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Thirteen VLA members came out for the association’s first-ever fishing trip
Virginia Beach, Va.—More than a dozen members of the Virginia Limousine Association (VLA) headed to Rudee Flipper Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours on August 18 for a day of networking and camaraderie on the water for its first-ever fishing trip.
According to VLA Vice President Bill Kerr of Camryn Executive Transportation, the idea was born from the desire to shy away from suit-and-tie events so association members could get together in a low-key, friendly environment away from the daily grind.
“[VLA President] Paul Walsh and I were talking, and we decided that we need to do more social events,” Kerr explained. “Instead of having just the membership meetings, we wanted to give folks a chance to go out and network, put the ties and the jackets aside for a day, and just get to know each other and enjoy each other’s company. So that’s exactly what we did, and everyone had a great time.”
VLA President “Captain” Paul Walsh of Superior Executive Transportation (left) and Vice President Bill Kerr of Camryn Executive Transportation
With plenty of lively conversation, “fish practically jumping on board,” and even a bar onboard the “USS VLA,” Kerr reports that the outing was an instant success that already has members clamoring for not only the second annual trip but also more social events.
“People loved it. They absolutely loved it,” he said. “It was a successful, awesome day—and we caught a ton of fish!”
It wouldn’t be an industry event without a little friendly competition, and this inaugural fishing trip was no exception. Among the “close to 100 croakers” that members caught (with most of them thrown back into the water), VLA Secretary Glenn Stafford of Love Limousine landed the day’s biggest catch.
The crew dubbed their rented boat the USS VLA for their inaugural outing at Virginia Beach
“We had a little pool of money for the winner and when Glenn won, he donated the money back to the VLA,” Kerr said.
With a successful first event under their belts, Kerr said that the VLA board is encouraged by its positive reception and is actively pursuing ways to deliver friendly outings to its members, especially as a way to bolster the association.
“We’re hoping to do at least three or four social events a year,” he said. “We’d love to see them bring more membership in, not just from Virginia operators but from operators in other states. It makes the association that much stronger when we all support each other. There’s enough speedbumps out there, so why not stick together?”
The next VLA event is its membership meeting, which will be held at the Chauffeur Driven Show October 8.
Visit vla-limo.org for more information.
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L to R: CFLA Vendor Director Ryan Hilberth of Book.limo, CFLA President Wendy Kleefisch of Brevard Executive Transportation, and NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation
Orlando — When the Central Florida Livery Association (CFLA) met up August 14, the nearly 40 attendees were joined by a special industry guest from the West: NLA President Gary Buffo of California’s Pure Luxury Transportation, who has vowed to visit with several of the industry’s regional associations throughout the year.
The back-to-school themed meeting was as packed with information as any classroom lecture is—complete with plenty of snacks like bite-sized empanadas and homemade, personalized sweets, courtesy of meeting sponsor Book.limo. Topics ranged from the national state of the industry to updates about the Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) from its Director of Airport Security George Speake to how the CFLA is working for its members
“To have the NLA president here was huge,” CFLA President Wendy Kleefisch of Brevard Executive Transportation said. “He got to learn about our concerns about what’s happening in the state, as well as hear directly from [SFB Director of Airport Security] George Speake.”
She added that, even though summers are traditionally quieter times for the industry that yield lightly attended meetings, this dog-days-of-summer event drew one of the association’s biggest crowds.
The CFLA meeting’s speakers, NLA President Gary Buffo (left) and SFB Director of Airport Security George Speake
Speake discussed the “economic growth and the changes taking place at the airport,” as well as how TNC vehicles are no longer getting the preferential treatment that so many other markets have been grappling with. He also spoke about upcoming initiatives for SFB in the future as well as their struggle to find a balance between safety and tolerance regarding TNCs picking up at the airport despite lacking the proper insurance or vehicle permitting in order to operate legally and commercially.
Buffo then spoke to the attendees about the importance of supporting the NLA, highlighting the organization's emphasis on defending the chauffeured transportation space from transportation network companies by shedding light on the injustices of ride-sharing apps that have compromised the safety and longevity of our industry.
At the end of his presentation, Buffo presented the CFLA with its rebate check for $615—and encouraged more members to join the NLA so that the next rebate check can be even bigger.
Some of the treats on hand for the CFLA’s August meeting
"It is such an incredible honor to be accepted and supported by the NLA," said Kleefisch,
At the end of the meeting, CFLA members who use Book.limo spoke about how it has improved their business, spurred on by the meeting sponsor’s unveiling of water bottles that feature clients’ testimonials and case studies.
"Since switching to Book.limo for our online reservations, the frequency of customers booking has more than doubled," said Paul Kovie of Sunshine Limousine & Shuttle. Tom Halsnik of Walsh Airport Service and Black Pearl Limo added that his international reservations have increased significantly since adding Book.limo to his website.
The CFLA, which typically meets the second Tuesday of each month, will hold its next meeting September 11.
Visit cfla.org for more information.
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Chris Jones
Dennis Snow
Scott Mckain
Rockville, Md. — The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) has finalized its trio of keynote speakers for its landmark 100th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas.
The impressive lineup includes the founder of a Silicon Valley technology company discussing the autonomous-vehicle evolution, a Disney executive speaking about customer service, and a marketing expert who wrote a book about lessons learned from a chance encounter with an exuberant, self-promoting taxi driver, “Taxi Terry.”
The speakers are:
- Chris Jones, co-founder of Canalys, will present the opening address, The Electric & Autonomous Vehicle Revolution. Canalys is the first autonomous-vehicle market analysis service. Jones’ address will be a master class in all things autonomous.
- Dennis Snow, a customer service expert and 20-year veteran of Disney, will present his keynote titled, Delivering World-Class Service: Lessons from the Mouse.
- Scott McKain, an author of Amazon bestsellers on expanding profits, increasing sales and engaging customers, will present the closing keynote address, Create Distinction: What To Do When ‘Great’ Isn’t Good Enough to Grow Your Business. For this presentation, he will draw on his latest book, 7 Tenets of Taxi Terry, which gives specific steps to help create and deliver high-quality customer experiences.
The speakers will kick off each of the convention’s General Sessions. Taking place this year from October 27 through 29 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the annual event is the largest gathering of the for-hire fleet operators and vendors in the world.
Visit tlpa.org/Annual-Convention for more information.
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