Food, Booze, & Business: 5 Tips for Frequent Flyer Fun

Business is all about relationships. Embracing ones that feel like old friendships and making new ones that open frontiers. Building and maintaining relationships is the literal lifeblood of business.

Hence, we schmooze. As the old saying goes, “There’s nothing wrong with working your ass off as long as you keep your head on.” The same can be said for partying it up during business travel.

Golf outings, sporting events, lunch dates, dinner meetings, conferences, trade shows, cocktail parties, night club outings, and destination retreats are just a few examples of how we put the fun in the fundamentals of business relationships.

Schmoozing, however, can come at a cost. Many an executive has shared with me the damage they’ve done over the years by eating too much, drinking too often, and sleeping too little in the course of schmoozing or getting schmoozed.

True story: A friend of mine was negotiating the sale of his business to a prospective buyer at a five-star resort. Things were going well over dinner and the deal was just about wrapped up. But upon returning to the hotel lounge for a celebratory nightcap, the buyer took exception to my friend’s business partner doing a sloppy bump ‘n grind on the dance floor with the buyer’s equally inebriated wife. After a brief shoving match between the buyer and “Pelvis Presley,” the deal came to let’s say, a grinding halt. Close but no cigar.

Catch Billy The Coach @ LCT East
Session: Breakfast of Champions: You’ve Got This!!! Learn How to Win at the NEW Game of Business, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. It is a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. Tomorrow’s successful businesses will be defined by their ability to adapt and adjust to the ever-changing demands of today’s digital consumer. The stakes have been raised. What was once good enough isn’t nearly good enough anymore regardless of the industry you’re in or the product or service you deliver. www.lcteast.com

Here are 5 road-tested techniques you can employ to enjoy the fun of business travel while avoiding the train wreck of one too many:

Anticipate. Know ahead of time when you’re likely to encounter pressure to eat and drink with others. DO IT and enjoy. . . in moderation. When you reach your pre-determined limit for food and drink, don’t feel guilty about politely saying no. In 30 years of coaching, I’ve never heard of an executive losing a deal because he or she didn’t join in on the fourth round of flaming tequila shots.    

Alternate drinks with a glass of water or soda water with lemon. You can have the fun of socializing without the calories (and potential calamities) of too much booze.

Eat just one of everything and gorge on nothing. We don’t get fat from eating. We get fat from eating too much. Sample and graze. Avoid the trap of nervous eating. Breathe, relax, and enjoy.

Have an exit strategy for making a gracious departure. Don’t feel as if you have to pull an all-nighter to show appreciation. Be firm yet polite when it’s time to go. Often times your peers will gratefully follow your example while they can still find the door.

Act like a pro: Peer pressure shouldn’t dictate your behavior. Experienced pros know the ropes when schmoozing and they leave amateur hour to the rookies. Exuding confidence and self-control is always preferable to throwing up in the elevator and looking like a corpse at breakfast the next morning.

Follow these five steps and you’ll always benefit from the difference between road warrior and road kill.

Related LCT Billy The Coach Blog Posts:

• How To Survive The Road Warrior Routine
• How To Plan And Prepare For Success

Executive Health Strategist Billy The Coach partners with time-challenged professionals to reengineer the relationship between their personal health and professional careers. The resulting balance creates the optimal environment for achieving the highest levels of long-term success. Learn more at http://ift.tt/2s17zZM

Keywords

Billy The Coach   Biz Balance   business deals   business travel   meetings and conventions   networking   work-life balance   

 

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Looking To Real Street America For Better News

NEWS FLASH: Reports of America coming apart at the seams in civil strife, as the climate changes life as we know it, while the world erupts in catastrophic fury, and we all helplessly roll toward an economic cliff in driverless vehicles. . .are overrated.

I haven’t seen a time when so many deep breaths are needed for a period that outperforms more than a handful of difficult years during the last century.

