PERG Newsletter: January 2023

   

| PERG News: January 2023 | 

In This Issue:

Lens Showcase and Barbeque!
Lens technicians and camera rental staff are invited to a lens showcase and barbeque featuring and sponsored by Angenieux (Band Pro), Atlas Lenses, Chrosziel, Cooke, Duclos Lenses, Fujifilm/Fujinon, Zeiss, Innerspace Cases, My Case Builder, Sigma, and PERG’s annual sponsors. Come sit in on the seminars, check out the showcase, and stay for beer, wine, and BBQ later in the day! Read more...

PERG Slack Channels
We are pleased to announce that PERG will host a suite of company-to-company rental-oriented channels on Slack. There is no cost, and they are available to all professional rental companies. Read more...

Lighting & Grip Service Technician Training at Filmscape Chicago
PERG is once again teaming up with Filmscape Chicago to provide service technician training for lighting and grip rental companies. The Filmscape Chicago tradeshow is Saturday and Sunday, June 24-25. The training, called Rental Days, takes place Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24. Grip/Electric Courses include a two-day advanced ARRI service class as well as a wide variety of shorter advanced, intermediate, and beginner training sessions. Read more...

The PERG Council and ESTA Board of Directors
The PERG Council chair position changes hands each year to a new person on the Council. For 2023, the Council voted Andy Shipsides (ARRI Rental) to take the position. He will take it over from Stosh Durbacz (Fujifilm) who held the position in 2022. Bianca Halpern (BECiNE) accepted the nomination as chair elect. She will take the position in 2024.  Read more...

New Member Spotlight:JMR
JMR is a full-service equipment rental house—a one-stop shop that carries the latest cameras, lighting, grip, lenses, audio, and production services. They maintain a well-stocked expendables department and have a 20 x 30 ft. cyc studio. John Marino is the company President, Ellie Garcia is the Director of Operations, and Cynthia Rosario is the Chief Operating Officer. Read more...

New Member Spotlight: CineMechanics
CineMechanics is camera and lens rental company with offices in Minneapolis and Duluth. The company’s three lead staff have a combined 80+ years of rental industry experience locally and nationally. They have seen it all. Steve Speers is the founder, owner, and president of CineMechanics. The lead staff is industry veteran Brian McGraw, who manages the lens department and equipment inventory, and industry veteran Kolin Mark, who manages equipment rentals and assists with operations. Read more...

New Member Spotlight: Media[box]
Bradley Stonesifer and Drew Lauer are both working cinematographers and the owners of Media[box]. I sat down with Jacob Riley, Head of Operations, to hear more about Media[box]. The staple of the company’s business has always been national ads—including some upcoming Superbowl ads. “We always have a few longer docs for Netflix or Discovery or Nat Geo going on at any given time. Read more...

Your Membership Refresh Checklist
New Year’s resolutions: cut down screen addictions, read more books, and get the most out of my PERG/ESTA membership! Read more...

2023 PERG Event Sponsorship Opportunities
Would your company be interested is supporting one or more of the PERG’s events this year? Read more...

 

MPA Teams up with PERG Task Groups on State Tax Incentives Strategy
The Motion Picture Association is the leading advocate of the film, television, and streaming industry around the world. MPA is a trade association that represents six major studios: Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. The organization was formerly known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), but in 2019 combined world-wide branches into one brand, MPA. Read more...

Industry Experts and Rental Veterans to Provide Seminars for Rental Employees
PERG is gearing up for a new series of virtual educational presentations available to all PERG member companies, specifically targeting employees in the early stages of their career. PERG aims to provide 60-minute virtual sessions every two to three weeks throughout the spring and into the summer of 2023. Read more...

EWI Update
Since the first EWI grant was awarded in October last year, trainees have performed a wide variety of tasks to build their knowledge and give them perspective on the industry. As PERG Manager, it is extremely gratifying to see the program starting to blossom. I knew that our members would step up and bring their own personalities to the challenge, and they have. Read more...

BTS Mental Health Initiative Offers Virtual Training
Become a certified Mental Health First Aider in 2023 and make a real difference. Take an active role in helping to care for those you work with. Expand your skill sets by learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of distress in your colleagues and help make our workplaces healthier and safer spaces for all. Read more...

