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Nancy Vargas of DH2 Chauffeured Transportation (third from left) was among the Queen's Centers for Progress honorees June 25, where the nonprofit named her Businesswoman of the Year
Queens, N.Y.— Nancy Vargas of DH2 Chauffeured Transportation received the Businesswoman of the Year award from Queen's Centers for Progress during the nonprofit’s June 25 gala.
The organization got its start in the ’50s as United Cerebral Palsy of Queens; though its name may have changed, it remains a resource that aims to support individuals with a wide range of developmental disabilities—and is a frequent beneficiary of Vargas’ hands-on volunteer and fundraising efforts.
Vargas is a familiar face to her local, industrywide, and far-flung families, whether she and her husband Mike are lending their time and efforts to Puerto Rico’s hurricane-battered regions that are still reeling from a brutal 2017 hurricane season, sharing her wisdom with fellow operators through educational sessions and association leadership roles, or simply giving back to her community through church outreach programs or on her own time.
Nancy and Mike Vargas at the award gala
She attributes being raised as a first-generation American in an immigrant household as helping her develop a strong work ethic that would help her take care of those who didn’t have the advantages and family support that her own upbringing benefited from.
"I was raised to respect my elders and demand respect for myself. I also came from a family that would expect me to speak up for someone with a lesser voice. My role as a CEO has called upon all of these tendencies, especially in my industry," Vargas says.
And she has surrounded herself, both personally and professionally, with like-minded people—as she is always among the first to admit that teamwork makes the dream work.
"I invest in my employees because they are part of the DH2 brand and they manage the user experience with each and every reservation. That's how we cultivate a positive DH2 Experience for our clients,” Vargas explains. “I think what sets me apart is that I really enjoy making connections. It moves me to be able to give back."
Visit dh2limo.com for more information.
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Marlton, N.J.— We could not be any more pumped up for the upcoming Chauffeur Driven show in Boston, held October 13-16 at the Westin Boston Waterfront. And based on what we’re hearing from those in the industry, we’re not alone in that fervor. There has been nothing but positive energy circulating from attendees and vendors about both the location and the show itself: Registration is significantly higher than our normal attendance numbers for this point in the summer, and our expansive show floor is more than 80 percent sold out.
Boston has always been one of our dream destinations for our annual show, but it was always a challenge for find a location and rate that would be ideal for our guests. We’re thrilled to be hosting this year’s event at the Westin Boston Waterfront, located in the city’s vibrant—and convenient—Seaport district. Whether you come to the show by road, train, or air, the host property is an easy commute. And once again, everything will be under one roof. All the sessions, the show floor, and even the nightlife you’ve come to love at CD Shows are a short walk from your hotel room.
And speaking of your accommodations, Chauffeur Driven has secured a room block at the Westin for the unbelievable rate of $239 per night. If you’re familiar with the Seaport area (or anywhere in the city, really), you know that this price is beyond reasonable. Just a quick search on popular internet booking sites shows comparable properties asking more than twice our room rate.
To make this rate a possibility, CD forfeited our concessions and standard commission, an almost unheard of practice in the event-planning world. While some event producers have been known to actually inflate the room block rate to profit from their attendees, exhibitors, and overall contingency, CD and NLA were so intent about coming to Boston that we were willing to make these allowances to make this show a reality (and affordable).
As you can imagine, with a rate this low, the hotel room block is filling up more quickly than previous years. Whatever you do, don’t wait until it’s too late: visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com today to register and secure your room.
We have a ton of information about Boston coming in the next few weeks, so look for updates in the pages of CD, our e-news, and online as we edge ever closer to October—it will be here before you know it. Many thanks to all of our incredibly generous and supportive sponsors, including Title Sponsors Grech Motors and Lincoln Limousine and Livery Vehicles. We can’t wait to see you in Boston!
Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com or contact Director of Events Jess Pavlow at jess@chauffeurdriven.com for more information.
[CD0719]
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L to R: Denis Alexander of Mercedes-Benz of San Diego, Shennen Marschner of Mercedes-Benz USA, and GCLA President Mo Garkani of The COTS Group with the new 2019 15-passenger Sprinter
San Diego — As of July 1, all members of the Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) will now benefit from the Mercedes-Benz Members Discount Program, regardless of fleet size.
For the cost of membership—$75 for in-state operators; $225 for affiliate members based outside California—there are thousands of dollars in savings on the table for the dealer’s executive vans throughout the remainder of 2019 and the entirety of 2020.
The discount breakdown for model-year 2019 vehicles is:
Metris Cargo Van: $2,8000
Metris Passenger Van: $4,200
Sprinter Cargo Van: $5,000
Sprinter Crew Van: $5,000
Sprinter Passenger Van: $5,500
Sprinter Cab Chassis: $3,000
For model-year 2020 vehicles, the discounts are:
Metris Cargo Van: $2,7000
Metris Passenger Van: $3,700
Sprinter Cargo Van (Gas): $1,750
Sprinter Cargo Van (Diesel): $4,000
Sprinter Passenger Van: $4,100
Sprinter Cab Chassis: $3,000
The news broke during the association’s San Diego meeting last month—and came as a pleasant surprise to everyone, according to Mark Stewart of CLI Worldwide, who serves as both a GCLA Director and chairman of its Legislative Committee.
GCLA Director and Chairman of Legislative Committee Mark Stewart of CLI Worldwide
“When we had our San Diego meeting in June, Mercedes-Benz of San Diego stepped up to be the official meeting sponsor—and then, unbeknownst to us, Denis Alexander from Mercedes of San Diego had reached out to Shennen Marschner at Mercedes’ corporate office to somehow put this deal together in the eleventh hour right before the meeting, where they announced it,” Stewart explained. “It’s really a huge perk that’s normally only available to operators with 25 vehicles or more—and let’s face it, most of our members are smaller companies.”
Stewart added that the discount is only available to members within the United States, though it is not limited to a one-time purchase.
“It’s not a one-and-done deal: However many of these vehicles you purchase, you get the discount on all of them for the remainder of this year and into 2020,” Stewart said. Additionally, the rebate is applicable at any Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Commercial Van dealer in the U.S., so long as the purchaser is a GCLA member in good standing.
While Stewart said that the discount program is great for members, he went on to extoll the benefits it offers the association overall. “It’s a huge marketing tool for the GCLA: We help operators and vendors strengthen their relationships, we keep local members in the know and provide information to our affiliate members who need to know what goes on in LA, San Diego, San Francisco, and all the airports through our distribution lists—plus, for the price of membership, you can enjoy a discount with tremendous amount of savings, so why not join the GCLA?”
To the point of relationships, Stewart said that’s what this discount is ultimately all about.
“Mercedes-Benz of San Diego is a vendor member: You can go to any Mercedes dealer, but these guys are supporting the livery industry by listening to us and helping us out,” he explained. “We should support a dealership that supports us with something really big and a major benefit. When people who ask why they should renew their membership—well, a huge break from a member supplier is just another incredible benefit.”
The next GCLA meeting will be September 17 in Los Angeles.
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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