We absorb too much drama each day from the stopless 24/7 info and social media cycle of attention grabbing. We see too much posing, strutting, hectoring, fuming, forecasting, one-upping. . . stop me before I overdose on verbs.
One steady, more reliable source on the national condition is the daily grind of American small businesses. We hear often about Main Street versus Wall Street. I certainly prefer the former, where the chauffeured vehicle and bus industries belong, but I like the term Real Street: The practical, everyday avenue of small business that keeps it all together and the nation moving. If you own metal or equipment, make payroll, and run a regulated, taxed, private-sector business, then you never stray far from the core values in life, or just being real.

So let’s take a no-drama cross-section of our industry block on Real Street America and look for some headlines. See if you notice a pattern in the image above.

By The Numbers
American business is mostly about small business:

28.8 million in the U.S. with 56.8 million employees

89% of all businesses have 20 or fewer workers

60% of all jobs created from 2009-2013 came from small businesses

86% of small business owners earn an annual salary of $100,000 or less

55% of all jobs are provided by small businesses

Sources: 2014 U.S. Census/U.S. SBA /Fundera 2017/Intuit 2014

Translation: People working hard to earn a living and brighten their local corners of the world. These business stories qualify as good news.

All appeared on LCTmag.com during a month of two hurricanes, missile threats, Navy ship collisions, political strife, street violence, deficit scares, Hillary’s blame-game tour, and the return of creepy clowns.

They prove no matter what crisis or spectacle arises on any given day, the domestic anchor of Real Street America goes about its business undeterred. It also shows where to look for hope to balance out all the pessimism.

Such daily glimpses point to a working majority of Americans who know how to get along outside of the selfie-political-media complex to pursue more beneficial, lasting goals.

Thanks to Real Street America and the entire small business sector, life is better than we know or can fully appreciate, as the nearby numbers tell. Thank you to so many readers and show attendees in our LCT marketplace for providing a non-stop “accuracy check.” Keep the real news flowing.

Keywords

industry trends   LCT editor   Martin Romjue   media   operator achievements   state of industry   

 

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Colorado Operator Equips Fleet With Defibrillators

LONGMONT, Colo. — Eight Black Executive Transport has installed life saving AED’s (Automatic External Defibrillators) in its entire fleet.

“We operate a separate business called Longmont Shuttle, and 25% of our client base are in an age bracket more susceptible to heart related issues like heart attacks and cardiac arrest. Cardio Vascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States every year,” says Simon Chen, owner.

“We have a responsibility as a transportation provider to ensure our entire staff are adequately trained in First Aid, including CPR and now in the use of defibrillators. Just as important is the need to provide our customers with the safest and best equipped vehicles possible.”

AED training for the company has been conducted by paramedics as opposed to First Aid instructors, who Chen says often have little to no real world experience.

AED’s have been mandatory on commercial aircraft since 2004. In 2013, the city of Denver adopted a program called Save A Life and installed 1,000 AED’s throughout the city. “I believe these life saving devices should be mandatory in all commercial transportation vehicles,” he says.

“Our livery and shuttle vehicles are covering large distances every day. The average journey between Longmont and DIA is around 50 minutes. In winter, we are transporting families and individuals to all major ski resorts on a daily basis, and those trips can take anywhere from two to five hours depending on weather and traffic. If the average response time for paramedics is nine minutes in the Denver metro area, imagine the response time in winter if you were traveling on a major interstate in a snow storm,” he explains.

Source: Eight Black Cars press release

Related: Think Like A Client, Act Like An Operator

Related: Industry High Achievers Find New Ways To Excel

Keywords

customer service   emergency preparedness   passenger safety   Safety   vehicle safety   

 

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What’s Your Story?

Last month I was invited to attend a dinner party at the BusCon Expo in Indianapolis. One of the guests was the managing director of ground transportation for ACE Parking. He was a soft-spoken young man, shockingly only 28 years old. I watched him as he quietly listened to the stories told by the “old folk” and was intrigued by his mature and thoughtful demeanor.

