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President of Coach Finance Group Bob Foley
Faribault, Minn. — CH Bus Sales, exclusive distributor of TEMSA Motorcoaches in the United States and Canada, announced the transition of Duane Geiger to the position of president & CEO. Former President & CEO Bob Foley will assume the role of president of Coach Finance Group. Foley will remain an active member on the board of directors and will also continue to consult with the management team when needed.
“I don’t want to completely retire and this transition will allow me to pull back but still stay active,” Foley shares. “Duane and I have worked together for over 20 years, so this will be a seamless transition. He’ll inject new ideas to push the company to the next level.”
President & CEO Duane Geiger
Geiger has served as the executive president of sales & service since 2011. He has been an integral part in CH Bus Sales’ distribution of TEMSA products. “I want to thank Bob for his dedication and vision over these last five years,” says Geiger. “I am looking forward to the challenge of bringing CH Bus Sales to the next level.”
Mike Haggerty, chairman of the board, shares: “We are confident in the new transition of Duane to the role of president & CEO. His strategic vision for this company has shown through over the last five years, and we are looking forward to continued success and expansion under his new appointment.”
Visit chbussales.com for more information.
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Leadership team opens new office in National Harbor, Md.
Glen Burnie, Md. — The Washington, D.C. market will have a new option for ground transportation, as Baltimore-based ZBest Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation Services announces the addition of a second location in National Harbor, Md. just 15 minutes from the District of Columbia.
The new facility will open its doors March 1. The National Harbor branch will allow ZBest to handle last-minute trips in the area quickly and effectively, with less travel time from Baltimore incurred. The additional office also aligns with the company’s long-term plans for growth in the Baltimore and D.C. region.
"We’re excited to continue the growth of ZBest with the opening of our new National Harbor location. This expansion feels like a natural progression to continue to grow and better serve our customers in the D.C. market,” says ZBest President Mert Onal.
ZBest has tapped industry veteran Darren Vance to lead the new office. Vance brings 15 years of experience in the D.C. and Virginia markets to his new role as vice president and general manager of ZBest’s National Harbor office.
“Darren has worked in the travel industry his entire career, and brings 15 years of experience servicing corporate and private clients with their transportation needs in the Washington, D.C. market. We’re excited to have Darren lead our D.C. team,” said ZBest Executive Vice President of Global Operations George Rains, who steps into the EVP role from general manager in conjunction with the opening of the National Harbor location.
The new location, says Rains, will offer the same quality vehicles, experienced dispatch staff, and streamlined team communications. Ten to 15 vehicles in ZBest’s fleet, including a mix of sedans, SUVs, Sprinters, and minibuses, will be allocated to the National Harbor office, with capacity for up to 32 passengers.
Visit zbestlimo.com for more information.
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UMA President & CEO Vic Parra is recognized by UMA's past chairmen during the Leadership Awards Ceremony St. Louis — From February 26 to March 2, nearly 2,000 motorcoach operators, vendors, and even their families flocked to The Gateway of the West for a few days of the education, networking, and show floor that the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach Expo has become known for. Representing Chauffeur Driven at the annual event were Director of Events Jess Pavlow and Business Development Manager Rickie Roberts.
With many returning favorites punctuating the multi-day conference, the 2017 Expo kept its roster off offerings fresh with brand-new and back-by-popular-demand events. This debut International Driver Competition brought together 26 drivers from 16 operators—boasting a combined 150 years of crash-free driving—with Stephen Davis of AT&T Charters being named 2017 Grand Champion.
CD Business Development Manager Rickie Roberts and Chad Dickson of Irizar The yearly Solution Sessions, which provide answers to motorcoach operators’ real-life questions, saw the return of its popular Small Fleet Operator track, as well as the introduction of a Technology track that rounded out its Marketing, Finance, and Operation concentrations. And the sold-out Expo floor had 160,000 square feet of vehicles, services, and equipment to best serve the needs of the industry and the demands of its passengers.
Director of Events Jess Pavlow and Nick Corley of Alliance Bus Group The 2017 Motorcoach Expo was a particularly poignant one, as it marked the final conference under UMA President & CEO Vic Parra. After almost 20 years of heading the association, Parra will retire March 31. The longtime association leader was honored throughout the Expo—including with a life-size cardboard cutout with which attendees could pose for photo ops—with the Tuesday night UMA Leadership Awards Ceremony being the capstone celebration of Parra’s dedication to UMA, complete with a video, speeches, high emotions, and a thundering ovation.
“It take a special person to run an association of 900-plus members, all incredible people with a wide variety of personalities,” UMA Board Chairman Dale Krapf said. “Well done, my friend."
The 2018 UMA Motorcoach Expo will be January 6-10 in San Antonio.
For more information about the annual conference and the UMA itself, visit motorcoachexpo.com and uma.org, respectively.
Check out the April 2017 issue of Chauffeur Driven for expanded coverage and a gallery of photos.
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