Ann Arbor CEO Nominated for Prestigious Award

Ann Arbor, Mich.—Sean Duval, CEO and president of Golden Limousine International, was recently nominated as a finalist for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber Small Business Person of the Year Award. The nomination was announced at the Deals of the Year event on October 6, and the winner will be named at the M-Live Media Group Deals of the Year event on November 13 at Ann Arbor Marriott Eagle Crest. The Small Business Person of the Year Award recognizes a local small business entrepreneur who has demonstrated growth in the past two years, contributed to community projects, and overcome adversity while growing his/her business.

Sean Duval “I am extremely honored and thrilled to be nominated amongst such a prestigious and elite group of small business front runners in the Ann Arbor Community,” offered Duval upon learning of the nomination. “I am fortunate to be revered in such a significant way, and must thank my team, community, and clients for supporting me and our efforts every day.”

Duval’s continued investment in the Washtenaw community has included many hours of time and effort while serving on various boards within the community, including UM Natural History Museum, Ele’s Place, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber, Ann Area Visitors & Convention Bureau, and Washtenaw County Workforce Development.

“I believe your business growth is only as strong as your community growth, they must rise in unison.” Dvual offered recently when discussing his involvement in the community.

Operating for 27 years, Golden Limousine International has a long-standing commitment to the community with consistent involvement on many levels.

For more information, visit goldenlimo.com.

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Cooper-Global First to Add Kia to Fleet

Atlanta—Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation headquartered announced last week that its latest additions to its fleet include the 2016 Kia K900, a brand-new luxury offering from the Korean carmaker.

Kia K900 Sedan According to President Larry Cooper, it is the first company in the chauffeured transportation industry to highlight the V-8 rear wheel drive K900 sedan in its fleet, which has seating for up to three chauffeured passengers. Equipped with the VIP Plus Package, he says that the luxury sedan offers a stunning array of exceptional amenities and safety features including autonomous emergency braking, quilted Nappa leather seat trim, power reclining rear seats with lateral adjusting headrests, rear seat power lumbar support, and premium headliner trim.

“Cooper-Global is proud of its continued growth. It is very important to us that we provide our clients with luxurious and innovative vehicles—The new Kia allows us to do just that,” said Cooper.

Visit cooperglobal.com for more information.

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Friendly Rivals Partner to Expand Fleets

Dallas—AJL International and Premier Transportation recently partnered to expand their fleets. By pooling their resources, the two companies were able to substantially increase their buying power, allowing them each to purchase two MCI coach buses.

Friendly competitors for more than 15 years, Matt Johnston of AJL and Eric Devlin of Premier Transportation serve their corporate clientele in and around Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as through a vast affiliate network across the globe.

In August 2015, Devlin and Johnston met regarding a few local issues; they eventually got on the topic of coach buses. Both companies have large minibus fleets but neither had taken the next steps of getting into the coach bus business. Johnston suggested pooling their funds to increase buying power in order to affect a better price point and negotiate some free upgrades.

“We agreed that we would purchase the exact same model, with the exact same paint scheme (black), and with the same amenities,” says Devlin. “Therefore, other than the logo, each would have a seamless farm-in/farm-out partner with the same expectations of customer service.”

Devlin and his fleet manager, Todd Davis, attended bus shows to research vehicles while Johnston worked the phones, negotiated price and amenities, and created a spreadsheet of pros and cons for the various manufactures. Both owners reached out to mentors in the industry for their input, too.

Eventually, Devlin and Johnston decided not only to purchase from MCI (2016 J4500.s), but also increase their order from one to two buses each. The two companies chose MCI due the manufacturer’s convenient service center, and their ability to fill the order by December 1, 2015.

Johnston and Devlin are excited about their new venture and look forward to working together and growing their already strong relationship.

Visit ajlinternational.com or premierofdallas.com for more information.

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Grech Motors Opens Preorders for New GM28 E450 Shuttle Bus

Riverside, Calif.—Grech Motors recently announced that it has begun taking preorders on its newest model, the GM28 E450 luxury shuttle bus. With seating for 21+2, plenty of rear luggage and a price point below $100,000, the GM28 E450 will be the industry’s most accessible high-end shuttle bus to date.

Grech GM28 E450 “We developed our new GM28 E450 in response to operators demanding a high-end shuttle for smaller groups,” says VP of Sales & Marketing AJ Thurber. “The GM28 fits a nice niche between our Sprinter shuttle and GM33 F550 shuttle. We already have had an excellent response with pre-orders flooding in.”

The GM28 E450 prototype debuted at the 2015 Chauffeur Driven Show in Miami Beach last month. Features of the shuttle bus include Grech Motors’ distinctive exterior styling, first-class construction, and high-end interior amenities such as Grech ultra-light leatherette seats, USB power outlets, frameless coach windows, and its patented panoramic front viewing window.

