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The event drew more than 2,000 attendees—44 percent of whom were planners and 56 percent were suppliers—to the New Jersey seaside town.
WEC, which is MPI’s annual signature event, kicked off its first day featured a schedule packed with specifically targeted forums and chances to get more hands-on education through the event’s on-site certification programs. That evening, the welcoming celebration took to nearby Bally's Beach Bar to end the first day with some high-energy networking.
Sunday saw opportunities like a session where first-time attendees learned how to get the most from their inaugural WEC experience, both the open general and numerous concurrent educational sessions, as well as several by-invitation groups that focused on specific facets of the industry. The open session included a discussion with SXSW’s Executive Director and Lead Planner and a presentation from Keynote Speaker Amy Blankson, the co-founder of GoodThink.
After a morning of assemblies, research presentations, and classes, Monday afternoon’s RISE Awards presented seven awards across three categories—individual achievement, community achievement, and organizational achievement—to meeting and events industry professionals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements.
“We salute each of these leaders who were nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions and performance,” said MPI President and CEO Paul Van Deventer. “Their achievements will be recognized within our global community for years to come.”
The conference’s final day capped off the event with highlights that included the Innovation Showcase, MPI Town Hall, and a preview of MPI’s 2017 WEC—and a closing night celebration that took the party to Harrah’s poolside.
The 2017 WEC will be held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand from June 19-22.
Visit mpiweb.org for more information.
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Bostonmagazine’s description reads:
“Whether you want your high-profile clients chauffeured around town or simply need a lift to Logan, Commonwealth Worldwide has you covered, stylishly. Founded in Boston nearly 35 years ago, the international car service boasts sparkling new fleets of luxury sedans and SUVs, as well as an app that allows users to track their vehicle, contact their driver, or adjust their itinerary with ease. Move over, Uber.”
“This is truly a testament to our team of dedicated professionals–not only here in Boston, but our offices and fleet operations in New York City as well as our worldwide affiliate partners–for their attention to every detail to ensure that our clients enjoy a flawless experience from beginning to end,” said Founder and CEO Dawson Rutter. “It is indeed very gratifying to be recognized throughout Boston and New England for our great customer service and our great company.”
In addition to being selected Best of Boston five other times, Commonwealth has been awarded national “Operator of the Year” by the Taxi, Limousine & Paratransit Association, the “Concierge Choice” Award from the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges and the Hartford Insurance “Pewter Stag” Award for Safety.
Visit CommonwealthLimo.com for more information.
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HALCA President Wes Hart of American Corporate Transportation opened the meeting by welcoming the crowd and introducing the lineup of speakers for the evening. First, Hart introduced two representatives of the City of Houston Administration and Regulatory Affairs (ARA)—Kathryn Bruning, Asistant Director CP/Transportation, and Nikki Cooper-Soto, Division Manager-Vehicle for Hire Permitting and Enforcement—who addressed the group about licensing requirements and new efforts being made to coordinate registration for airport pickups. Bruning and Cooper-Soto spent a great deal of time clarifying the “Chapter 46” requirements that pertain to offering vehicle-for-hire services to those with disabilities. Attendees were encouraged to visit the ARA website for full regulatory documentation.
Next to speak were two executives from technology firm Karhoo: Tarek Mallah, Senior Vice President, and Gregg Haroutunian, Supplier Relations Manager. In outlining Karhoo’s mission and goals for the near future, the pair encouraged HALCA members to think of the company as “Expedia for ground transportation needs.” Mallah and Haroutunian also shared their belief that their aggregate service will allow a greater audience to select premium transportation services. Karhoo is planning a “soft launch” for those who sign up for the service early, with a “hard launch” in several large markets (including Houston) expected by November 2016.
Jagiela was the final speaker of the evening. He shared nationwide industry trends with the HALCA members, and stressed that CD is in the trenches with their involvement with associations around the country. Further, he encouraged the group to reach out to the magazine to share their views, and emphasized a need for each member to become more involved in the workings of the association. Before Jagiela concluded, he raffled a pass to the Chauffeur Driven Trade Show & Conference to be held in Washington, D.C. on October 9-12, which was won by Bill Ata from AllStar Transportation Service & Limousine.
Before concluding the meeting, Hart announced two by-law changes that need approval by general membership, and then introduced the 2016-2017 executive board officers:
President: Wes Hart of American Corporate Transportation
Vice President: Ismail Abed of La Brees Limousines
Treasurer: Matt Assolin of Nikko’s Worldwide Transportation
Secretary: Laren Barash of The Houston Wave
HALCA’s next general session meeting is tentatively planned for the third Tuesday in October at a location to be determined.
Visit houstonlimos.info for more information.
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