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Marlton, N.J. — We’re just weeks away from the industry event of the year: The CD/NLA Show in Boston. Held October 13-16 at the Westin Boston Waterfront, the event promises four solid days of professional development, networking, and unsurpassed buying opportunities for all of your business needs. While our room block at the Westin is now sold out, we still have a select number of rooms available at the neighboring Aloft for the incredible rate of $227 a night. Act now—once these rooms are gone, you won’t find a better rate in the area.
We’re honored by the acclaim the CD Show receives from the industry each year for our world-class education and networking opportunities, but frankly nothing makes us prouder than the participation and big-heartedness on display during our annual Charity Auction & Dinner. It’s truly a special evening for us, because, thanks to you and your generosity, we’ve been able to raise more than a half-million dollars for charity over the past six years. All attendees are invited, so set a reminder for Tuesday, October 15 at 8:30 pm, because this year’s event will be one you won’t forget.
In 2019, it’s all about the kids, as CD and charity dinner co-sponsors Aadvanced Limousine and Chosen Payments are thrilled to have partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities as our spotlight cause. For those unfamiliar with the non-profit, the Ronald McDonald House provides low- or no-cost housing for traveling families while seeking medical treatment for their seriously ill or injured child. This incredible night includes a buffet dinner (at no additional cost to attend) and a live auction with an array of items from sports memorabilia to one-of-a-kind trips. Most importantly, it’s a chance for the industry to step up and support a great organization that helps countless kids and their families each year.
This year, we’ve made some changes to our charity auction to make it even easier for attendees to bid and pay for auction items. In conjunction with charity auction technology easily accessible through our show app (once again sponsored by North Point Global Transportation), you’ll be able to bid, track, and pay for your winning auction items in real-time. What’s more, if you’re somehow unable to attend the dinner, you’ll be able to bid and donate remotely. We’ve smoothed out the process to make it easier for you to open your heart—and wallet—for the Ronald McDonald House. Special thanks to our charity technology co-sponsors Commonwealth Worldwide and Windy City Limousine & Bus.
However, our most impactful event of the show got better, as this year, we're introducing a new tradition to the show—the Chauffeur Driven Hall of Fame. The amazing unsung heroes among us will be recognized for the selfless work they’ve done throughout the years to better our industry. For our inaugural event, we’re thrilled to be able to honor a group of true luxury ground transportation trailblazers, including Sam Amato of Gateway Global, Barbara Chirico of GEM Limousine, Ed Grech of Grech Motors, George Jacobs of Windy City Limousine & Bus, Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, and David Seelinger of EmpireCLS Worldwide. Not only will we be celebrating the professional accomplishments of these leaders but also the influence they’ve had on the industry-at-large. It’s sure to be an unforgettable night.
If you’d like to donate an item or service for our charity auction, please contact Director of Events Jess Pavlow at jess@chauffeurdriven.com. It’s not too late to lend your support.
Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com for more information.
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Marlton, N.J. — The National Limousine Association (NLA) has begun accepting nominations for the 2020 NLA Board of Directors election. Serving on the NLA Board is an opportunity for NLA members to help shape the future of the association and the industry.
Anyone who is interested is encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. The deadline is October 9, 2019, at 11:59 PDT.
The NLA will again use a secure online platform for the Board election, and more information about this process will be distributed prior to the election.
The following seats are open for the upcoming Board election for the 2020-2023 term:
• At Large: 1 seat (any state in U.S.)
• U.S. Central Region: 1 seat (AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, SD, TX, WI)
• U.S. Northeast Region: 2 seats (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) [For the Northeast Region, the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected to a 3-year term; the candidate with the next highest number of votes will be elected to a 1-year term]
• U.S. Southeast Region: 1 seat (AL, DE,D.C., FL, GA, KY, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
• U.S. West Region: 1 seat (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY)
According to NLA Bylaws (Article 6, Sections B and C), all prospective directors must meet the following criteria:
— The individual must be a corporate officer or principal of a Regular Active Member company that has been a Regular Active Member for at least two consecutive years;
— Any Regular Active Member sharing common ownership with another Regular Active Member can only have one representative on the NLA Board of Directors at one time;
— A member of the NLA Board shall not be a member of another board of directors that is competitive to the NLA or the limousine industry; and
— Membership dues must be current for the Regular Active Member.
In addition to NLA Bylaw qualifications, the individual must be able to devote the required time and be able to pay the travel/related expenses (that are not reimbursed by the NLA) to attend board meetings. NLA Board members receive a per diem reimbursement for travel expenses.
The board meets on a monthly basis, either via conference calls (8) or face-to-face meetings (4). Per the bylaws, any director who fails to attend two (2) regular meetings due to an unexcused absence may be removed from office by a majority vote of the directors. Additionally, board members are requested to support fundraising efforts for the NLA PAC and the Harold Berkman Memorial Fund.
The following documents MUST be submitted by ALL applicants:
• A brief biography that describes your background in the limousine industry.
• A paragraph that explains why you want to serve on the NLA Board of Directors and what your goals for the NLA will be if you are elected.
• A high-resolution headshot of yourself (in electronic format).
• Proof of legality in the cities/states/airports in which Regular Active Member operates. (Example: state, city, or airport permit or license)
• Certificate of insurance verifying Regular Active Member compliance with the state/federal requirements.
• Proof of your corporate officer position. (Example: Corporate resolution or articles of incorporation listing officers/shareholders)
• An explanation of anything the nominating committee should know about you that might reflect adversely on the NLA.
Applications can be submitted at limo.org/page/NLABODApplication. Applications submitted without all of the above documents will not be valid.
Visit limo.org for more information.
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- Category: Industry News
Marlton, N.J. — Chauffeur Driven is pleased to announce two new additions to our rapidly growing team. Alyssa Penecale joins us as Events Coordinator while Jeff Rafkin comes aboard as our new Business Development Manager.
In her role, Penecale will work side-by-side with Director of Events Jess Pavlow in the planning of all of the CD/NLA shows and events as well as the annual Executive Retreat. She says her love of the hospitality industry stems from growing up in her grandparents’ restaurant in the Philadelphia suburbs. While new to the luxury ground transportation industry, she has extensive experience in events management. Prior to joining the CD team, Penecale worked in the tech industry where she planned conventions, exhibitions, and trade shows from coast to coast. She also spent time in Puerto Rico where she spearheaded workshops and tech, startup, and entrepreneurial events.
“I am really glad to be part of this exciting industry," says Penecale. “I am eager to work with the NLA to produce the shows in Boston and Las Vegas. They’re sure to be exciting events.”
Penecale loves to cook, and is a fan of soccer and all of the Philadelphia professional sports teams.
Rafkin comes to CD with a background in business development and strategic planning. In his new position, he will act as the point person for CD’s sales and business development initiatives both in print and online.
While also new to the industry, Rafkin is a highly experienced business development professional. For the past several years, he ran his own business where he provided strategic planning for a range of companies with an emphasis on healthcare and/or the service arena. His background also includes numerous trade shows where he participated as a rep for various companies to promote services to new and existing clients.
“I found that interacting with other companies in this capacity also gave me a keen insight as to the competition’s strengths and weakness,” he says. “I learned the importance of name recognition and the significance of maintaining a personal dialogue with existing clients.”
Rafkin is glad to be part of a team again, and looks forward to meeting with the many operators and vendors in Boston at the CD/NLA Show as well as other related trade shows and regional association meetings.
When not in the office, Rafkin actively studies martial arts as a student and an instructor, and is active in the extracurricular activities of his two teenage children.
Visit chauffeurdriven.com for more information.
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