Tara Franklin, director of sales and events, Sugarplum Tent Co., Boyds, Md., has joined the ARA of Maryland board of directors.
Franklin got her start in the event industry in a somewhat tangential manner 15 years ago. “I owned a stationery company — I started in the wedding invitations and paper side of it in 2006. I sold that business, went to work for a venue and did some planning, and now I’m here on the rental side,” she says.
Sugarplum Tent Co., a family-owned company that was established in 1991, provides event rentals and planning services. Since joining the company in 2015, Franklin has been responsible for running the sales team, managing site visits, handling on-site event management and crews, and overseeing installs and removals.
Franklin credits her professional ascent to the ARA of Maryland board to her connections with well-known event rental industry players.
“Brian Richardson [president, L&A Tent Rentals, Trenton, N.J.] is a family friend. He recommended me to Mike Fitzwater [general manager/co-owner, Special Events Entertainment, Portsmouth, Va., and ARA Region Two director], so that was nice of him,” she says.
Franklin plans to launch into her volunteer service on a learning curve and fully contribute from there.
“I’m excited to learn more about the ARA of Maryland, learn from other members, and see how I can help and fit in with my experiences and background,” she says.