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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.
[CD0919]
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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.
[CD0919]
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- Category: Industry News
Sandy Springs, Ga. — Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has recently announced that it has named Larry Henderson Jr. as manager, fleet operations. The longtime MBUSA team member has been with the organization for almost 18 years in various capacities, most recently as head of fleet operations for commercial vans. In his new position, Henderson will be working closely with livery and limousine operators around the country.
“When I was in the commercial van division, I had an opportunity to work with a ton of upfitters and body builders who were building on the Sprinter chassis, so I participated in various events geared toward limo and livery customers,” says Henderson. “During the past four months, I’ve transitioned into the Passenger Car Fleet Department, where I’m heading up the new strategy and direction. We have put together a strategy, which has been communicated to executive management and now we are ready for the next phase of executing the strategy.”
Our strategy includes a “laser focus” on several market segments, with limousine and livery being the primary emphasis. As several of Mercedes-Benz’s competitors are getting away from the sedan side of the business, Henderson says operators can look forward to Mercedes having a bigger presence in the chauffeured transportation space.
“Operators should be excited about a new program which we’re looking at pre-paid maintenance (PPM) as well as substantial incentive offerings to operators,” he says. “We’re also looking at maintaining a small pool of vehicles for livery companies, so if an operator decides they need an E-Class or S-Class, the order-to-delivery timeframe is shortened. We’re looking to change the way we do business with operators by reducing their wait time for our products.”
Also, Henderson says that operators should look forward to the new S-Class redesign for model year 2021 as well as a hybrid S-Class, with a range beneficial for luxury ground transportation operators. He is also looking forward to attending the Chauffeur Driven Show in Boston this October 13-16.
“I’m excited. It’ll be my first time at a Chauffeur Driven event. We’ll have a booth on the show floor with an E-Class, S-Class, and a Sprinter 15-passenger van. We’ll have a nice presence in Boston.”
Visit www.fleet.mbusa.com for more information.
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