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L to R: L.A. Limousines & Transportation Services’ VP of Operations Kyara Kahakauwila, Operations Manager Gina Frey, and President Edison Kahakauwila
Vancouver, B.C. — When the sixth-annual Top 20 Under 40 Business and Community Achievement Awards announced its winners in April, a familiar industry face was among the prestigious list: Kyara Kahakauwila of L.A. Limousines & Transportation Services.
A panel of judges, which included mayors, councillors of Vancouver Island cities and towns, and prominent businesspeople whittled down the original list of 110 nominees to the final 20, with Kahakauwila standing out for her multifaceted background in serving her community, company, and family:
“Kahakauwila became the youngest elected woman in Canadian politics, winning a seat on the District of Metchosin Council in 1999. She served three consecutive terms and was deputy mayor to two mayors. She was also elected chair of the WestShore Chamber in 2009. Kahakauwila was also elected to the B.C. Chamber board of directors, but resigned her position after re-entering politics in 2014 on Metchosin council. She has served on numerous community boards, including the Jeneece Edroff Society, Capital Region Music Awards Society, bringing the Western Canadian Music Awards to Victoria, Visions Gala and co-chairing the Tip A Fool steering committee. Kahakauwila helped to grow L.A. Limousines Inc. from six cars in 2000 to 20 cars today. She also developed Luxury Wine Tours Inc., adding another layer of client experience to the company she operates with her husband. She is a mom of two teenage boys and has been known to run soccer practice when the coach was unavailable.”
Roger McKinnon, the chairman and founder of the awards and longtime real estate developer on the island, said that winners are selected not only for their business successes but also on the merit of how nominees give back to their communities, such as through charitable work, time or money contributions, or programs they have developed through their businesses.
The winners—11 women and nine men—were recognized during an April 21 black-tie gala, which hosted a sold-out crowd of more than 400 attendees who gathered at Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The celebration was right on the heels of Kahakauwila’s 40th birthday.
Visit 20under40.ca for more information.
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John Critchett of Palm Beach Tours and Transportation
West Palm Beach, Fla. — Molly’s Trolleys, a noted operation that serves 450 annual events locally, was recently sold to a partnership between the family-owned Palm Beach Tours and Transportation (PBTT) and Kirkland Event & Destination Services (KEDS). Along with the fleet of 15 fully-air-conditioned charter trolleys, included in the sale is the company’s Northwood warehouse facility as well as the 21 team members of drivers, mechanics, cleaners, coordination, and auto body specialists who make Molly’s Trolleys run so smoothly throughout the year. Molly’s also manages the six downtown trolleys owned by the City of West Palm Beach.
PBTT President John Critchett and KEDS President Paget Kirkland are committed to maintaining the same family feel as they have nurtured in each of their businesses to date. Collectively, they will now lead more than 50 local employees across Molly’s Trolleys, Palm Beach Tours and Transportation, and Kirkland Events.
When describing what they appreciate most about Molly’s Trolleys, Critchett comments, “Mom and Pop quality, reliability and heart. These are values that Paget and I celebrate and we are thrilled to continue the tradition.”
Paget Kirkland of Kirkland Event & Destination Services
Paget adds, “If guests need to get from one place to another there’s nothing more fun than a trolley! It adds playfulness and joy to any event.” She adds, “We love this business in every way. It is the perfect next chapter of the professional journey we have enjoyed here in West Palm Beach!”
All three of the businesses will continue to operate independently. Molly Stahlman, who founded Molly’s Trolleys in 1996, admits that letting the business go is not easy, but she is overjoyed that Paget and John are Molly’s Trolleys new guardians. “The business has been ‘our baby’ and now we are are thrilled what great new parents are stepping in to care for it and our team here.”
Visit mollystrolleys.com for more information.
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Premier minicoach at the UConn Coaches Road Show
Berlin, Conn. — A 36-passenger minicoach owned and operated by chauffeured transportation services provider, Premier Limousine, will feature in the University of Connecticut (UConn) Division of Athletics and UConn Foundation’s inaugural UConn Huskies Coaches Road Show this week. From June 4- 7, the luxury tour bus will travel to four cities across Connecticut and New York. The UConn Coaches Road Show will provide the opportunity for coaches and administrators to spend time connecting and interacting with fans, alumni donors and UConn supporters throughout the region.
“Premier Limousine is delighted to have been chosen as the official transportation provider for UConn’s first-ever Coaches Road Show,” said Premier Limousine CEO Stephen DiMarco. “We’re honored to have this opportunity to support UConn’s efforts to connect with its community and fans and hope to be involved in this endeavor again in the future.”
Privately owned and maintained by Premier Limousine, the 36-passenger Premier Limousine mini coach being utilized in the UConn Coaches Road Show features reclining seats with reading lamps, a DVD/CD player, secure Wi-Fi connectivity and an on-board restroom. All of Premier Limousine’s mini coaches go through a rigorous safety check before each trip, ensuring the highest level of quality control. Additionally, each coach is equipped with GPS and vehicle tracking.
The UConn Coaches Road Show will commence at the Glastonbury Boat House in Glastonbury, Conn., on Monday, June 4. There will be a visit to Stony Creek Brewery in Branford, Conn. on Tuesday, June 5, and the event will continue on Wednesday, June 6 at the Hearst Tower in New York City. The Road Show will conclude with a stop to the UConn Stamford Campus on June 7. Each event will feature Head Women's Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, Head Football Coach Randy Edsall, and Head Men's Basketball Coach Dan Hurley.
"The UConn Huskies Coaches Road Show is something that I have been looking forward to for a long time," Director of Athletics David Benedict said. "I am excited to have a chance to engage with some of our most ardent supporters in several of our most important constituencies and I know that UConn Nation will love to interact with the fantastic coaches we have in Storrs. I expect the events in Glastonbury, Branford, New York City, and Stamford to be well-received and look forward to expanding the Road Show in future years."
Premier Limousine CEO Stephen DiMarco
In other news, Premier recently launched a suite of new technologies from DriveProfit and Livery Coach that will enhance the company’s customer service capabilities. Realizing the many benefits that these technologies would have in improving how Premier serves its clients, DiMarco spearheaded the company’s swift move to implement these business development systems. The suite of technologies consist of DriveProfit’s REACT online quoting system, REVIEW customer review tool, RELATE customer retention management system and Livery Coach’s online booking tool, which allows customers to receive instant rates and book airport transfers directly online. Since the launch of these technologies, Premier has processed almost 15,000 quotes and received nearly 2,000 private testimonials and over 250 public reviews. Additionally, the company has increased its bookings 10-fold since its web booking tool went live.
“Offering exceptional service, with no detail unattended, has been the backbone for us becoming the leading provider of chauffeured transportation in the Connecticut area,” said DiMarco. “By adding these new industry technologies to our staff, we are better able to provide a much higher level of personal service focused on building authentic relationships with our valued customers.”
Premier is also utilizing the vital data from these technologies to make improvements to their services. In addition, chauffeurs are undergoing rigorous training on using the Premier Limo App, a technology that allows customers to book new trips including tours, track vehicles via GPS updates, receive details on their chauffeurs, and view past trips.
As well as Premier implementing these technologies, Steve DiMarco went the extra mile by closely partnering with DriveProfit to help develop and test its REACT, REVIEW, and RELATE tools. As a result of Steve DiMarco’s involvement, REACT has been found to increase booking productivity by as much as 50 percent and conversion rate by at least 20 percent, more capabilities were added to REVIEW that now makes it better able to grow brand reputation and RELATE’s client relationship building features were improved.
Visit premierlimo.com for more information.
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