Tent Expo Speakers

PACCS’ principal, Paul, is a prominent leader in the engineering industry as he is a Professional Engineer and a Certified Building Official. He has earned countless certifications and licenses to further his knowledge from residential and building codes to now include a remarkable understanding of fire codes. His more than fourteen years with ICBO and ICC as a staff Engineer/Technical Services Manager for ICBO and ICC Vice President of Architectural & Engineering Services has provided him a unique knowledge and expertise about the code that is more in depth than any other code consultant. Furthermore, his engineering style combined with his unequalled knowledge has gained him industry-wide recognition. He has taught countless seminars domestically and internationally, and he is also the recipient of CALBO's prestigious Instructor of the Year for 2010. 

Saroj Bains is the general manager of Event Labor Works, which specializes in the augmentation of large-scale projects with skilled and general tent labor nationally. She has spent 15 years working on everything from the Olympics to disaster response.

Bryan started in the tent industry in 2004 when he came to TopTec to coordinate the company’s service response. During the past 19 years, he has worked extensively with customers all over the country providing the sales experience and support they deserve. He has served on the MATRA Board of Directors for years as the Education Committee Chair and has also worked with the American Rental Association on the Party and Event Shared Interest Group as well as serving as an Associate Member Director on ARA’s National Board of Directors. Bryan’s passion is educating the tenting professional where he also serves as an instructor at TopTec’s annual Tent School.

David Darby has been with Rent-E-Quip for over 11 years and leads the Weddings & Events sales team. Other primary responsibilities include leading marketing, sales strategy & product development.

Nick, a New York native, began his formal career in the special events industry with Emmis Broadcasting in 1989 planning promotional events for radio stations WFAN & WQHT in the Tristate area, while running his own mobile DJ company he started in high school. After receiving a BA in Communications from St. John’s University, Nick prepared to embark on expanding his own DJ business. In 1994, he opened Tumbles, an interactive entertainment center and event space. After several successful years, he expanded the business to include Parties To Go, a division providing outdoor amusements, catering and party rentals. In 2000, along with his Brother-In-Law Sal Bileddo, Parties To Go acquired Emily’s Place Party Rental, a local tent and party rental company. The acquisition of Emily’s Place Party enabled the company to expand more aggressively into the tent rental market. Nick’s vision for growth and his strong belief in the importance of quality and customer service provided motivation for employees and a superior customer experience. These ideals supported a shift in the customer demographic, from backyard parties to large and logistically challenging events. Parties To Go became PTG Event Services, the versatile event company it is today. Nick’s commitment to quality, innovation, efficiency and safety led to the creation of a tent ballast system now known as Block And Roll®. Operating a tent rental company in the NYC area demanded mostly ballasted tents, yet building, transporting and placing ballast was an extremely difficult task and Nick was not willing to sacrifice safety by using water barrels or underweighting tents. Block And Roll’s Patented system has become the “industry standard” in tent ballasting and has allowed many companies the opportunity to properly ballast tents while maintaining efficiencies and safety. In October 2020 Nick Sold PTG Event Services and now will put all his focus into expanding B&R Innovations and the Block And Roll® system.

Mike started with the company in the summer of 1976 in manufacturing. Upon his graduation from High School in 1978, he became a supervisor for a tent installation crew. In 1987 he moved from installation to the sales and operations division and was promoted to Vice President of Operations in 1990. In 2011 he was promoted to President of Chattanooga Tent. In August of 2014, Mike bought the family business from his uncle.

Mike has served on Life safety, Education, Code, and Steering committees of the IFAI Tent Rental Division since 2007. He was Chairman of the Tent Rental Division in 2016-2018. And is currently a member of Education. Committee. He was involved with the IFAI TRD staking study and ballast study and currently involved with a study for “non-certified tents”. Mike served on a committee during 2013 in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to help write the current state wide code process. Mike has served as a panelist for multiple education seminars for the Rental show. He has been a member of ILEA since 2008 and joined the Nashville chapter in February 2013.

Chattanooga Tent has serviced Chattanooga, the southeast and national customers for over 80 years.

