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Marlton, N.J. — After months of anticipation, it’s hard to believe we’re less than two months away from the first Chauffeur Driven/National Limousine Association Show in Las Vegas. We can’t think of a better way to kick off 2020 than with our debut winter event, held February 23-26 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. In fact, with the excitement in our industry at a fever pitch, we’re extending our Early Bird rate of $395 until January 2. Don’t miss out: Now’s your chance to register at the best possible price. And with a limited amount of space our $168/night room block at Mandalay Bay is still available—not to mention the $198/night rate at nearby Delano—which means you have the chance to attend this world-class show without breaking the bank.
And speaking of deadlines, time is running out to nominate your company, association, or your peers for the first-ever Driven By Excellence Awards. Held in conjunction with our Awards Dinner & Charity Auction, we’re honoring the best and brightest of our industry in the follow categories: Association of the Year, Charity & Community Service, Customer Service Excellence, Pinnacle of Safety, Chauffeur of the Year, and NextGen/Emerging Leader. The elegant evening will feature a dinner, an awards gala, and a charity auction to benefit the NLA’s Harold Berkman Fund, named for the late founder of Music Express. The deadline for nominations is closing in quickly—January 8, 2020—so head on over to CDNLAshow.com to complete your online nomination form now. There’s no better way to be celebrated by your industry and share the honor with your customers as an award-winning company.
While our new Driven By Excellence Awards gives honor to those who best exhibit the tenets of our industry, CD and the NLA couldn’t be more honored to have the opportunity to host affiliate events for four of the biggest movers and shakers in the luxury ground transportation industry. Both EmpireCLS Worldwide and Music Express have chosen the CD/NLA Show as the location for their annual affiliate meetings, to be held on Tuesday, February 25. Operators from around the world who work with these mega-operations will have the opportunity to get company updates and learn more about the behind-the-scenes workings of two of the biggest suppliers of affiliate work. What’s more, Dav El/BostonCoach and BLS Limo are hosting affiliate appreciation parties for the members of their vast partner networks on Monday, February 24. We are beyond excited that these four industry influencers have chosen the CD/NLA Show to host their annual meetings.
Is this your first time attending a CD or NLA event? We’re all intimately familiar with the excitement, anxiety, and overwhelming feelings that punctuate a newcomer’s first show experience, so we’re here to help with our First-Timers Event. We’ll start with a brief orientation on Sunday, February 23, where you and your fellow first-timers will be paired with an industry professional who can make recommendations for the best events to attend, people to meet, and any other confusion you have about the show. You can always reach out to anyone on the CD or NLA teams for more assistance, but we take it one step further. Lifelong friendships and business relationships often start at our shows, so you’ll know at least a few people who can lend a hand. You’ll get be getting an instant network and support group that you can rely on throughout the event, so you’ll never have the anxiety of entering a room or function alone.
Save $100 Early Bird Extended ‘till 1/2/2020!
Visit CDNLAshow.com for more information.
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Canton, Mass. — Luxury ground transportation provider Above All Transportation/ Boston Car Service is excited to announce the acquisition of Bristol Coach & Limousine of Norton, Mass. Effective immediately, Bristol’s staff and services will be working under the auspices of the Above All/ Boston Car name.
"We couldn’t be more pleased to add this award-winning brand to our company," said Above All/ Boston Car CEO Brett Barenholtz. “Bristol is a first-class family-run operation with an outstanding reputation of servicing the South Shore area. We’re thrilled to be able to continue to expand our footprint within the South Shore market.”
Founded in 1996 by CEO John Cacaccio, Bristol Coach & Limousine is a family-owned and operated company that services Bristol County and the surrounding areas with a 10-vehicle fleet that includes sedans, limousines, and vans. In May 2019, the company was named First Generation Business of the Year by the Family Business Association (FBA). Bristol was also voted Best Limousine Service for eight consecutive years by the readers of the Sun Chronicle Newspaper.
Above All/ Boston Car is a leading chauffeured transportation company that specializes in corporate travel, shuttles, events and bus charters. Above All was founded by Kevin Cronin in 1988, while Barenholtz founded Boston Car Service in 1997. The two companies merged in 2015, and have grown into a global company that services over 600 cities worldwide.
Visit abovealltrans.com or bostoncar.com for more information.
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Woodbridge, N.J. — Since his move to Transportation Insurance Brokers (TIB) earlier this fall, longtime industry insurance vendor John Arone couldn’t be happier.
Arone and his team transitioned their book of business—and picked up some new accounts—to the TIB team earlier this fall in what he calls “a positive move.”
“I think the move we made will be good for the industry, I think it’ll be great for my clients, and I think we have many good things and many good opportunities coming down the road,” Arone said. “Our new office is quaint, clean, and comfortable, and the staff that we have are people we’ve worked with for years, so our clients don’t have to worry about doing business with new people.”
The shift has allowed for some minor changes that Arone feels are additionally beneficial, such as a login portal on TIB’s site for those who wish to make their payments online, as well as the option to utilize credit cards in payment and deposit transactions—and even some personal improvements, too.
“I believe the biggest benefit is that the customer service is going to be better because there are more people to handle our business,” he explained.
Arone has been a broker in the ground transportation sector since the late ‘90s, and was keen on things like keeping the same phone number so his clients wouldn’t be inconvenienced, since he believes that maintaining those professional relationships is an ongoing mutual effort.
“I have a relationship with my clients,” he said. “I just don’t call once in the beginning: We talk throughout the year, we go out to lunch, they see me at industry meetings. We keep the conversations going because if there’s ever an issue, I want them to be comfortable knowing that they can always call me—that’s why my biggest thing was that I was able to keep the phone number I’ve had since the beginning.”
In turn, Arone says that the industry response to his professional move has been overwhelmingly supportive.
“Everyone’s in the industry’s been pretty positive about the change, which has given me the opportunity to stay on the PRLA [Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association] board. It’s also given me the opportunity to be present at the shows,” Arone said. “It’s funny: When I told everyone the news, a lot of my bigger clients said ‘I don’t care where you go as long as you’re still our broker,’ which was really nice to hear.”
Arone can be reached at jarone@tibinsurance.com or 267.294.9993.
Visit tibinsurance.com for more information.
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