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Spring is here… which means it’s time to start planning for the CD/NLA Executive Retreat! Mark your calendars because we’re returning to Miami from June 2-5 for our version of a working vacation where we promise equal parts education, networking, recharging, and loads of fun.
Capped at just 200 operators—with 70 slots already filled—we’re thrilled to be able to deliver all the focused education and networking that you desire while infusing our activities, including all the food and drinks you’ll ever need, with our host city’s local flair. You might just forget that you’re on a business trip as we’ve left some time for kicking back and lounging by the pool or ocean, because your clients shouldn’t be the only ones to enjoy a little bleisure.
We’re beyond excited to announce that the legendary Fontainebleau is our host property this year. Located in beautiful Miami Beach, it doesn’t get more iconic than Fontainebleau. This midcentury modern hotel was the go-to haunt for jet setters and Hollywood elite alike in the ’50s and ’60s. It was the place to see and be seen, and now you too can lay your head where thousands of dignitaries and celebrities once stayed.
Special thanks to all our sponsors—including Platinum Sponsor Lancer Insurance—for supporting this highly anticipated event. Others include Gold Sponsors A1A Global Ground, Complete Fleet Livery Sales, First Class Customs, Limo Anywhere, MCI, Nissan, PAX Training, and Volvo; and Affiliate Sponsors Destination MCO, Gateway Global, Great Bay Limousine, Limo Miami, North Point Global Transportation Services, Premier Transportation, and VIP Global.
We’re thrilled to release our schedule for the event, which includes intensive education from Forbes Travel Guide, as well as interactive workshops and roundtables that will have you getting to know your peers from other markets. No Retreat is complete without local flavor, so look for two dinner events that will capture the distinct vibe of Miami Beach. First, we have our Sunday night kickoff party on the exquisite Ocean Lawn at the Fontainebleau, featuring magnificent waterfront views of the Atlantic. Sip on cocktails from our open bar and soak in the salty warm air under the dusky sky as you enjoy dinner, live music, and entertainment. Then on Monday night, we cruise through Biscayne Bay for our private yacht dinner party—a perennial favorite of CD/NLA Retreats. The four-hour tour features a delicious buffet and an open bar.
Stay tuned to future e-news pieces that will give you the lowdown on everything the CD/NLA Executive Retreat has to offer!
With space filling up quickly, you’ll want to register today. Head on over to cdnlaexecutiveretreat.com to take advantage of our $899 early-bird rate—the price will be increasing soon. And while you’re there, book your stay at the Fontainebleau for just $279/night. This room block is sure to fill fast!
Visit cdnlaexecutiveretreat.com for more information.
[04.02.24]
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LANJ establishes the Barbara J. Chirico Scholarship Program
The Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ) is proud to announce the Barbara J. Chirico Scholarship Program, which has been established to assist the children of current LANJ member families who will be attending college, trade school, or post-graduate school in the coming year.
The Scholarship Program has been established in the memory of Barbara Chirico, founder of Gem Worldwide Transportation, past president of the National Limousine Association, and longtime LANJ member and officer who passed away in January 2024. A chauffeured transportation industry trailblazer, Chirico was well known for her zest for life and the help she gave to others.
The parent(s) of each scholarship applicant must be a current/active owner or employee of a LANJ member company at the time of the scholarship award.
Three scholarships are being offered:
- Barbara Chirico Academic Excellence Scholarship ($2,500)
- Barbara Chirico Community Service Scholarship ($1,000)
- Barbara Chirico Leadership Scholarship ($500)
Scholarship Program applications will be emailed to all LANJ members on April 1, 2024.
Application submissions will be considered by the Scholarship Review Committee, which will be comprised of at least five LANJ board members and Barbara's daughter Deanna Gulino of Gem Worldwide. Committee members shall be appointed annually by the LANJ president.
All completed applications must be submitted by June 30, 2024. Scholarship awards will be made by July 15, 2024.
Following are the criteria for scholarship selection:
- Application completion and thoroughness
- Current GPA and school performance
- Volunteer activities, sports, and club memberships
- Work ethic and demonstration of responsibility
- Detailed narrative that demonstrates the applicant's need, strong moral character, and family values
Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the scholarship recipient's educational institution. Scholarship recipients will continue to be eligible for four years of college term if they maintain a GPA of 3.2 each year. Copies of college transcripts can be submitted directly to the Scholarship Committee annually for payment of the scholarship award. Recipients will be capped to four years of awards.
Visit lanj.org for more information.
[04.01.24]
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Thomas Zachary IV
Thomas “Tom” Zachary IV, a longtime sales representative for manufacturer Executive Coach Builders, passed away on March 16 after a battle with cancer. He was 60.
Tom was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, graduating from Lower Marion High School in Ardmore. According to his family, he had an affinity for “anything with wheels,” which dominated the trajectory of his career and led him to the chauffeured transportation community.
He began his automotive career closer to home at the popular Wilkie family of dealerships, located in the Philly area. However, he’s best known for selling larger vehicles as part of the sales team at Missouri-based Executive Coach Builders. He joined the company more than two decades ago and spearheaded the manufacturer’s New Jersey-based facility, Executive Coach East, as general manager and sales manager.
Executive Coach Builders President David Bakare remembers Tom as a special talent, a gentle man among gentlemen.
“He was more of a brother than an employee,” says Bakare. “He would always say, ‘We’ll work it out, there’s never a bad deal.’ His optimism was contagious and soon enough you believe it’s going to work out.”
Bakare says that Tom was a fiercely private person, and he only learned of the seriousness of his health struggles shortly before he passed.
“I think he strongly believed that he was going to beat this,” says Bakare of Tom’s famous optimism. “He handled it well to the end.”
Known for being humble, quick to help, and chronically optimistic, he built many enduring relationships throughout the industry over the years, often becoming good friends with his clients and colleagues.
In fact, it was through his job at Executive Coach East that he first interacted with his future bride and life partner, Lisa. With offices located across the street from each other, the casual conversations soon blossomed into a romance, and they married in 2017. For several years prior to the pandemic, Lisa—an accomplished leader in her own right—assisted her husband at the Executive Coach facility, including lending her talents to marketing.
Although he did not have children of his own, Lisa says that he was a loving presence for her three children, Marriah, Christopher, and Alisa Hannah.
“The word that comes to mind when I think of him is ‘loyal.’ He was loyal to his limo industry family, he was loyal to his loved ones and friends, he was our anchor,” says Lisa about her husband of seven years. “There’s nothing that he wouldn’t do for us or the people he loved. I find comfort in knowing that he is at peace.”
Tom was also a man of faith as a member of his local church, Change Church. While he and Lisa fought cancer privately—as was his wish—she says he did find comfort and strength in his spirituality and through prayer with his fellow congregants. According to his family, he was active in the church community and served as an assistant leader for one of the church’s groups.
Tom was laid to rest on March 22 following a celebration of life with his Change Church family. In addition to his wife, Lisa, and stepchildren, he is survived by sister Carol Zachary Smith (Jeffrey); nephew Ahmad Zachary; two nieces, Aliyah Zachary and Jordan Smith; and grand-niece Kodilei Zachary Atwell.