Darren Randle is President and Founder of Houston Tents and Events based in Houston, Texas. With more than 14 years’ experience in the event and entertainment industry, Randle has been able to build a company with 20+ full-time employees that has become one of the fastest growing tent and event rental companies since he founded it in January 2020. Inventory includes frame and structure tents, general event rental party equipment as well as temporary power and electrical distribution.

Randle is a graduate of the University of Houston where he obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He and his wife Kori are originally from Memphis, TN but have called Houston home for the last 15 years. They have two children: Kali and Karoline. He is a Certified Event Rental Professional and has CPCE and CSEP certifications in the industry.

Brian Stumph, Fred’s Tents Sales Rep., Trainer & Installer. Brian brings with him over 35 years in sales/project management, 17 years of Rental Operations/Installation experience and nearly 4 years of Manufacturing in the tent rental industry. Brian looks forward to expanding his relationships in the tent rental industry by being customer focused and solutions driven. Brian has been involved with ARA, MATRA and is a current Director with ATA’s TRD Steering Committee.

A 45-year veteran of the equipment and party rental industry, Michael Tharpe’s name is synonymous with tent safety and training. Michael served as National Sales Manager with Rainier Industries in Tukwila Washington, Michael has helped build the company’s strong reputation for putting quality and safety first, making it one of the leaders in the tent rental industry. Michael retired on January 16, 2023.

Michael has served on the American Rental Association (ARA) Board of Directors, Mid-Atlantic Tent Rental Association (MATRA) Board of Directors, Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) Steering Committee and is the Immediate Past Chairman of the TRD Steering committee. He is a trusted leader in the educational support to all of these organizations in developing the most respected and professional training programs in the tent rental industry. He has received numerous awards including the ARA Special Services Award, the ATA Inspiration Award (Training for the Tent Installer) and elected to the MATRA Hall of Honor.

Michael’s commitment to safety and training is evident in the legacy he has built during his service to all these organizations. His professionalism, dedication and knowledge make him an asset to the entire equipment and party rental industry.

Fred Tracy, the owner of Fred’s Tents, has been a leader in the Tent Industry for over 35 years. He started in the tent business by happenstance in the mid 1980s, when he started his professional career as a potter. A solution driven individual, he quickly realized he needed a tent when selling his pottery at art shows and fairs for protection from the sun. He never fathomed that making a simple tent for himself would launch his career in a completely different direction. Since opening his doors in 1987, his mission has always been "to bring inspiration and innovation to the tent industry, to provide quality products and services, and to be a leader in the industry."

Fred’s innovations have led to products that are now considered industry standard. In 2004, he designed the first tent windows to use encapsulated grids within the clear. He was the first manufacturer to offer a 'sectional' Stillwater tent, and he was also the first to introduce faux wood finish on aluminum. In 2019, he unveiled the 1st Garden Tent at the ATA Tent Expo in Orlando, FL.

In 2006, Fred was elected to the board of the Mid-Atlantic Tent Rental Association (MATRA). His passion to improve our industry was evident as he served from 2006-2021 on multiple task forces as well as the marketing committee. His artistic vision and willingness to think outside the box has led to amazing custom work that other manufacturers would not even have considered. In 2013, Fred’s won an ATA International Achievement Award with Stamford Tent for custom structures for a residential holiday party. He was featured on the cover of "Review" magazine in February 2013 for his contributions to the fabric industry.

Fred has become synonymous with custom projects - whether it’s printed fabric, custom finished frames, or a complete custom design. His artistic start shows up every day in his design aesthetic.

Tommy Wilson has been an integral part of the All Occasions Event Rental team since 2002. Tommy has filled several roles in the organization, from Tent Crew Leader, to Tent Division Manager, to his current position of Director of Event Services. Currently, Tommy is responsible for managing tent sales, large scale event production, and keeping All Occasions ahead of the curve through tent purchasing.

Tommy holds the Certified Event Rental Professional designation, as well as serves on the Tent Rental Division steering committee of the Industrial Fabrics Association International. He is active in the Cincinnati area NACE and ISES chapters, as well as speaking frequently at local, regional, and national industry educational programs.