Sales Representative- Bret Wegenke

Although Bret Wegenke may be a relatively new face walking through your door, he is no stranger to the tent industry. Bret started installing tents for Miller’s American Rentals in Lansing, Michigan as a summer laborer in 1985. After graduating with a degree in finance and economics from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich. in 1988 he became a crew chief for that same company. From 1988 until 1992, Wegenke honed and fine tuned the sales arm of American Rentals, and by 1993 he and his good friend Ken Sousa had purchased majority interest in the company. Wegenke and Sousa aggressively pursued the Midwestern market for the next several years becoming one of the preeminent providers of tents, tables, chairs and portable toilets in the upper Midwest before selling their interest in 2006.

That same year, Wegenke’s interest and passion for the industry provided him yet another opportunity. In May of 2006, he purchased the rep agency Great American Tent and Party from Jeff and Carol Gepner. The Gepner’s stayed on as employees and consultants for the next two years to ensure a smooth transition with their loyal clientele. During that same time, Wegenke moved the headquarters of GATP to his home town of De Witt, Mich. and brought on the staff that is now in place. Bret is joined by Jeff Spedoske, also a former employee of American Rental, and more recently a manager and logistics specialist for UPS, and Mary Mills who previously worked for the City of Lansing as Assistant Parks and Recreation Director. Wegenke’s Mother, Sandy, is also involved as the business manager. Together, these four individuals manage sales and service for Aztec Tents in the Midwestern states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. They can be reached at 800-221-8368.

When asked about his industry experience, Wegenke says that “the tent business has really transformed over the past 25 years. When I got started, there were many more small companies supplying tents, tables and chairs to the backyard market, that were doing their work on a part time basis. In today’s marketplace, the look and the feel of all that has changed into legitimate businesses that are being run as corporations, whose function and scope have become far more complex. Companies that used to do regional work are now doing nationwide events, and the clientele has become more sophisticated regarding needs and expectations.” Aztec Tents is delighted to have Wegenke and his associates as part of our nationwide network of field sales and support.