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The team at EmpireCLS took home a Concierge Choice Award in 2015 and is now a finalist in the 2018 awards
Secaucus, N.J. — EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services, the largest privately-held chauffeured transportation provider in the world, has been named a 2018 Concierge Choice Awards (CCA) finalist in the Transportation Service category. The CCA honors elite companies, organizations, and individuals in the restaurant, retail, theater, attraction, service, and transportation industries who create exceptional experiences for visitors to New York City. Accepting nothing less than stringent standards for its fleet and chauffeurs, EmpireCLS was selected for its commitment to providing visitors with the same professional hospitality service as the world’s best airlines. EmpireCLS was also awarded a CCA for Best Limousine Service in 2015.
“At EmpireCLS, we all feel so proud to be recognized as a leading chauffeured transportation services provider by the New York City concierge community,” said EmpireCLS Chairman and CEO David Seelinger. “We’re fortunate to work with some of New York City’s finest hotels and attractions. For them to name our services as one of the best transportation experiences in the city is a true honor.”
Under the stewardship of New York City hotel concierges, the CCAs strive to uphold the highest standards of impartiality and objectivity through an independent polling of the concierge community. Awards are given every year in 14 categories. In addition to Transportation Service, award categories include Entertainment Service, Healthy & Beauty, Nightlife Experience, Specialty Retailer, and more.
In addition to New York City, EmpireCLS’ award-winning chauffeured transportation services extend across 1,000 cities worldwide. Powered by a diverse fleet of late-model luxury vehicles and professional chauffeurs, EmpireCLS delivers personalized and exceptional transportation experiences, no matter how intricate the trip or how far the destination.
Visit empirecls.com for more information.
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Signature Transportation Orlando CEO Gregg Moulton
“After seven months of discussion and due diligence, we look forward and are excited to welcome Olympus’ talented employees and chauffeurs into our family,” said Signature Transportation Orlando CEO Gregg Moulton. “Using the same model that we created with Signature Transportation Group in Chicago almost two years ago, the new combination of Signature Transportation Florida will share staff, vehicles, chauffeurs, and best practices to maximize efficiencies committed to our customer-first mentality.”
New premium vehicles are already en route to Tampa, including Grech Executive Buses, motorcoaches, sedans, and SUVs. Signature Transportation Florida will continue operating out of the facility in Orlando and will combine the two locations in Tampa and New Port Richey for an increased presence in Tampa with close proximity to Tampa International Airport. The combined operation will operate a premium diverse fleet of over 60 vehicles.
"This is an exciting opportunity for our Olympus Family,” said Olympus Limo CEO Ted Koutsos. “Combining our 22-plus years of success and experience with their cutting-edge approach will make for a positive alliance.”
“We are very proud that a company like Olympus Limo, a clear market leader in the Tampa Bay area is joining Signature Transportation Group and will give our customers and affiliates another market where they are assured of consistent and reliable service,” said Signature Transportation Group CEO Sal Milazzo. “This partnership is in line with the strategic growth agenda of Signature Transportation Group.”
Visit signaturetg.com for more information.
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Park Avenue Limousine Chief Strategy Officer Scott Szwed Trevose, Pa. — Park Avenue Limousine is pleased to announce that industry veteran Scott Szwed has joined its team as Chief Strategy Officer.
Szwed brings more than 25 years of industry experience to Park Avenue, gleaned from his involvement in “every aspect of running a ground transportation company—from maintaining day-to-day operations to strategizing innovative approaches for business development”—as well as his drive to blend the classic industry standards with the advancements in trends, technology, and on-demand service expectations of the 21st century.
“What drew me to joining Park Avenue was the clear vision of the leadership and management teams to expand offerings to the greater tristate area, but respect for the ‘old school’ methodology that can be leveraged into the next generation of this industry,” he says. “Our industry is ever evolving—management teams have to be agile and ready to adapt with new business needs, but hold on to the core values and principles of service that makes our industry thrive. Park Avenue is a service-driven company and our success is dependent on delivering the highest-quality service to our clients.”
Szwed, whose career began in law enforcement, has “had the pleasure to serve at the direction of CEOs and presidents of some of the largest transportation companies on the East Coast.” He says that one of his earliest responsibilities was ensuring safety measures by “performing DOT-compliant background checks and recruiting top-tier chauffeurs.”
“I have been involved with so many of the DOT regulations we have now since their infancy,” Szwed says. “II’ve seen improvements overtime from the old days of drug testing in the office to today’s Medical Review Officers, government background checks, and fingerprinting standards. I’m fortunate enough to understand the rough beginnings of standards that are now the norm in this industry. There’s not much in this business that I haven’t experienced from the ground up.”
In addition to helping implement safety measures, Szwed has also helped several companies institute employee training and standard operating protocols, fleet selection and expansion, and assess operation needs for expert decision-making.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have Scott as a part of the team,” says Park Avenue Vice President of Operations Briana Candeub. “With With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, he brings unmatched support to the table. Our leadership team is looking forward to working with Scott and rapidly expanding Park Avenue in innovative ways to achieve our next level of service and success.”
Szwed, in turn, looks forward to this next phase of his ground transportation career as an opportunity to further the education that his time working for an array of Delaware Valley operations has yielded.
“I’ve been in this industry a long time, but I’m still learning,” he says. “I learned how to anticipate what’s coming next and be proactive. The 'old days' are gone: You need to learn how to apply new advancements to improve your services by thinking outside of the box; otherwise, you won’t succeed. It’s that simple.”
And one of his first lessons was familiarizing himself with the CSO title that Park Avenue President Alan Candeub offered him.
“I researched the roles and responsibilities of a CSO to better understand the expectations of my new position," Szwed said. "A CSO is tasked with developing, communicating, executing, and sustaining corporate strategic initiatives. What I love about the CSO position is that it requires someone who wears many hats—it’s equal parts strategy and action. This is the perfect opportunity to apply my professional experience at just the right time in my career.”
And it’s a unique position that will benefit from Szwed’s genuine passion for the industry.
“I live this business, I breathe this business, and I love this business,” he said. “I wake up and I’m thinking about it, and I go to bed thinking about it. I just love it.”
Visit parkavenuelimousine.com for more information.
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