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L to R: LANJ Director Jason Messinger of BBZ Limousine, 1st Vice President Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide, and Director Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation
More than 125 members and guests were on hand for the return of the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ) dinner and auction. Held Tuesday, May 21, at Il Tulipano in Cedar Grove, N.J., the event served as a dual fundraiser with money raised going to both the association and Make-A-Wish of N.J. and attracted affiliate members from all over the country.
L to R: LANJ President Mike Rose of My Limousine Service, NLA President Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Boston Car, and CD Editor Rob Smentek
The evening kicked off with a cocktail hour, courtesy of Open Bar Sponsor EmpireCLS Worldwide. After members and guests networked for 90 minutes, LANJ President Mike Rose of My Limousine Service welcomed everyone and thanked the capacity crowd for attending. He then introduced Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey Director of Events Dominique Gleason, who shared a bit about the charity, which is currently celebrating its 41st year. Rose stated that he is proud to have LANJ partner with the non-profit for the fundraiser. Next, the evening’s sponsors were introduced, notably Premier Sponsor Complete Fleet Livery Sales.
L to R: Steve Edelmann of Cabot Coach Builders, Alan Candeub of Park Avenue Limousine, and Honorary Director Tony Viscusi of Global Limousine 
Karen Gajda of Country Club Transportation and Randall Willms of Minuteman Limousine & Car Service
LANJ 2nd Vice President Jeffrey Cartegena of Leros Transportation Group informed the members that the association is revamping its affinity program, which will see the vendor members offer discounts on products and services.
Rose then presented former LANJ President (and current Secretary) Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide with an award to acknowledge his more than eight years of service to the association, including navigating the organization through some of the roughest waters the industry has seen.
The LANJ dinner and auction attracted more than 125 guests
Sharenow said he was left speechless by the honor and thanked his partners at Broadway Elite along with his wife Arielle for allowing him to put in time for LANJ. Arielle was also recognized by Rose as she was presented with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the LANJ Board of Directors.
L to R: Jeff Nyikos of Leros Transportation Group, Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Boston Car, and Keith Soraci of A1A Airport & Limousine Service
Members were encouraged to take part in the new Barbara J. Chirico Scholarship Program, which is now open to the children of current LANJ member families, including owner and employee families.
Rose then introduced LANJ’s very first affiliate member, none other than National Limousine Association (NLA) President Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car Service, who also serves as president of the New England Livery Association.
“I love New Jersey,” confessed Barenholtz, who then lauded LANJ as one of the best local associations in the industry.
LANJ Treasurer Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet Livery Sales
Barenholtz revealed that he has a true passion for chauffeured transportation, and believes the outlook is very bright. He then shared a bit about the NLA’s recent record-breaking Day on the Hill advocacy event in Washington, D.C., which saw participation from 66 members. Barenholtz then recognized the hard work put in by CD President Chris Weiss as the NLA’s show partner and previewed the upcoming CD/NLA Executive Retreat in Miami on June 2-5 and the CD/NLA Fall Show in National Harbor on October 13-16.
LANJ 2nd Vice President Jeff Cartegena of Leros Transportation Group shows off his show pass to the upcoming CD/NLA Fall Show 
Former LANJ President (and current Secretary) Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide (left) was honored with an award by President Mike Rose of My Limousine Service for his years of service to the association 
L to R: Ace and Ryan Shaer of Ace Limousine & Airport Service with Joe Guino, Jr. of Gem Worldwide
Following a buffet dinner, the evening’s auction got underway, courtesy of a dynamic duo of auctioneers, namely LANJ 1st Vice President Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide and Treasurer Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet. The bidding was fast and furious, as Gulino and Trabb spotlighted a diverse array of auction items, which included high-end gift baskets, sporting event tickets, lottery tickets, and much more. Chauffeur Driven donated a number of in-demand items for the auction, which included 18 months of Affiliate Central advertising, won by Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite; an email blast, won by Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation; a magazine profile, won by Mike Rose of My Limousine Service; and full-page ad in the magazine, won by Drew Messina of Create-A-Card. The CD/NLA show partnership also donated passes to the Fall 2024 and Vegas 2025 shows, which went home with Jeffrey Cartegena of Leros Transportation Group and Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide, respectively. Another high-profile item was a set of branded office chairs, courtesy of Premier Products, which saw a winning bid from Steve Horowitz of EmpireCLS Worldwide.
