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Long Island City, N.Y. — The Executive Transportation Group (ETG) and Vital Transportation announced that Vital will become the newest member of the ETG consortium of companies. Vital’s addition will bring the total number of vehicles associated with ETG to over 2,000.
ETG is a consortium of black car and limousine bases with consolidated services—including dispatching, billing, sales/marketing, and technology. Its purpose is to deliver the best service available to customers and provide its drivers with the best possible earning opportunities.
Vital is one of New York City’s largest and most successful co-op black car companies, with over 300 vehicles and many of the industry’s most sought after customers. Vital will now participate with ETG’s consortium of companies in sales, marketing and technology, as well as outsourcing its dispatching and billing systems.
As part of the arrangement, ETG’s member companies will have access to Vital’s Queens facility for driver services. One ETG member company already plans to move its driver services functions to Vital. In addition to his role as president of Vital, Berj Haroutunian will become director of consortium relations for ETG.
According to John Acierno, president of ETG, “The addition of Vital is a milestone for ETG; Vital is one of the most successful co-ops in the black car industry, and its president, Berj Haroutunian, is a highly regarded industry leader. He and his management team will give ETG added strength.”
“Vital has always flourished because it evolves as the industry changes,” says Haroutunian. “We see our membership in the ETG consortium as a continuation of this evolution. This is a triple win for our customers, shareholders, and drivers.”
The integration of the companies is expected to be completed by the end of September. In addition to collectively using ETG’s state-of-the-art, real-time dispatching system, the ETG consortium also serves clients through Transdev’s zTrip app to provide qualified, professional drivers and super-fast response times at the touch of a button through any smartphone or mobile device, says Acierno.
“The landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years, and in this new environment people want easy-to-use, dependable technology and quick ETAs for service,” he says. “Vital is a great partner for us because they have a similar vision. Plenty of companies out there are in a ‘no man’s land’ right now; they aren’t big enough to deliver to the expectations of their clients and it’s hurting them. By working together, the ETG consortium is able to provide its clients with what they have come to expect from their ground transportation provider.”
“The thing that makes the ETG consortium so special is that, from the top down—whether it’s management, drivers, or staff—our clients are dealing with people who have a tremendous amount of industry experience,” says Haroutunian. “This team has dealt with every imaginable situation and knows the ins and outs of the industry. The drivers are consummate professionals and there is someone available 24 hours a day to handle any issue that might arise in the complex and challenging environment that is the New York City Metro area.”
Visit executivecharge.com for more information about ETG. For more information about Vital, visit govital.com or send an email to berj@govital.com.
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Karl Walczak, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
South Florida — Enova Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation recently announced that Karl Walczak, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, will manage its rapidly growing affiliate relations and business development division. Walczak will apply his extensive experience and education to help the department deliver consistent service and refine the processes to strategically manage affiliate accounts and realize their full potential.
“I’m delighted to appoint Karl to manage the affiliate team,” said Enova President and CEO Bito Pimenta. “Our company has experienced explosive growth this year and this department needed to improve its processes and affiliate relations. Karl’s appointment will help us build on our forward momentum and enable Enova to sustain this rapid growth.”
Walczak started in this industry as a night dispatcher at the tender age of 16, and worked as a reservation agent/dispatcher while attending college and studying for a dual degree in hospitality and business administration. He also has a CDL and enjoys driving VIPs. As a testimony to his passion to deliver unsurpassed customer service, he is the most-requested chauffeur by the company’s demanding clients.
“Karl has helped Enova at every stage in the growth of our business and who knows, he eventually may become the CEO of the company!” joked Pimenta.
“I’m really looking forward to take on the challenge of the affiliate relations and business development division appointment for Enova and to help this team grow successfully for many years to come,” said Walczak.
Visit enovalimo.com for more information.
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More than 310 GCLA members and supporters turned out for the association’s expo last year
Costa Mesa, Calif. — The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) is once again gearing up for its annual expo. Boasting some tropical flair with its “Ride the Wave” theme, the event will take place September 24 at Turnip Rose Promenade & Gardens.
The one-day expo showcases the products and services of GCLA vendors and dealers, as well as offering its guests food and drinks, entertainment, and the opportunity to network with hundreds of industry peers. TLPA President Mike Fogarty of Tristar Worldwide Chauffeur Services and David Seelinger of EmpireCLS Worldwide Transportation Services will also bring their insights to the evening event as guest speakers.
As one of the association’s biggest functions of the year, the expo brings its many operators, vendors, and supporters
Admission is $60 for GCLA members and $75 for non-members who register on or before September 10, $70 for members and $85 for non-members who register on or after September 11, and $80 for members and $95 for non-members on the day of the expo.
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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