On Tuesday, Aug. 16, ARA members in Tennessee got together for a special event that blended Topgolf fun and business education on how to build an engaged workforce and a world-class company culture.
The ARA of Tennessee’s double-bill program was hosted at Topgolf in Chattanooga, Tenn., where attendees enjoyed food, drinks and golfing. For attendees like Brent Dykes, sales representative, MTA Distributors, Whites Creek, Tenn., and an ARA of Tennessee board member, events like this that take place even in a casual setting are beneficial.
“The pulse of our industry can be felt at events like these,” Dykes says. “Topgolf is fun, and anyone can participate. It was a great atmosphere and I believe everyone had a good time with a productive takeaway from the company culture presentation.”
The business education portion of the evening featured Brian Fielkow, an accomplished senior executive with a 30-year career that includes growing and transforming multimillion-dollar organizations. During his interactive presentation, “Driving to Perfection: Building a World Class Company Culture,” Fielkow shared points on how to develop an engaged workforce, hire and retain employees, and create a competitive advantage through cultural excellence.
“Brian was very prepared and had an informative presentation,” Dykes says. “One of our goals at MTA is culture and to provide a full team experience for our customers. The information he presented was worth passing on to our company execs. My main takeaway was that we all need to work as a team, or as a company, to provide the best customer service for our customers in order to keep them coming back to our business.”
John Blackford, regional manager with Niftylift, Greer, S.C., also enjoyed Fielkow’s discussion. “It was well organized; Brian is a good speaker. I liked his handout that summarized his presentation,” he says.
In addition to Fielkow, attendees heard from Josh Nickell, American Rental Association (ARA) vice president, equipment segment, on the latest news and updates from the association.
As ever, the biggest draw for the event was the chance for members to kick back in a fun environment while networking with industry peers.
“The Topgolf venue was great. I wanted to come to hear the speaker, play golf and have some fellowship with my comembers,” says Mike Holland, CERP, president, Chattanooga Tent & Event Solutions, Chattanooga, Tenn., who also serves on the ARA of Tennessee board. “My favorite part of the event was playing Angry Birds and having fun with others.”
“I really enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone away from the workplace, and the laughs and conversation aside from business is lots of fun,” Dykes says.
“I try to attend all of these meetings regardless of the venue, but being at Topgolf makes it more fun. I had a good time with good folks,” Blackford says.