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Board members of the VLA after their recent election to the board Fredricksburg, Va. — On November 20, Virginia Limousine Association (VLA) hosted its first-ever Executive Board Retreat, where an intimate gathering of the board and a pair of vendor members met up to ensure that the association remains advantageously positioned to face the future. CD’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela also serves as VLA’s executive director, and was present for the event.
Jagiela began the retreat on a lighthearted note, including a humorous questionnaire that highlighted the purpose of the gathering: the chance to “examine issues in far more depth than is possible in board meetings.” That conversation explored topics like crafting a fundraising strategy, re-examining the association’s mission and vision, sponsorship programs, and organizational structures.
Rewriting the association’s mission statement alone was a two-hour process as retreat-goers wracked their brains to craft an assertion that wholly reflected the ideals that the VLA strives for, embraces, and upholds.
According to its newly revised statement, the VLA’s “mission is to promote a stronger relationship and understanding between legal owner/operators, VA Department of Motor Vehicles, other government agencies and the public to work toward the betterment of the chauffeured transportation industry.” The association emphasizes its dedication to promoting professional and ethical behavior, pursuit of fair and equitable regulations, prioritizing education and safety, and elevate the industry’s reputation while seeking global partnerships with similar organizations. Ultimately, the association aims “to promote confidence and growth in the chauffeured transportation industry across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Member engagement was also a focal point of the day’s conversation. In order to reach out to prospective members or current ones who might be somewhat intimidated by bigger meetings, “breakout meetings” were suggested as a way to facilitate small-group conversation to ensure that every voice gets heard.
The executive board members were keen on ramping up VLA’s communication efforts, starting with a bimonthly newsletter that will aim to highlight a member and a vendor each month, as well as deliver some educational insight to recipients. Education itself was a broader conversation,
Of course, proactive external involvement is a crucial piece of the puzzle, too, and retreat attendees endeavored to explore ways to strengthen legislative relationships, craft speaking points for appealing to regulatory bodies and representatives, and determine members’ 2018 needs.
The next VLA member event will be the association’s December 4 holiday party.
Visit vla-limo.org for more information.
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The November 14 MCTA meeting hosted a packed house Minneapolis — The Minnesota Chauffeured Transportation Association (MCTA) met up on November 14 for a meeting chock-full of information and speakers, plus the election of the 2018 board. Outgoing MCTA President Len Nelson of Valley Limousine & Coach kicked off the meeting with his report before turning the floor over to evening’s speakers. Jeremy Lee of Wells Fargo Finance, Mike McKay of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Steve Holes of the Metropolitan Airport Commission, Todd Anderson from Carey Limousine, and attorneys from law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen all shared a range of insights and information with the meeting’s nearly 30 attendees.
With Super Bowl LII coming to Minneapolis in February, operators are primed for an uptick in business—and immersed in planning and coordinating all the moving parts that come with handling transportation for one of professional sports’ biggest days of the year. Having found success with the casual Happy Hours the association debuted earlier this year, MCTA is currently planning another one for January in order to focus on additional Super Bowl plans. Anderson reminded everyone that the Super Bowl LII Transportation Committee will be meeting December 4 to discuss chauffeur background checks, drop-off areas, game day passes, and more.
Outgoing Vice President Charlie Murray of Total Luxury Limousine reported that Minneapolis’ January 1, 2018, rise in minimum wage will affect all companies that do work in the city, not just those based in the city. He added that operators should pay attention to a similar push for a minimum-wage increase in St. Paul.
At the end of the meeting, the 2018 MCTA Board of Directors was unanimously elected as the following:
President: Charlie Murray of Total Luxury Limousine
Vice President: Gus Ortiz of Executive Transportation
Secretary/Treasurer: Chad Peterson of Renee’s Royal Valet
Outgoing President Nelson and Secretary/Treasurer Gina Brennan of Corporate Car & Coach were thanked for their many years of serving on MCTA’s board in various capacities.
MCTA is currently planning membership meetings for both January and March, with plans to host a holiday party in February.
Visit mnlimo.org for more information.
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GCLA embers mix and mingle at the 2016 SoCal holiday party The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) is gearing up to close out 2017 with its two annual Northern and Southern California events.
The combination annual meeting/holiday party is scheduled for the evening of December 5 in Los Angeles at the LAX Marriott, while the December 9 NorCal end-of-the-year party will take place at Napa Ford. Both meetings promise hours of networking, gift bags and prizes, delicious buffet dinners, opportunities to meet with the industry’s vendors, vehicle displays and demos, and plenty of industry-relevant updates.
The SoCal meeting will also include an awards ceremony and one of the association’s biggest fundraisers of the year, a live auction hosted by Jeff Brodsly of Chosen Payments, who’s also on the GCLA board of directors; the Napa meeting will feature a representative from California Highway Patrol to “answer questions and provide clarity” about the new regulations pertaining to modified limousines that will be taking place come January 1.
Tickets for both parties can be purchased at a pre-sale discount and online. Visit gcla.org/annual_meeting.php to get your tickets to the December 5 party for $65 ($75 at the door), or the December 9 party for $30 ($40 at the door) at gcla.org/holiday_party.php.
Proceeds from the events will benefit the GCLA’s lobbying fund, which allows the association to continue fighting for its members and the industry at large.
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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