Dinner was almost over when I got his attention and bluntly asked him, “What’s your story?” And little did I know what a loaded question it was. This is what he said:

His mom fled Guatemala when she was in law school and accosted by rebels who were forcing students to change to their democratic party. Her father wasted no time and sent her packing. She traveled alone through Mexico and into Los Angeles where she found relatives to live with. She worked downtown as a transportation coordinator while continuing her studies at UCLA. She fell for an immigrant from Pakistan but sadly, when she became pregnant, he left her and was never to be heard from again. She raised her only son in the heart of Los Angeles’ worst ghetto – Watts. They lived on welfare in Section 8 housing.  

At age seven and into his youth, her son was tasked with spending his days at LAX counting the number of passengers of shuttles and sending those reports to his mother who would plug them into spreadsheets for her company. While he remained in school, he was no stranger to gang life until the fateful day he was arrested. He spent time in jail, and that was where he had his ah-ha moment and decided he needed to get into college, get out of the projects, and leave the ghetto behind. He studied hard. He attended a UC college and went on to get his MBA at Pepperdine University, amassing a $90,000 student loan debt. On the first day of school he met the love of his life, and just a few months ago they married. After graduating, she founded her own cyber security company to boot! They just bought a home in Laguna Beach, Calif. He has big aspirations for where he wants to take the family owned company, but for now is getting used to being a senior manager as a Millennial overseeing a 120-vehicle fleet plus a large staff.

That’s what I got from asking the simple question, “What’s your story?”  

There has been a wave of negativity in this industry if you haven’t noticed. The game has changed and many operators are frustrated. We understand change happens to all industries, but having to own buses has complicated things for many. Diversification means a more scientific approach to cost versus usage. That means figuring out how to make maximum profits with varying types of vehicles while selling and serving in new ways to new industries. I get it.

But I want you to think about this young man’s story and remind yourself you have it in you to focus on solutions, not problems. Get unstuck by tasking your team for ideas. Fight burnout by spending more time being creative. You are the company you keep, and misery hates to be alone. So move away from those energy vampires. We are in a great and ever evolving transportation market, and its spoils will go to the victors!

Keywords

entrepreneurship   LCT Publisher   networking   Sara Eastwood-Richardson   state of industry   

 

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New Limo Anywhere President Outlines Changes Ahead

DALLAS — Two months into his new post, Limo Anywhere President Sean Arena has been leading the company toward a more responsive and accessible suite of technology products based on new marketplace realities.

With 4,700 operators on its platform garnering a 40% share of the industry software market, Limo Anywhere wields a strong influence on the industry’s technology evolution.

Arena joined Limo Anywhere on July 31 after working as executive director for new business ventures and technology partnerships at Sabre Travel Network, where he served in various roles over 18 years. He brings experience in leadership, product marketing, business development, user experience, and corporate strategy. Former Limo Anywhere President Mark Gentry moved on to new opportunities outside of the company, and remains as temporary consultant when needed. He helped Arena with the transition until Sept. 1.

“The challenges we’re facing are similar to challenges I faced in prior roles at my last company,” Arena said. “There is intense regulatory pressure, complex logistical challenges, a need for more expansive automation, emerging disruptive models, and the need to continuously differentiate. All of these factors resonate with our customers and players within our industry.”
 
Dallas-based Limo Anywhere also has gained a unique market position since it was acquired earlier this year by the Marcou Transportation Group of Waltham, Mass. The transportation conglomerate also bought the Dav El / BostonCoach Chauffeured Transportation Network, the second largest luxury fleet provider in the U.S., and GroundLink, a tech-enabled luxury car service serving corporate clients. [Article here].