Lens Showcase and Barbeque!

| PERG News: January 2023 |

Lens technicians and camera rental staff are invited to a lens showcase and barbeque featuring and sponsored by Angenieux (Band Pro), Atlas Lenses, Chrosziel, Cooke, Duclos Lenses, Fujifilm/Fujinon, Zeiss, Innerspace Cases, My Case Builder, Sigma, and PERG’s annual sponsors. Come sit in on the seminars, check out the showcase, and stay for beer, wine, and BBQ later in the day!

The events will be held in Burbank on Wednesday, February 1 and again on Wednesday, February 8. This public event is part of the Duclos Lens Technician Training, powered by PERG. 

Please RSVP for February 1 HERE.
Please RSVP for February 8 HERE. 

Event Schedule:
12 pm – 4 pm Seminars and Demonstrations on the hour. Presenters to be posted HERE.
12 pm – 4 pm Showcase floor open
4 pm – 7 pm BBQ

The Duclos Lens Technician Training is a two-week training event, part of PERG’s effort to address the shortage of qualified lens service technicians throughout the industry. The training will be attended by 39 lens technicians from 31 different companies from all over the U.S., with some trainees coming from as far as Europe and South America. The Wednesday events are an extraordinary opportunity to network with other lens professionals, manufacturers, experts, and lens technicians from local camera-rental companies in Los Angeles. PERG has also launched new dedicated channels on Slack for lens technicians to share technical information, stay in touch, and get guidance when needed (see PERG Slack Channels). 

PERG partnered with Duclos Lenses, the premier motion picture lens service facility, to provide a unique training opportunity for the rental community and aspiring lens technicians. Trainees will receive hands-on instruction from Matthew Duclos, Senior Lens Technician, Engineer, and Chief Operating Officer at Duclos Lenses. Afternoons will include technical presentations by manufacturers and special lectures with a variety of exciting guest speakers.

The Duclos Lens Technician Training sold out very quickly—a sign of the industry demand for professional training! PERG is already discussing possible future training events. To stay up to date, please sign up HERE. 

PERG Slack Channels

| PERG News: January 2023 |

We are pleased to announce that PERG will host a suite of company-to-company rental-oriented channels on Slack. There is no cost, and they are available to all professional rental companies. 

For several years now, some of the rental companies in Los Angeles have utilized real-time communication between companies on apps like Slack. These channels have proved extremely useful for finding equipment for subrentals; giving alerts of scams, fraud, and theft activity; letting others know about new equipment you have available for subrental or used gear for sale; and for technical discussions. As a trade association, PERG seeks to expand the idea to more geographic areas and make the service inclusive, independent, and long term. 

 PERG now hosts the following channels: 

fraud_alerts-and-verifications
Report scams; alert others to fraudsters; ask if others know a specific customer. 

news_camera-lenses
This channel is for making announcements and promoting events. This includes product announcements, training events, networking/industry events, and so on.

news_lighting-grip
This channel is for making announcements and promoting events. This includes product announcements, training events, networking/industry events, and so on. 

FOR TECHS

tech_lens-tech
Lens service technician channel is for exchange of information among lens service technicians.

tech_camera-tech
Camera service technician channel is for exchange of information among camera service technicians.

tech_lighting-tech
Lighting service technician channel is for exchange of information among lighting service technicians.

tech_prep-tech
Prep tech channel is for exchange of information among camera prep techs. 

USED GEAR

east_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the eastern third of the U.S. 

central_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the central third of the U.S. 

west_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the western third of the U.S. 

FOR THE EASTERN U.S.

east_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the EASTERN third of the U.S. 

east_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the EASTERN third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR THE CENTRAL U.S.

central_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the CENTRAL third of the U.S.

central_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the CENTRAL third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR THE WESTERN U.S.

west_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the WESTERN third of the U.S.

west_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the WESTERN third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR CANADA

canada_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in Canada.

canada_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in Canada. You can post a photo if you want.

All you need is a (free or paid) Slack account and an invitation to access the PERG channels on Slack.

SIGN UP HERE for an invitation. 

Note: These channels are available to professional, brick-and-mortar rental companies only. 

The app is available in mobile and desktop versions that are synced. It is intuitive to use. Even if you have not used Slack before, you will pick it up in no time! Slack Quick Start Guide. 

There are just a few important rules everyone must follow. 

