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.  
What Mason Contractors Don't Know Is Costing Them Money
July 2026

Most mason contractors can tell you exactly what a job should cost before it starts. Bid labor hours, material takeoffs, and crew rates per square foot. The numbers are on paper, and they look right. What most can't tell you is whether those numbers held

Erin Koets
Build Smart
MAP Partner
Read More
Preserving Masonry Aesthetics with Concealed Lintel Systems
July 2026

Masonry has long been valued for its ability to create buildings with character, permanence, and visual appeal. Features such as arches, deep reveals, corbelling, and decorative brickwork continue to be popular design elements in modern architecture. Howe

Erica Oliveraz
MAP Partner
Read More
The Sync Up: Aligning Schedule, Labor, and Logistics in Masonry
July 2026

A masonry contractor is only as good as the crew standing on the staging. You can source the highest-grade block, line up the perfect mix, and have every submittal approved weeks in advance, but production ultimately depends on the stamina, skill, and phy

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Sponsored
Read More
Color Trends Shaping Today’s Masonry Projects
July 2026

Homeowners today are coming into projects with a lot more opinions than they used to have. Between social media, home shows and contractor sites, most customers already have a look in mind before you even quote the job. For masonry contractors, having a

Chad Riley
Stone Savvy
MAP Partner
Read More