Arena outlined Limo Anywhere improvements on three broad fronts for 2018, all positioned to provide more real-time, simplified experiences for operator-clients and their customer-end-users:

1. Streamline the user experience by improving the efficiency of tools and services to increase client satisfaction. A self-service portal, for example, would retrieve invoices, upgrade services, and update their information. Further, the company plans to rollout a new interface that will improve usability for all users of the Limo Anywhere ERP platform. “It is critical for our client base, from new customers to long-time users, to be delighted by a workflow that best fits their [company] persona,” Arena said.
2. Helping operator clients scale their business through the Limo Anywhere platform and overall technology eco-system, allowing for new search and reporting capabilities and accessing data. Added customer relationship management (CRM) functions would provide real-time insights and help operations better reach out to and communicate with their customers. “We will keep looking for how we can help our clients build their business through our network. They are always looking for ways to grow their business, and we want to provide them with the tools and services to grow their business in and outside of their immediate markets.”
3. Expanding Limo Anywhere’s footprint through new partnerships and channel opportunities, and add new APIs and integration points to increase value to the portfolio. These would provide third parties access to its developer platform so they could augment its products with related services.

More specifically, Arena previewed some upgrades and changes to Limo Anywhere services and product lines:

• Before the end of the year, launch L.A. Mobile, a mobile app version of the LA platform for users to make or manage reservations, handle dispatch activities, stay on top of the status of rides, and complete reservations for clients who have credit cards on file, or in cases when a card is presented to the driver. “We recognize the fact that many operator-owners and managers are on road, and there’s a viable use case for tools they need anywhere,” Arena said.
• Release a new passenger mobile app solution for the operators to extend to their customers. Operators can customize the app with their own look and feel and logo.
• Direct integration between the Limo Anywhere platform and the Square payment gateway, which enables credit card processing and payments both on and offline.
• Develop a more customizable booking widget for customers’ web sites to extend “an adaptable search form that can conform stylistically to whatever interface a company uses,” Arena said. This would simplify the booking process for customers.
• Empower operators to more effectively manage their pricing and give them access to tools for reporting and analytics.
• Complete opportunities for Dav El / BostonCoach and Groundlink affiliates to leverage the wider Limo Anywhere platform and tools.

In sum, LA’s complete technology suite aims to serve and connect dispatching, reservations, customer booking, management alerts, payment integration, and in-car driver alerts while leveraging its network to build a broader affiliate base, Arena said. “We are intending to be as holistic and end-to-end as possible for our limo customers.”

Keywords

affiliate networks   BostonCoach   Dav El Chauffeured Transportation   executive changes   GroundLink   Limo Anywhere   limousine software   Mark Gentry   mobile technology   Sean Arena   software   

 

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PAX Training At LCT East Will Prep Your Chauffeurs For Free

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — LCT Shows always provide opportunities for operators to learn things that will help them make money and save money; but in reality, a lot of your chance to make an impression with clients lies in the hands of your chauffeurs. Education is vital if you hope to bring out the best in them. We want to help you in this endeavour, and that’s why we’ve worked together with PAX Training to bring you a free session at LCT East on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

So many aspects of your company depend on your chauffeurs practicing safe, defensive driving skills. They are the face of your company and can make or break client experiences. The session will teach new and veteran chauffeurs alike how to provide clients with the service they expect and deserve, and the “Rules of the Road” to protect them and your assets.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to invest in your employees while educating yourself at the Show at the same time!

Register for LCT East here

Related: Making Peace With Training And Turnover

Keywords

Atlantic city   casinos   chauffeur behavior   chauffeur training   customer service   driver training   Harrah’s   industry education   industry events   LCT-NLA Show East   managing chauffeurs   new jersey   staff training   

 

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When The Going Gets Tough, Get Tougher

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — This is not an easy industry to work in. Situations are constantly changing and you have to be prepared for anything that might go wrong. And chauffeured transportation runs 24/7/365, of course.

There are times you may want to give up, but the story of LCT-NLA East Show kick-off speaker and professional surfer Dean Randazzo will help you see why admitting defeat amid adversity shouldn’t be an option.

A New Jersey native, Randazzo has spent his whole life among the waves. According to his website, he represented Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, N.J., at a National Scholastic Surfing Association competition in California as an amateur surfer in 1989. He turned pro the following year after he earned the attention of the Association of Surfing Professionals during his performance at the 1990 Cold Water Classic.

Don’t Forget To Nominate An Operator!

