Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/280096
Groundwork OFFICERS Chairman A. ROY KERN Equipment Corporation of America Coraopolis, Pa. Vice Chairman DENNIS VANDER MOLEN Vermeer MidSouth, Inc. Jackson, Miss. President BOB HENDERSON The AED Foundation Oak Brook, Ill. Treasurer JOHN D. CRUM Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Pittsburgh, Pa. Immediate Past Chairman CHRISTOPHER PERA Able Equipment Rental Deer Park, N.Y. AED Board Representative WES STOWERS Stowers Machinery Corp. Knoxville, Tenn. Executive Director STEVE JOHNSON The AED Foundation Oak Brook Ill. DIRECTORS GARY BRIDWELL Ditch Witch of Oklahoma Edmond, Okla. JOHN COSGROVE Central Power Systems & Services, Inc. Liberty, Mo. MIKE HAYES Komatsu America Corp. Rolling Meadows, Ill. TIMOTHY KRAMER Kramer Ltd. Regina, Sask. DR. WAYNE LONGBRAKE Former Dean, Penn. College of Technology Williamsport, Pa SONJA METZLER Ohio CAT Broadview Heights, Ohio DAVID REILLY John Deere Construction Equipment Moline, Ill. KENNETH SILVERMAN Volvo Construction Equipment Shippensburg, Pa. MARK TEEL Caterpillar, Inc. Peoria, Ill. M. KEITH TIPPETT Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. Oklahoma City, Okla. 10 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | March 2014 Thanks to numerous sponsors at the AED Summit in Houston, The AED Foundation raised a grand total of more than $50,000 it will use for strengthening dealership opera- tions in 2014. Two separate benefit events – Cabaret Night on Jan. 15 and the 7th Annual Live Auction Jan. 17 – raised proceeds to support and expand workforce develop- ment initiatives and professional education for dealer personnel. Cabaret Night Many attendees kicked off their Summit expe- rience at the Foundation's Cabaret Night Benefit, featuring the hilarious guitarist virtuoso Mike Rayburn. The "Classically Trained ... Comically Derailed" performance was an energetic odyssey of masterful guitar and great comedy fun. Rayburn's rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody left the audience in complete awe of his guitar skills. Thank you to our Cabaret Night Sponsors, which included Sentry Insurance – Main Sponsor; AmTrust Insurance Company; Berry Companies, Inc.; Bell Trucks America, Inc.; Caterpillar, Inc.; Komatsu America Corp.; and Liebherr Construction Equipment, Co. Live Auction and TGIF Party The 7th Annual Live Auction was held in conjunction with the TGIF Party. Richie Bros. auctioneer Pat Hicks (above) warmed up the audience and prepared them for the bidding. Auction items ranged from wine and jewelry to golf vacations. During this live, unreserved benefit auction, participants bid against each other, and the highest bidders walked away with some highly coveted items. The Live Auction event would not have been a success without the support of our sponsors, those who donated items, as well as the bidders. Thank you to Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers for co-spon- soring the TGIF Party and contributing a major auction item. Other auction items were donated by Ajax Tool Works Inc.; BLS Enterprises Inc.; Bomag; Caterpillar, Inc.; Caterpillar Financial; Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; Gorilla Hammers, Inc.; IronPlanet; Eddy Kilman from J. Smith Lanier & Co.; Komatsu America Corp.; Liebherr Construction Equipment Co.; LiuGong Construction Machinery; Manitou Americas; United Group, Industrial Seats Div.; Volvo Construction Equipment North America, Inc.; and WTP Exchange. For more information about sponsorship of an auction item for the 2015 Live Auction in Orlando, please talk to Rebecca Rakers at 630-468-5113 or rrakers@aednet.org. Sponsors Are the Life of the Parties Foundation's workforce development and education programs get big boost from generous sponsorships at Summit events. An anonymous bidder purchased the diamond and sapphire necklace for former AED CEO Toby Mack and his wife Marti DeGraaf as a token of appreciation and recognition of their years of service to AED. AED Foundation Executive Director Steve Johnson presented the necklace (donated by BLS Enterprises) to the couple. Anonymous Bidder Purchases Diamond and Sapphire Necklace