1. Keep it organized. You can nest responses by using “reply in thread”; so that equipment requests and conversation topics stay separated. 
2. Stay on Topic. Limit conversation to the specific topic of the channel. If the channel is for subrentals, it should be just requests and responses. For example, someone might post “Looking for Signature Zoom 16-32 mm. Preps 6/4, shoots 6/5-6/6, returns Friday 6/6. email me a name@rentalcompany.com." Someone who has the gear responds with a short “We’ve got it!” or even just a check mark or raised hand emoji for example. Then the parties reach out by phone or email to discuss terms.
3. Don't talk money. Pricing conversations must be taken elsewhere. For antitrust purposes, they must be held privately, and must not be held on the app. All discussions on Slack will be limited to those subjects that are permitted by the antitrust laws. Prohibited topics include prices charged, employee salaries, marketing plans and strategies, and current or future costs. Violations of the antitrust laws can have serious consequences for you and for our trade organization.
4. No ads, except on the designated channel. Manufacturers and dealers are welcome to participate in the tech channels providing information but are not permitted to use those channels for sales. We reserve a separate channel for announcements about products and events called news_camera-lenses and news_lighting-grip.

Lighting & Grip Service Technician Training at Filmscape Chicago

| PERG News: January 2023 |

PERG is once again teaming up with Filmscape Chicago to provide service technician training for lighting and grip rental companies. The Filmscape Chicago tradeshow is Saturday and Sunday, June 24-25. The training, called Rental Days, takes place Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24. Grip/Electric Courses include a two-day advanced ARRI service class as well as a wide variety of shorter advanced, intermediate, and beginner training sessions. See schedule and class descriptions below.

PERG Members get a 20% discount. Contact the PERG Manager.

ARRI (ADVANCED) Product line: Skypanel Series, M-Series HMI; full certified service training on Skypanel; full certified service training on HMI heads. Two 8-hour classes. 

RATPAC (ADVANCED) Most common repairs for Ratpac Controls: solid state relays, fuses, switches, etc.; Commonly mis-diagnosed problems and troubleshooting basics; product line: PDB, Cintenna, Satellite, AKS.

AMERICAN GRIP (ADVANCED) Deep Dive into repair and maintenance of Roadrunner-type crank stands. Plus, hands-on tips and tricks for steel stand maintenance from the man himself with 40+ years of knowledge to help you get the longest life out of your grip hardware.

KINO FLO (INTERMEDIATE) Firmware updating; troubleshooting basics; how to diagnose and replace internal components; product line: Freestyle VS Select VS Diva.

HUBBELL (INTERMEDIATE) Overview of industry standard installation of Edison, Bates, and Cam-Lok connectors; the signs of a bad/damaged connector; how to QC cables before they go out the door and when they come back; when a connector needs to be replaced.

LUMINEX (INTERMEDIATE) Basic IT networking overview and DMX networking overview; key vocabulary to better understand the Luminex infrastructure (managed vs unmanaged switch, opto splitter vs node vs switch); how to test these networking components; how to tech when they come back from a job; basic troubleshooting.

CREAMSOURCE (INTERMEDIATE) Firmware updating and installation; software functionality; how to reset; basics of troubleshooting; fundamentals of head and ballast repair; product line: Vortex8 & 4, CS Mini, SpaceX.

LITEGEAR (INTERMEDIATE) Firmware updating and installation; software functionality; how to reset; basics of troubleshooting; fundamentals of head and ballast repair; product line: LiteMat Series 2 vs Plus vs Spectrum.

ASTERA (INTERMEDIATE) Astera ecosystem overview; firmware updating and installation; software functionality - how to reset; basics of troubleshooting; fundamentals of repair for IP-rated fixtures; product line: Titan, Helios, Hyperion.

CHIMERA (BEGINNER) Product Line Overview; Quartz vs Daylight, Sizing, Speed Ring Sizing explained; how to maintain and store Chimera product.

RAG TIME (BEGINNER) How to spot a rag that is beyond repair; how to maintain and store rags; how to clean rags back from a job; differences between rag manufacturers.

The PERG Council and ESTA Board of Directors

| PERG News: January 2023 |

The PERG Council chair position changes hands each year to a new person on the Council. For 2023, the Council voted Andy Shipsides (ARRI Rental) to take the position. He will take it over from Stosh Durbacz (Fujifilm) who held the position in 2022. Bianca Halpern (BECiNE) accepted the nomination as chair elect. She will take the position in 2024. 

Andy Shipsides, the 2023 PERG Chair is President – North America at ARRI Rental.

The PERG Council is the volunteer advisory body that decides the direction of the PERG group and represents PERG members’ concerns and desires in Council meetings. The PERG Council is responsible for developing our events, meetings, and initiatives. 