LCT is accepting nominations for the People’s Choice Awards until Oct. 10…don’t wait! Click here for the form.

Ascending international rankings, he qualified for the ASP World Championship Tour in 1996, becoming the first New Jersey competitor to do so.

In 2001, Randazzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of cancer. Despite his worries of losing sponsorships, he announced this condition at a surf competition and worked toward making a difference in the lives of those going through the same hardship. The Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation (DRCF) was established that same year to raise money for cancer research and bring cancer awareness to the surfing community. He has since gone on to continue to compete and win multiple competitions.

At LCT East, Randazzo will talk about his humble beginnings, the struggles of making the world tour, and the ups and downs of life. “I want to teach people how they can adapt that mindset to their businesses, as well as testify to the power of perseverance and confidence,” he says. “I just want to share my story; it’s my mission to get it out there and have it help others going through similar troubled times. Any group interested in stories like mine is a crowd I want to speak to.”

Information about Randazzo and his foundation: www.thedrcf.com.

Mission Statement Of The DRCF

The Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation was created in 2001 with the mission to promote cancer awareness within the surfing community and provide financial support to people stricken with cancer as well as their families.

Employee Training Session Sneak Peak: Reservations / Customer Service

When: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Speakers: Briana Candeub, Park Avenue Limousine of Trevose, Penn.; and Jami Crouch, Premier Transportation of Dallas

This session will include an overview of customer service starting from the hiring process. “You have to understand when you are hiring for a customer service representative, you are hiring for a personality and not necessarily a specific background. You can teach most individuals what we do, but you can’t teach personality,” Jami Crouch says. She and co-speaker Briana Candeub will discuss different ways to control calls by using time productively to manage overwhelming demand. This includes how to understand the client’s needs, asking the right questions, and what the right questions are to provide the best experience possible.

“There’s a way to take inbound calls and guide them the direction you want them to go without being rude or inappropriate, but also minimizing your time knowing the next phone call could be coming in,” Crouch says. “We’ll also include some pointers for quality control when checking and rechecking reservations, keeping people accountable, and properly confirming with emails and calls.”

Related: Many Good Reasons To Register Now For LCT East

Related: LCT East Brochure

Keywords

Atlantic city   casinos   customer service   Harrah’s   keynote speakers   LCT-NLA Show East   new jersey   reservations   staff training   

 

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No 9 To 5: Why This Operator Pursued His Passion

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The life of an average professional can be pretty boring if all they do is clock in, clock out, go home, and then repeat that pattern for the rest of their lives. Entrepreneurs have a natural inclination to beat falling into that rut.

Ronnie Singh, owner of Eagle Eye Limousine in Santa Clara, knew after 10 years of working as a manager at Bank of America that he was meant for something more. He followed the advice of fellow operator (and cousin) Harry Dhillon, owner of Ecko Transportation in San Jose, and jumped into the world of chauffeured transportation.

Encouragement Is Everything

In an ideal world, everyone would be their own boss and work for themselves. But in reality, it takes a lot of guts to break free of the normal nine to five routine. Singh says without the encouragement of his family and friends, he wouldn’t be as successful as he is today. He started Eagle Eye with one Suburban, and has since grown to a fleet of 10 in just two years.

Dhillon, a 2015 and 2017 LCT Operator of the Year Award winner, provided him with plenty of good advice and help whenever he needed it, and Singh credits his wife as the backbone of his success. “She is always helping out when days are stressful, and she became my constant source of strength. The love and support I’ve received from those I’m closest to is the only reason I’ve made it this far,” he says.

Can-Do Attitude

Although he didn’t first see himself pursuing a career in the chauffeured transportation business, the response he got from others in the industry at trade shows encouraged him, and he says he sees himself remaining in the industry for at least as long as he was at his last job.

His passion certainly shows when providing the best possible service in the area he operates and beyond. A diverse fleet of vehicles helps him in his mission to “never say no” to a client. These include the Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac XTS and Escalade, Mercedes-Benz S-550, BMW 750Li, Lincoln Continental, a stretch limousine, and a Grech Motors minibus and Sprinter van.