LANJ’s next meeting is scheduled for September 17 in Princeton, N.J.
Visit lanj.org for more information.
[05.28.24]
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2023 NELA Chauffeur Appreciation Day
On June 6, the New England Livery Association (NELA) will host their 22nd Annual Chauffeur Appreciation Day. Held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boston Logan Airport Limo Pool, this favorite event seeks to honor “the most important people of the industry” by holding a barbeque where chauffeurs can stop by for a free lunch in between runs for the day. To round out the festivities, NELA will offer entertainment for the afternoon and sell tickets to win raffle prizes.
Chefs include the NELA Board of Directors along with volunteers from the membership. The menu features grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and veggie burgers.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the long-running event. Click here to see pricing and availability.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
[05.24.24]
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- Category: Industry News
NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi (left) and NLA and NELA President Brett Barenholtz
The National Limousine Association (NLA)—an organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the prearranged ground transportation industry at the global, national, state and local levels —held its 24th annual Day on the Hill advocacy event in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 15. Sixty-six members met with 68 legislators spanning 23 states, discussing policies impacting small business owners throughout the industry, as well as the interests of the corporate traveler.
NLA Director Tiffany Hinton of MOTEV
“Ninety-seven percent of our membership are small business owners; it could not have been more fitting to host this year’s Day on the Hill during Small Business Month,” said NLA President Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car Service. “This is one of the NLA’s most important and impactful annual events, especially during an election year. I would like to thank the many elected officials and policymakers who took the time to meet and engage in a productive dialogue about the critical issues affecting our industry and businesses across the country.”
NLA Directors Maya Adrine of Golden Limousine International and Karl Guenther of Statement Limousine
Sixty-six NLA members met with 68 local senators, representatives, and staff members to address three top policy issues:
Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (H.R. 7024)
Ask to Congress: Pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.
- As an asset-intensive industry, NLA operators must constantly update older models with newer, safer, and more efficient vehicles in order to keep pace with competition and client expectations.
- This bipartisan bill includes several provisions for the industry’s small businesses to stay competitive; enhancing the Section 179 deduction and restoring full bonus depreciation would allow operators to keep fleets modern in an era of skyrocketing costs.
Airport Access and Fairness at the Curb
Ask to Congress: Extend FAA grant assurances for ground transportation providers, applying the principles of fairness on the airport curb that already exist and work on the tarmac.
- 67 percent of NLA members report that airport transfers make up 50 percent or more of their annual business, according to a recent survey.
- Access fees and curb real estate vary widely from airport to airport with little oversight, enforcement, and often no recourse when an airport takes advantage of ground transportation operators. This hurts competition, and ultimately, the costs are passed onto consumers.
N.H. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (center), a supporter of the industry, also met with the group
Congestion Taxes
Ask to Congress: Co-sponsor the Economic Impact of Tolling Act (H.R. 1759), which prevents the Department of Transportation (DOT) from authorizing or implementing congestion pricing plans without first completing and publishing an economic impact analysis.
- The public overwhelmingly opposes congestion taxes, as they often divert funds away from roads and fail to reduce traffic, instead moving congestion to areas less equipped to handle it.
- It is critical for federal government intervention to ensure congestion pricing does not move forward unchecked.
The NLA was honored to have longtime industry supporter, US Senator and Chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), meet with members while preparing for Day on the Hill visits.
This year also marked the association’s second annual scholarship program, which covered expenses for eight members to attend Day on the Hill for the first time and have their voices heard.
Visit limo.org for more information.
[05.21.24]