LCT: How do you view the industry today from your local point of view and from a national perspective?
RAIMER: I believe our industry has no choice but to unite and work together on a local and national level. To stay abreast of the cost of regulations, uphold the demands of consistent high-end service, and provide a respectable place for employees to embrace careers. Consumers have spoken and their loyalty to one brand or one name is not a priority. Rather, convenience and the simplicity of reserving transportation no matter where they travel is important. However, this concept has to be truly designed for the industry and not for a single company.
LCT: What are some things you want to accomplish as president of the association?
RAIMER: As president of the Illinois Limousine Association (ILA), it has always been my goal to bring operators and vendors in the region together to discuss current events, conduct business with one another, and have a united voice representing our industry. It has always been important to develop an association that provides value and benefits to the membership and a channel for new members to access when first starting in the business in addition to being a resource for seasoned operators to bounce questions off one another. The association is meant to be a resource for all members. For it to be beneficial, all members need to be active in some way.
LCT: What keeps you competitive and motivated?
RAIMER: Three points:
• Creating a company that gives back to its employees and provides an avenue for them to take on an ownership mentality.
• Teaching the employees to operate and make daily decisions as an owner would, and providing them the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed.
• Teaching staff the financials and what truly goes into the operations of the business beyond each of their job descriptions. Armed with these tools and knowledge, it carries over to their personal lives as well.
LCT: You attend many industry trade shows and events; what personally motivates you to give back to the industry?
RAIMER: My colleagues and friendly competitors keep me motivated. When I began with my first car more than 20 years ago, I was amazed by the number of operators I could approach, ask questions, and receive their sincere support. I have experienced this camaraderie on both a local level and at all the national shows. For this reason, I absolutely love this industry and the people involved, and hope I can give back the same as what I have received through the years.
LCT: So what do you like to do in your downtime?
RAIMER: Well, with three young kids ages eight, three, and one and a half, there certainly isn’t a lot of downtime. However, if I do get some downtime, I mostly enjoy hiking, being outdoors, hunting, and fishing. At this point, I would love to have enough time to just read a book, to be honest.
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Illinois Limousine Association Illinois operators industry leaders limo associations
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