“If the demand rises and you don’t have the specific vehicle that person is requesting, I would rather have something in house to cover the job than always rely on affiliates. You know your company is going to do 100% satisfactory work, so it gives you more peace of mind,” he says.

Eagle Eye does corporate and retail work because together they can produce more clients through word of mouth. “The corporate side of the business brings in new customers because they start telling other companies about yours. When it comes to retail, we focus on how we can get more leads out of them by learning what company they work for. The intention is to convert them into corporate clients.”

Growing By Learning

Singh has learned several lessons while expanding his business. A few are never make any assumptions and be on top of your team. “It can be stressful, but as long as you do everything right and have backup procedures in place you’ll be fine,” he says.

It’s also important to be consistent. “From day one, set and deliver your standard. If you say you provide a certain kind of service, back it up,” he says. “It’s not about doing it once or twice; you have to do it every time.”

You have to smile a lot if you hope to succeed in the customer service business. “Everyone has good and bad days, but it shouldn’t reflect on your company. Keep your cars clean, give it your all, and the business will come.”

Singh hopes to keep growing his business, build relationship with large, well-known affiliates, and delve into coaches and minicoaches. “I want to make sure people know my name and company because of the kind of service we provide. We want our reputation to remain trustworthy, and never let that standard slip.”

Keywords

affiliate networks   California operators   customer service   entrepreneurship   industry education   WebXclusive   

 

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Elite Motorcoach Group Partners With High-End Training Outfit

SAUSALITO, Calif. — The International Motorcoach Group (IMG) has partnered with the International Tour Management Institute (ITMI) to enable IMG members to receive ITMI training in customer service excellence at exclusive IMG discounts.

“We value the opportunity to use ITMI’s extensive experience in the tour and travel industry, to offer their exceptional customer service training for our members,” said Bronwyn Wilson, president of IMG.

ITMI CEO Ted Bravos said, “While all drivers receive continuous safety and driving skills training, we have recognized there is an opportunity to teach the effective handling of people related issues to increase professional behavior. The ITMI training helps the driver identify areas for enhancement such as understanding the psychology of group travel, the critical nature of the drivers’ interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills, maintaining a positive attitude, and keeping their cool.”

The training will also help build brand recognition, increase driver morale and retention, and give tips for handling the challenges on the road and long-distance travel.    

For more than 40 years, ITMI has trained and certified travel and tourism professionals. For the past decade, ITMI has also developed custom training and certification for motorcoach drivers.

Information: http://ift.tt/2wUH1vm

About ITMI: Since 1976, ITMI has been America’s premier training and certification program for travel and tourism professionals and travel staff. Information: Annemarie Osborne, Annemarie.Osborne@gmail.com (949) 237-2906 or www.itmisf.com.

About IMG: IMG is the leading network of transportation providers in North America that provides premier ground transportation through high performance standards. This private group focuses on the areas of safety, maintenance, training, on road support, and customer service. Information: Bronwyn Wilson, (913) 906-0111; bwilson@imgcoach.com or www.imgcoach.com.

Source: PRWeb press release

Keywords

business partnerships   customer service   driver training   Internatonal Motorcoach Group   motorcoach operators   

 

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Big Bus And Tour Operation Buys Eco-Friendly Limo Company

PETALUMA, Calif. — Pure Luxury Transportation, one of the largest chauffeured vehicle and bus tour transportation companies in California, has purchased San Francisco-based Green Carpet Limousine.

Erin Shields, owner of Green Carpet, was among the first operators committed to providing an eco-friendly choice in the chauffeured transportation industry. For the past 10 years, Erin and her dedicated team provided more than 25,000 rides in the Bay Area.

While each individual ride helped the environment, Green Carpet overall led to a reduction of more than three million pounds of CO2 emissions. In deciding to sell her business, Shields was committed to finding a transportation company that would continue to provide a high level of service. It did not take her long to choose Pure Luxury, known for its award-winning wider array of ground transportation services.