The PERG Council is different from the ESTA Board of Directors, who govern the overall international trade association and are elected to office by the entire ESTA voting membership. The Rental Company Director, currently Mark Wofford (PC&E), is the representative for rental companies on the ESTA Board of Directors. The PERG Council runs events and initiatives for the motion picture/TV/commercial markets, which is a special interest group within ESTA. 

(Left) Mark Wofford (PC&E), Rental Company Director on the ESTA Board,
with Gary Paz and Alan Ipakchian at a PERG event.

Council members are appointed in accordance with PERG’s Rules of Governance. At any given time, there are at least 9, and as many as 17, Council members. Seeking to maintain a balance of individuals committed to furthering the goals of PERG, the Council considers the following when adding new members:

• Geographic diversity of members
• Balanced representation of both camera and lighting companies
• Gender and age diversity
• Candidate’s ability to commit to attending meetings and other PERG events
• Candidate’s decision-making authority within their organizations. They must be able to express opinions and vote in Council meetings without higher authorization from someone in their company.
• Candidate’s willingness to serve on task groups. 

If an eligible person working for a PERG-affiliated member of ESTA is interested in serving on the Council, they are encouraged to speak with a Council member or the PERG Manager. The term of office for the Council is three years, with an option to continue after that time. During the pandemic, the Council switched to holding monthly Zoom meetings, eliminating the travel requirement for Council members. Being on the Council is an opportunity to give back, make friends, have a front row seat, and make a difference to the industry. Help spearhead action on issues that are important to everyone. Make a lot of new professional connections and have fun!

That said, members do not have to be on the Council in order to take an active role in our events, initiatives, outreach efforts, and committees. To find out how to get more involved, please speak to the PERG Manager or a member of the council.

Who are these wonderful people we call the PERG Council? 

• Carly Barber, Illumination Dynamics, Los Angeles
• John Cini, High Output, Boston
• Stosh Durbacz, Fujinon, Toronto
• Bianca Halpern, BECiNE, Los Angeles
• Derek Hammer, Hammer Lighting and Grip ,Indianapolis
• Chris Konash, Panavision, New York
• Anna Mayo, MP&E, Dallas
• JR Reid, JR Lighting, Inc., Las Vegas
• Paul Royalty, LiteGear, Inc., Burbank
• Andy Shipsides (Chair), ARRI Rental ,New York
• Sally Spaderna, Koerner Camera, Seattle/Portland
• Scott Taylor, Taylor & Taylor Associates, New York
• Stephen Wheeler, Daufenbach Camera, Chicago
• Brandon Zachary, Dynamic, Burbank

The election result for ESTA’s 2023 Board of Directors were announced in December. Incumbent Todd Spencer of Ventana Capital Investments will return as President, and incumbent Joe Aldridge will return as Individual Director. Hannah R. D’Amico of IATSE has been elected as the new Organizational Director. She will succeed Alan M. Rowe, who reached his term limit. Rowe has been a member of the ESTA Board of Directors since 2017. He will continue his work as Co-Chair of the Technical Standards Council and the Subject Matter Expert Chair for Electrical Skills on the ETCP Council. Rental Company Director will remain in the hands of former PERG Council member Mark Wofford (PC&E)

Left to Right: Todd Spencer, Joe Aldridge, Hannah R. D'Amico

New Member Spotlight: JMR

| PERG News: January 2023 |

JMR is a full-service equipment rental house—a one-stop shop that carries the latest cameras, lighting, grip, lenses, audio, and production services. They maintain a well-stocked expendables department and have a 20 x 30 ft. cyc studio. John Marino is the company President, Ellie Garcia is the Director of Operations, and Cynthia Rosario is the Chief Operating Officer.

John Marino has been working in the industry for over 40 years. Recounting the story of JMR’s origin, John relates that coming up, he had done everything from painting cycs, to loading trucks, to working as a prep tech before becoming Vice President at Technisphere Corp. He worked there for 28 years. When the owner sadly passed, the company was dissolved. At that point JMR Equipment Rentals was born. With John’s extensive relationships in the industry and his vast knowledge of equipment and how to run a rental facility, JMR Equipment Rentals began its journey.

JMR started in a small 1,000 sq. ft. facility and ran out of there for three years, slowly gaining momentum, and finally moving to their current 7,000 sq. ft. location on 53rd street. “Honestly, I have been doing this my whole life, and what drives me in my passion is staying in tune with the industry. I love talking to DPs and other crew members about what they are shooting, and I just really enjoy learning something new and different every day from everyone that passes through our doors. Knowing the new techniques of how the gear is being used and applied has always been a huge part of my DNA. I am and always will be a huge fan of the process of making TV and movies.”

