply chain at world-class companies, including Intel, BASF, Whirlpool and Bank of America. Previously, he was the vice president of operations and share services at One Touch Direct, an innovative direct marketing company, where he oversaw 200 percent revenue and headcount growth in his five-year tenure. Conant earned a B.S. degree in operations management from Madonna University, Livonia, Mich., and an MBA, finance and international economics, from the University of Florida, Gainesville. He also completed his Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the University of California at San Diego. For more information about the ARA, visit www.ARArental.org.  
Change Orders: Standard Operating Procedure
August 2026

In masonry construction, change orders are not occasional events; they are guaranteed. Drawings do not always match field conditions, specifications can conflict, and real-world construction has a way of exposing gaps in design. At DRP Masonry, we operat

Donnie Williams
Resources
Read More
RFIs: Clarity, Communication and... Hierarchy?
August 2026

In construction, any project starts with drawings. Plans. Schedules. Specifications. Whether we're talking about new construction, additions, or restoration, there is a plan, there is design intent, and a way every piece of a project needs to fit together

Kate Vienna
Technical Talks
Read More
PPE That Workers Actually Wear: Building Buy-In Through Education and Smart Selection
August 2026

In masonry construction, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often the last line of defense between a worker and an injury. Yet despite its importance, PPE compliance remains one of the most common challenges on jobsites across the country. The realit

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More