Hal Y. Roe, president of Bradley Rentals, is the 2010 Mel Bedwell Small Business Person of the Year. The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce recognized his excellence in business and community involvement at its Business Development Month kickoff luncheon. Roe is the 12th individual to receive the Small Business Person of the Year award since its renaming to honor the contributions of the late Mel Bedwell and 17th to receive the award since this award program began.

Bedwell was one of the most loyal and supportive members of the Small Business Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors Business Development Month. Staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales or unit volume, innovativeness of product or services offered, response to adversity, and evidence of contribution by the nominee to aid community-oriented projects form the basis for this award.

“Hal Roe is a thoughtful business owner, a family man and a community leader,” said Rick Platz, director of the Small Business Development Center. “He is well deserving of the Mel Bedwell Award.” According to Platz, the history of Bradley Rentals is a testament to Roe's determination and “staying power.” “Hal knew little of the equipment rental business but was intrigued when he saw one owned by a schoolmate of his wife, Andy, while living in Sevierville, Tennessee” Platz recounted. “With advice and support, he began to learn about the business and to scout for possible new locations.” In 1992 he moved from Sevierville to Cleveland for the express purpose of opening an equipment rental business. Up to that point, he had worked in several professions, including banking, insurance and property management, but his entrepreneurial spirit and desire to own his own business spurred him to make this unusual career shift.

He opened Bradley Equipment Rentals at 1010 South Lee Highway in October 1992. Even with space constraints in the 2,000-square-foot facility, he quickly began supplying the residential, commercial and industrial equipment rental needs of Bradley County and surrounding areas. For more than 18 years, Roe has observed the come-and-go of competition and changes in the marketplace. “Hal has responded to all of these challenges and prospered,” Platz noted. “His thoughtful management style has resulted in steady growth, and by 2003 it became clear that he would have to relocate to a larger facility.”

With an eye to the marketplace, Roe determined to do more than just move to a bigger location. He noticed the demand for party and wedding rentals as a potential area for expansion. He also began to think about the transition of the business to the next generation. He developed a detailed plan and worked with his attorney, banker and CPA to make sure all the preparation necessary for expansion met his vision for the business and its future. In June 2004 the new facility opened at 336 Grove Ave.

Located on an acre of property, Bradley Rentals boasts 14,000- square feet under roof and can meet all rental needs for the residential, commercial and industrial markets, as well as offer a complete line of party rentals. The business includes a beautiful showroom area, large storage area and maintenance facility. “But the best news is that sales have increased significantly, the wedding and party rental business has grown quickly, profits are up, and the number of employees has grown from four to nine,” Platz reported, attributing the success to Roe's ability to look into the future of the market and use his innovativeness to make his business better. “By listening to his customers' needs, he saw an opportunity to offer a new service.” While equipment rental is a straightforward business, party rental requires a great deal of customer service. Roe built a showroom that accommodates both the traditional equipment renter and the needs of the party renter. He acquired the inventory and provided warehouse space to ensure a successful party rental service. Most important, he hired an experienced manager with the mandate to focus on complete customer satisfaction.

“As with any business change, expansion to the new location was not without problems and adversity,” Platz noted. “For instance, once construction was underway, the showroom area needed to be upgraded to meet the expectations of party renters, a predominantly female target market.” Although the uncertainty of entering this new market and making design changes while the project was underway was potentially disastrous, Roe worked closely with the architect and contractor, making only the most necessary changes and controlling costs. He personally supervised all construction changes to make sure they met the needs of the business, resulting in a “beautiful facility that is appealing to customers and efficient to operate.” For many years Roe has held professional membership in the American Rental Association (ARA), an international trade association serving the equipment rental industry. He recently became president and chief elected officer of ARA, assuming the primary leadership role in guiding the membership organization. He has previously served on the ARA board of directors as chairman of the Construction and Industrial Services Shared Interest Group and on a number of other ARA committees, including the ARA Executive, Audit, Budget and Investment committees. Roe served as a board member and chairman of the board of ARA Insurance Services and president of the ARA of Tennessee in 1996. He was named ARA Region Three Person of the Year in 1997, and Bradley Rentals received ARA’s President's Image Award in 2005.

The outstanding entrepreneur is also a devoted family man and a respected citizen in the community. He has served many years in Rotary Club, on the board of the Boys& Girls Club, and as chairman of the board of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. He has been active in local and state politics as well. Broad Street United Methodist Church, where he has served on several committees. The Roes are the parents of Tommy Roe and Annie Classon and grandparents of Cooper and Eliza Roe and Grace Classon.

Previous winners of the Small Business Person of the Year are Jim Workman, Bender Realty LLC; Don Geren, Cleveland/Bradley Business Incubator; Steve Robinson, Cleveland Plywood; Lynn Jones, Lynn Jones Enterprises; Ross Tarver, Tarver Distributing Co. Inc.; Loye Hamilton, Coldwell Banker, Hamilton and Associates; Kenneth Higgins, Santek Environmental Inc.; Kay Jenkins Cowan, Jenkins Restaurant and Deli, Dan Cooke, Cooke’s Food Store and Panera Bread; Catherine Boettner, Cleveland Tubing; Jim Duggan, Robinson Building Center; Reba Garrison, State Farm Insurance; Ron Braam, Manufacturers Chemicals; Susan Shelton, Bradley News Weekly; Larry McDaniel, Town Squire; and Mel Bedwell, Cleveland Business Machines. The Small Business Committee of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce sponsors Business Development Month as part of the chamber's commitment to the business development of its members, the economic growth of the region, and the highest quality of life in our community.