John Marino, JMR

JMR is well established in the reality TV area as well as independent films, music videos, documentaries, and scripted shows. More recently the company has branched into larger scale productions and looks forward to expanding and growing their client base. 

The company is known for reliability. “We are one of the most dependable rental facilities in the industry. Our phones are always on, and you will get someone to answer your call at any hour.” John believes the thing that sets his company apart is their relationship with customers. “When we say we treat you better than family, that is the truth. We will never leave our clients in the cold. We strive for excellence in our equipment, our crew, and our relationships. We are the fun rental house, not your stuffy rental company. We are pros, with a loose persona.”

JMR currently has nine employees. When you come into JMR you are greeted by either the owner, who is always walking around, or by one of their hip, knowledgeable staff. “Our camera techs are well trained and have a great deal of experience in the equipment rental world. They truly know the definition of urgency. They are some of the coolest people you will meet—great sense of humor, patient. Our motto is ‘professionals serving professionals,’ and that is what we take to heart every day.” John believes that being present in the day-to-day activities and dealing with clients on a one-on-one basis gives their clients security in knowing that “not only does my team have their best interest, but so does the owner.” 

Instagram: @jmrrentals
Facebook: @JMRNY
https://www.jmrny.com

New Member Spotlight: CineMechanics

| PERG News: January 2023 |

CineMechanics is camera and lens rental company with offices in Minneapolis and Duluth. The company’s three lead staff have a combined 80+ years of rental industry experience locally and nationally. They have seen it all. Steve Speers is the founder, owner, and president of CineMechanics. The lead staff are industry veteran Brian McGraw, who manages the lens department and equipment inventory, and industry veteran Kolin Mark, who manages equipment rentals and assists with operations.

CineMechanics supplies equipment primarily for commercials and feature film productions and distinguishes itself as the only locally owned camera house in Minnesota. “We are known for our dedication to the camera department and for very supportive and close relationships with the local camera community. We actively support the work and careers of our clients and our market's DPs and ACs.” 

Prior to starting the company, Steve was a focus puller for many years and was fortunate to work with some of the industry's most acclaimed cinematographers. While working as a 1st AC, he acquired equipment that he wanted to work with, eventually picking up a Red One digital camera and lenses during the industry’s transition from film to digital. He rented equipment to jobs that he worked on and to production companies who hired camera-department friends. “I happened to embrace digital early on, so our initial success was due to being a sort of hybrid AC, with both film and digital experience. During the crossroads of film to digital, many DPs hired me to help with their transition. Those relationships, from time spent in the trenches, remain very strong today.”

In 2008, Steve formed CineMechanics. He tells the story, “At the start, before I had employees, the ‘rental house’ was literally in my house! For maybe too many years (for my family) I worked out of my house. I worked on a lot of the bigger projects and movies in Minneapolis, and some of these jobs were with ASC and BSC cinematographers. It was always pretty funny when an AC or DP from LA would be dropped off at the local ‘camera house’ to prep and it was really a house in a neighborhood. Once they saw the prep space, though, they loved the setup. It was a really great way to bond with people when you host them at your home!”

Today, CineMechanics is located just west of downtown Minneapolis in a 6,000 sq. ft. facility. “We have multiple spacious prep bays. ACs love prepping with us! We have on-site lens test equipment and a projection room. We also have a 1,500 sq. ft camera/lens and motion control testing studio. We really love our space and location. Crews that come from out of town are always very complimentary of our facility and staff.”

CineMechanics is known for their extensive inventory, especially lenses, their motion control services, and their educational workshops for professionals and those interested in the camera department. We have a great selection of vintage, anamorphic and modern optics that work on projects all over the country. Having an experienced lens technician in-house and the industry's latest test equipment to manage this inventory, we ship it to sub-rental clients and productions all over the country.” In 2020 CineMechanics purchased a Bolt motion control system, growing their services to the region. “Our motion control offerings consist of a high-speed Bolt and Bolt Jr+ system along with precision track and various motion control rigs. It has been a wonderful challenge!” 

CineMechanics is also very proud of their educational events. “We have a company initiative called CineUp. We host workshops, training, and learning opportunities with industry experts. The events are attended by local professionals and are great for those just getting started in the camera department.”

