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- Category: Industry News
KLS Worldwide Founder Alex Darbahani
Los Angeles — KLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services is officially launching an ambitious new venture, according to Founder Alex Darbahani. Seamless Logistics is now handling large-scale travel arrangements for major events of all types.
“We’ve been providing these services for about three years with great success. Considering the recent trends in ground travel and the increasing importance of large public and private events for major organizations, providing complete support for all types of big and complicated events nationwide and worldwide through Seamless Logistics makes sense,” said Darbahani.
The new division was introduced to select members of the industry at the GTBA Convention in July.
“Everybody knows that planning air and ground travel for an individual or family on a trip can be a headache,” said Darbahani. “Think about multiplying that hundreds of times as you transport executives, VIPs, and other guests from their homes to their local airports, into the planes, and then off the plane, into a car in the destination city and off to their hotel or convention center. It’s not easy, but we take care of the whole process, from booking flights to ensuring that the limousines arrive at the correct pickup point on time and then on to their next stop.”
“Logistics is about getting people where they need to be efficiently and safely, and we’re using the latest high-tech to make sure that operations go the way they’re planned,” Darbahani added. “We’ve got state-of-the-art GPS monitoring so that we’re able to make sure everything goes according to plan, while also leaving room for last minute changes. We’ve also got a mobile app so that clients can keep in touch easily and get our updates and information, including knowing the name of the KLS chauffeur who will be taking care of them before their car arrives.”
“We are also here to help companies keep up their standards with branding,” Darbahani said. “We make sure that everyone involved with providing service on your trip is dressed to the nines and, of course, are highly experienced and skilled professionals in their field. The whole idea is to help our clients maximize the positive impact of their events on the guests. In cases where a company is marketing a drink or a snack food, for example, we make sure that the car is stocked only with products made by the client or that the client wishes us to stock.”
“The C-suite people are really responding to our efforts, and we’ve worked with some of the biggest names in world commerce, including MasterCard, Pepsi, Hyundai, Verizon, the IMF [International Monetary Fund], as well as MUFG, the largest bank from Japan,” said Darbahani. “Our clients keep telling us that we’re making it a lot easier for them to accomplish their goals and they don’t have to worry. That's the whole idea.”
Visit klsla.com for more information.
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Kristina Bouweiri of Reston Limousine
Mike Fogarty of Addison Lee/Tristar Worldwide
Mike Pinckard of Total Transit
National Harbor, Md. — It’s hard to believe we’re less than two weeks away from the 2018 Chauffeur Driven Show in National Harbor. We’ve got a great show planned at the spectacular all-under-one-roof Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, and especially excited to announce the content of our always incisive State of the Industry panel. Sponsored by FASTTRAK Cloud Technologies, the State of the Industry will held on Monday, October 8, at 9:45 am.
We’ve assembled a panel consisting of three experts in the ground transportation field to provide a candid, no-nonsense look into the hottest trends and most pressing issues facing the world of chauffeured transportation. Joining CD Publisher Chris Weiss are Kristina Bouweiri, president & CEO of Reston Limousine; Mike Fogarty, president of Addison Lee Group North America; and Mike Pinckard, CEO of Total Transit and president of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association. These industry leaders will offer their takes on current—and future—topics facing operators around the world, including the perpetual difficulty of finding chauffeurs and CDL drivers, methods to advance your company, different areas in which companies are finding success, and the ways autonomous vehicles may disrupt the chauffeured ground transportation space down the line.
This promises to be an informative and entertaining session that, most importantly, is relatable to operators of all sizes.
After the State of the Industry, at 11:45 am, you’ll have the opportunity to brainstorm with a small group of your fellow operators by taking part in CD’s exclusive Benchmark Breakouts event. This session lets you discuss ideas and explore business solutions with like-minded individuals who truly understand your unique issues. We offer seven different Breakout Groups catering to different revenue levels and company roles, each led by an industry moderator:
• Less than $2M in Gross Annual Revenue
• $2M -$5M in Gross Annual Revenue
• Over $5M in Gross Annual Revenue
• Affiliate Managers
• Operations Managers
• International Operators
• Motorcoach Operators
The Benchmark Breakouts groups have limited availability so YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER. Don’t miss out on the group you want—sign up today at chauffeurdrivenshow.com/benchmark-breakouts-registration.
Then on Monday night from 9:30 until midnight, get dressed up and party down at our costume party. We know this industry is filled with characters, so this bash is your chance to become your favorite character from TV, movies, or books. Let your inner diva, superhero, movie star, fictional character, or iconic persona from the movies, TV, or comics shine through in this party that is certain to offer a diverse cast of characters coming together for one awesome event (sponsored by Boston Car Service and RMA Worldwide). Where else can you hang with Captain America, The Fonz, and Marilyn Monroe on the same night?
If you have any more questions about registration, education, or our nightlife events, chauffeurdrivenshow.com has tons of information to help you out and all the latest updates to keep you in the loop. We’re looking forward to seeing you on the banks of the Potomac!
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- Category: Industry News
ABA Senior Director of Membership Lia Zegeye, MS Washington, D.C. — The American Bus Association (ABA) is excited to welcome Lia Zegeye as its new Senior Director of Membership.
A seasoned membership recruitment and retention professional, Zegeye joins ABA from the Auto Care Association, where she continually advanced and took on more responsibility during her decade-long tenure at the association.
"We are excited to bring Lia on to lead our membership team," said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso. "ABA has a long reputation as the go-to association to belong to for the motorcoach and group travel industry and adding Lia and her strong background in membership recruitment and retention will enable us to provide even better customer service."
Zegeye began her career with the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association where she focused on membership retention and recruitment. She has recently working for the Auto Care Association where she oversaw all membership department activities, member engagement, ensuring the association provided excellent member service by guaranteeing timely responses to member needs and soliciting member feedback to improve programs and strategic direction.
In 2017, Zegeye was recognized as one of the 2017 Association Innovators in the Greater Washington area. Lia also served as the liaison of the Manufacturers' Reps Council, which is comprised of 20 volunteer leaders from a manufacturer’s rep agency across the U.S. and Canada. In that role, she worked closely with Council members in developing strategies and outreach programs designed to help advance members and industry professionals.
Visit buses.org for more information.
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