Pure Luxury was founded by Gary Buffo in 1991. Buffo, who has served as president of the National Limousine Association since 2013, and his wife Jennifer have grown Pure Luxury from a one car operation to a full service, worldwide executive ground transportation and touring company.

Providing transportation for a diverse clientele with every type of chauffeured vehicle and bus available, Pure Luxury has become an industry leader in service and standards.

“When Erin approached us several months ago, we were thoroughly impressed with her dedication to her clients and especially her employees,” Pure Luxury President Gary Buffo said. “We instantly knew Green Carpet would be a perfect fit within our corporate structure, as we share very similar visions and goals.”

The Buffos’ focus on client experience is reflected in the Pure Luxury’s company slogan, “Committed to Perfection.” The company is also a member of
Green Ride Global, and has committed to a minimum of 10% GHG emission reductions each year from all areas of its operations since joining GRG in 2008.

Shields will join the Pure Luxury team in a business development role, where she will further develop Pure Luxury’s innovative services and grow business relationships with existing and new clients.

“I was so thoroughly impressed, not only by Pure Luxury’s corporate structure, but also by their technology advances, core values, mission statements, and their goals,” Shields said. “Green Carpet and our employees and clients will benefit greatly by this acquisition. I am so proud to become a part of a fantastic forward thinking company.”

COO Jennifer Buffo added, “It is truly amazing to have the opportunity to acquire a company that mirrored our service and safety standards, and with Erin joining our team is just an incredible bonus. Both teams will greatly benefit long term, including all of our clients.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. A Google search for Green Carpet Limousine indicates its former website links now connect to Pure Luxury’s website.

Pure Luxury runs a fleet of about 200 vehicles, with a licensed global affiliate team of nearly 400 companies serving more than 500 cities worldwide. Pure Luxury is a privately held company with local offices in Petaluma, Napa Valley, Foster City, and Hayward that serve the Northern California region with private passenger, corporate, meetings, group and tour transportation.

Source: Pure Luxury press release

LCT related article: NLA President Rallies Industry For The Good Fight

Keywords

business deals   California operators   emissions reduction   Gary Buffo   Green Ride Global   green vehicles   Jennifer Buffo   mergers & acquisitions   operation growth   Pure Luxury Transportation   San Francisco operators   

 

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The Driver Provider Announces Key Hires

Executive Director Barry Gross

Regional Director Kaity Quinley
Phoenix — The Driver Provider is pleased to announce two high-profile hires to the company’s leadership team. Barry Gross has signed on as the company’s new executive director, where he will be joined by Kaity Quinley. The two had previously worked together at All Resort Group in Salt Lake City.

As executive director. Gross will be based out of the company’s headquarters in Phoenix and will oversee the company’s operations in all five markets. His experience in two of The Driver Provider’s key markets, Phoenix and Salt Lake City, will enable rapid assimilation.

Quinley will remain in Salt Lake City as regional director of the company’s operations there, where her 11 years of experience in operations and client relations will lend a steady hand to the company’s newest office.

“We are thrilled to welcome Barry and Kaity to our team,” says The Driver Provider principals Kendra and Jason R. Kaplan. “Each has an impressive record of success, commendable business principles, and an unwavering commitment to excellence; all traits we value in our leadership team. We believe these are strong moves to bolster our rapidly growing business.”

Visit driverprovider.com for more information.

[CD0917]

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Limited Space Left for Benchmark Breakouts and Operator Mentoring Program Sessions

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–>Orlando, Fla. — After an incredibly successful debut at last year’s Chauffeur Driven Show, Benchmark Breakouts has proven to be one of our event’s can’t-miss sessions. Bursts of brainstorming with like-minded operators in non-compete markets will give you a taste of peer group benefits while letting you discuss solutions and exchange ideas.

This is your chance to openly compare and contrast your company to similar ones while benefiting from the experiences and insights of your fellow operators.