The company’s mission today remains to work alongside professional filmmakers and help them make great films. “Whatever the project, we understand the demands of filmmaking and the importance of succeeding. Our aim is to see our clients succeed. We take great pride in our service and support to our customers.” 

Instagram and Facebook @cinemechanics, education hashtag is #cineup
https://cinemechanics.com/

New Member Spotlight: Media[box]

| PERG News: January 2023 |

Bradley Stonesifer and Drew Lauer are both working cinematographers and the owners of Media[box]. I sat down with Jacob Riley, Head of Operations, to hear more about Media[box]. The staple of the company’s business has always been national ads—including some upcoming Superbowl ads. “We always have a few longer docs for Netflix or Discovery or Nat Geo going on at any given time. We’re known for our fun and stable environment and making sure our clients feel supported.” Media[box]’s facilities in Culver City have two camera prep bays and one prep suite as well as a small white cove stage.

(Left to right) Drew Lauer and Brad Stonesifer

Jacob describes the evolution of the company like this. “Over the past 20 years, Brad and Drew have grown an extended family of filmmakers, working camera nerds, DP’s, directors, writers, editors, producers, and did I say camera nerds. Media[box] is our toy box to share.” The company’s slogan is “By filmmakers. For filmmakers.” Jacob relates, “When we choose which cameras, lenses, and tech to own and rent out, the decision is based on which toys we like to film with. We outfit our cameras with the accessories that we love to use on a day-to-day basis. AC’s and operators love that our kits are built for efficiency with lots of options; they are built to work. DP’s love our unhealthy relationship with rehoused vintage glass and having all the very newest cameras and best stuff. We also have a long history with Phantom cameras, drones, and now robots… there’s always some weird project going on in our small stage.”

Media[Box] prep bays

The mission of the company is to create an oasis for camera crews. “Set life is hectic and we know it. Our goal is to create a more care-free environment where our clients can feel at ease during preps, knowing they’re supported so they can make cool pictures. We all just want to play with camera toys and feel confident that the tools we are working with are clean and in tip-top shape. We are professional and also chill.” They have a basketball hoop and a Simpson’s Classic arcade machine. They make fully stickers. They boast great coffee. “Your visit to Media[box] camera should be a joy. Come see it if you can set the bowling high score!”

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook: @mediaboxcamera
https://www.mediaboxcamera.com

Your Membership Refresh Checklist

| PERG News: January 2023 |

New Year’s resolutions: cut down screen addictions, read more books, and get the most out of my PERG/ESTA membership! 

To make that last resolution easy to keep, here’s a quick checklist: 

• Logos. Using the “PERG Member” and “RENTAL GUARD” logos on your website elevates your company status and, like a Neighborhood Watch sign, signals that you are part of a network that prevents crime through community cohesiveness and collaboration. 
• Event Invitations. Are there other members of your staff we should invite to PERG events? Shoot us their contact info. PERG events are an exceptional opportunity to see colleagues, customers, and share association news. 
• Newsletters. Who should be on our newsletter mailing list? SIGN UP. This is how we keep members informed of our initiatives, events, and meetings. There are six to eight issues annually. 
• RENTAL GUARD. Are you registered for RENTAL GUARD? Should more people on your staff have access? Remember, RENTAL GUARD includes the Watch List (names of people associated with fraud), Questionable Customer Alert (alerts for possible fraudsters), New Customer Inquiry (verifies new customers via other members).
• Share your ideas and concerns. Give us your suggestions for survey topics, presentations by subject matter experts, townhalls, or standards and practices documents. A PERG survey can help members see how others are handling a business question, equipment question, HR question, etc. Do you have feedback that could help PERG improve what we do? Please bring it to the PERG Manager or a Council Member. PERG is here to take on issues on behalf of the rental industry.
• State Tax Incentives Task Groups. PERG task groups coordinate with the Motion Picture Association to lobby protective action for state incentives? To join a task group, please contact the PERG Manager. (See MPA Teams with PERG on State Tax Incentive Strategy).
• Are you aware of these benefits?
  PERG Member Calendar for industry events. Do you have an event you’d like to add?
  Slack channels (request and invitation)
  Equitable Workforce Initiative (EWI)
  AICP/PERG Sample Terms and Conditions
  Practices documents on topics like Data Security
  Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures (for rental companies). Contact PERG Manager
  Handout to educate your customers about theft.
  Protocol – PERG has a regular column and occasional feature articles in the journal of entertainment technology