Production begins in January 2016 with an availability date of the first run estimated to be in late February through early March.

Operators interested in securing their GM28 can call Grech Motors at (951) 688-8347 or visit http://ift.tt/1HxZBh1.

Visit grechmotors.com for more information.

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Reston’s Bouweiri Honored, Gross Joins VMA Board

Dulles, Va.—The Washington Business Journal, the D.C. metro area’s pre-eminent business publication, recently recognized President and CEO Kristina Bouweiri as one of the region’s most influential business leaders in its annual listing of the “Power 100.”

Kristina Bouweiri Selected as part of the “Connectors” category, Bouweiri was named as an “executive who (seems) to know everyone in the region and (makes) things happen.” In its fourth year, the Power 100 is a compilation of influencers from the private sector—federal employees and politicians are excluded from the list.

“I’m thrilled to be one of the Loudoun County executives on the list,” Bouweiri said, adding that “I’m honored that my networking efforts have been recognized by The Washington Business Journal–congratulations to my fellow honorees on this year’s list!”

Barry Gross Bouweiri joins 20 women CEOs on the list, including Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin, Phebe Novakovic of General Dynamics, Sheila Johnson of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, and Cary Hatch of MDB Communications.

In other news, Director of Business Relations Barry Gross has been elected to the board of directors of the Virginia Motorcoach Association (VMA), which represents the motorcoach tour and charter industry in matters at the state level. Founded in 1936, the VMA also advocates for the enactment of just and proper laws regulating the motorcoach industry at large.

Gross will complete the term of Roni Stevens of Venture Tours in Virginia Beach and will serve until August 2016. Gross joined Reston Limousine in 2014 in the new role of Director of Business Relations and since then has played a key role in expanding the affiliate network and increasing operational efficiencies within the company. He previously has worked at All Resort in Utah and ExecuCar in Arizona and most recently served as Executive Director of A Goff Limousine & Bus in Virginia.

Visit restonlimo.com for more information.

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ECB Opens Its California Bus Manufacturing Plant, Executive Bus Builders

Freightliner exterior Riverside, Calif. —Executive Coach Builders (ECB), the longest running coachbuilder in the U.S., entered the fast-growing bus market in 2013 when it launched its bus manufacturing line at its headquarters in Springfield, Mo. Expanding bus production capabilities has been in the works for several years, and it came to fruition when ECB President David Bakare had the opportunity to purchase a new facility in southern California, which he named Executive Bus Builders (EBB).

Last month, Bakare and EBB unveiled the first buses off the production line at the Chauffeur Driven Show in Miami. Customers got an up-close and personal look at the new buses, which Bakare says have all the quality and functionality that ECB has been known for over generations. Bakare says that EBB is the only bus manufacturer that uses the latest in resin-infused fiberglass technology, which allows the company to build a lighter and stronger bus. Some other manufacturing features include: laser-cut steel cage construction, full composite body and floor, ultra-sleek exterior and interior styling, frameless windows, rooftop HVAC condensers, and Premier seating. Bakare says that a significant financial commitment was made to ensure that this new production facility is second to none.

ECB has been in coachbuilding for nearly 40 years, making it the oldest continuous coachbuilder in the country. It produces limousines, SUVs, Sprinters, and funeral and custom vehicles, but the missing link has been a full line of shuttle and limo buses. “This move was dictated by our very loyal customers who want to one-stop shop with us, and now that is possible,” says Bakare.

The California facility, which produces buses on the Ford 450 and 550 and Freightliner chassis, gives West Coast ECB customers a local facility to purchase and service their vehicles. Bakare says that its flagship bus—the 550XL—is the only one of its kind in the industry that is built on a Ford 550 and seats up to 31 passengers.

At the helm of this new facility are two industry veterans who have are intimately familiar with all things bus-related: Carter Read, EBB’s chief engineer, and Pat Butler, who has more than 25 years of industry sales experience. Bakare was also able to tap into the rich pool of bus craftsmen talent in the area, which helped jump-start the division so it could launch faster than anticipated. The Riverside facility has been up and running for over 90 days and is on track to build 200 buses during its first fiscal year. In addition, ECB also announced that it has partnered with two exclusive distributors that will stock its full line of products: A-Z Bus Sales of Colton, California, and Nationwide Bus Sales of Chicago, Ill.

ECB, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2016, has produced nearly 50,000 vehicles since its inception. With the launch of EBB to complete its lineup, Bakare says that the company will continue to build on its legacy and tradition of producing the highest quality vehicles and unmatched after-sale support.

Call its headquarters at 800.641.4540 or visit ecblimo.com for its full lineup of products. Call its California location at 951.369.7020 or visit its new bus website, ebbbus.com, for more information.

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