Sponsored by Reston Limousine, Benchmark Breakouts offers operators the opportunity to interact within a small group of colleagues to share ideas, business challenges, and proffer solutions. Each of the groups is broken down by revenue or type of staff, and has a moderator present for a structured, but open, exchange in a private meeting room. Company “owners” of all sizes (only one per company, please) are invited, but requires pre-registration—so don’t delay. Spots are filling quickly. Register at chauffeurdrivenshow.com.

This year’s Benchmark Breakout groups are:

• Less Than $2 Million in Gross Annual Revenue
• $2-5 Million in Gross Annual Revenue
• More Than $5 Million in Gross Annual Revenue
• Affiliate Managers
• Operations Managers
• International Operators
• Motorcoach Operators
• Human Resources (New for 2017!)

Also back by popular demand is our Operator Mentoring Program, which remains one of the show’s longest-running hits and an enduring audience favorite. This is your opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s most iconic names and successful owners—and the roundtable discussions give everyone in your intimate group a chance to contribute and bring fresh ideas to the conversation, too. Moreover, we’re thrilled to bring you five new mentors into the program. This annual favorite is once again sponsored by Grech Motors.

Don’t delay! All seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and more than half are already filled. Since there will be no on-site registration, we encourage you to head over to chauffeurdrivenshow.com and sign up now. The sessions will take place Sunday, October 22 from 4:30-6:30 pm. This year’s mentors are:

• Robert Alexander, President/CEO of RMA Worldwide
• Sam Amato, President/Founder of Gateway Global
• Brett Barenholtz, CEO of Boston Car Service/Above All Transportation (New for 2017!)
• Kristina Bouweiri, President/CEO of Reston Limousine
• Maurice Brewster, President/Founder of Mosaic Global Transportation
• Alan Candeub, President of Park Avenue Limousine
• Eric Devlin, President of Premier Transportation
• Mike Fogarty, CEO North America of Tristar Worldwide
• Diane Forgy, President of Overland Chauffeured Services (New for 2017!)
• Kim J. Garner, President/Co-Owner of BEST Transportation
• George Jacobs, President of Windy City Limousine
• Joe Ironi, President of Global Alliance Worldwide (New for 2017!)
• Patrick Pierron, President of Edward Limousines – EQSL Global (New for 2017!)
• Tracy Raimer, Vice President of Windy City Limousine
• Dawson Rutter, Founder/President/CEO, Commonwealth Worldwide Executive Transportation
• David Seelinger, CEO/Chairman of EmpireCLS Worldwide
• Jason Sharenow, COO of Broadway Elite Worldwide (New for 2017!)
• Scott Solombrino, CEO of Dav El/BostonCoach

Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com for more information.

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Aristocat Names New Affiliate Manager

Affiliate Manager Julia Zabel
Warren, Mich. — Aristocat Chauffeured Transportation is pleased to announce that they have named Julia Zabel as affiliate manager for the company. Zabel comes to the position with 23 years of retail management experience.

“With our increase in global transportation requests, Julia does an excellent job finding us like minded affiliates around the world,” said Sue Jarvis, Aristocat’s president. “We have had great success in growing this side of our business and believe that 2017 will be the best year yet.”

As affiliate manager, Zabel says she has her hands in virtually every part of the business. “I regularly handle corporate clients and reservations, along with a bit of HR, payroll, and billing. What I’m really looking forward to doing is expanding Aristocat’s outreach into new markets. In the past three months, we’ve been fortunate enough to acquire new affiliates in Brazil, Ireland, and Paris.”

Zabel is enjoying her role at Aristocat, particularly the relationships she’s forged with coworkers and clients. “We’re a great group with a terrific connection. We truly have each others’ backs. I’m really thankful for the people I’ve met over this year and everything I’ve learned from them.”

“Currently we have a combined 70 years of ground transportation experience represented within our current office staff, and look forward to seeing Julia grow in her new position,” added Jarvis. “She is a great brand ambassador for us and a joy to work with.”

Visit aristocattransportation.com for more information.

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