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Nashville — The first-ever Chauffeur Driven Executive Retreat took Music City and the Omni Nashville Hotel by storm June 22-24, delivering high-quality education and citywide entertainment in equal measures—much to the resounding delight and benefit of our 200 attendees. Many thanks to Platinum Sponsors Turtle Top and The Tenney Group, and to all of our generous Gold, Silver, and Affiliate sponsors for their help in making this tight-knit event not only possible but also a success.
“The Nashville Retreat was the best gathering I have attended in years,” said Terry Cox of Worldwide Transportation in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “The limited number of attendees allowed for closer mingling, targeting specific subjects, and getting deeper insight into common issues and opportunities—not to mention an openness and understanding of who a person is and what their company culture and values are.”
The inaugural retreat kicked off with a workshop from recruiting and employee management expert Kristen Carroll of The LMC Group. With a focus on “Creating Demand for Top Talent,” Carroll provided insight into not only finding and retaining a top-notch staff but also enhancing one’s own leadership skills. Much of the session was devoted to the chauffeur position as a key role in any operation, highlighting why TNCs keep attracting drivers and how luxury chauffeured ground transportation can emulate that appeal honestly and to everyone’s benefit.
“The educational programs exceeded my expectations, with a great presentation from Kristen Carroll and the ideas associated with hiring top talent,” said Ed Kahakauwila of L.A. Limousines & Transportation Services in Victoria, British Columbia.
Monday evening took full advantage of the seamless integration between the Omni and The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, as our Welcome Reception in the museum’s conservatory brought everyone together before the private tour of the CMHOF Museum began. After a whirlwind trek into country music’s past and a few showcases highlighting its present superstars, the cocktail reception and BBQ dinner back at the conservatory made for a satisfying prelude to the evening’s highlight: a private concert where singer/songwriter Phil Vassar rocked the intimate Ford Theater with original tunes and familiar covers alike. The amiable musician followed up his energetic set with a meet and greet punctuated by friendly conversation, a flurry of autographs, and oodles of photo opps.
“Phil Vassar’s concert was one of those “once in a lifetime” moments and a great experience,” said Scott Woodruff of Majestic Limousine & Coach in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The next day saw two eye-opening, world-class presentations with Jennifer Blackmon of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, “Leadership & Employee Engagement” and “Memorable Customer Service.” Blackmon discussed the connection between fostering a respectful—and respected—staff and delivering a personalized customer experience that goes far beyond your clients’ needs, whether they’re explicitly expressed or not.
“The energy created by Jennifer Blackmon from The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center had the ballroom buzzing,” said Ron Stein of Exclusive Sedan Service in North Hollywood, Calif. “Her passion for both the "Leadership & Employee Engagement" and "Memorable Customer Service" seminars came home with us—in fact, we can't stop thinking about them.”
Two very different tours were on the agenda for Tuesday: First up was a bus tour of the city that brought many retreat-goers face-to-face with the ways Nashville’s history complements its modern flare. Once the buses—provided by Signature Transportation and Grand Avenue Worldwide--passed through the city streets surrounding the Omni, there were plenty of chances to see period architecture abutting modern high-rises, hear about how the Cumberland River has influenced the city as the road hugged its banks, learn how the old automotive factory at Marathon Village is now home to a range of contemporary businesses, and catch a glimpse of everything from government buildings to art installations to a full-scale Parthenon replica to the music industry’s beating heart at many Music Row mainstays.
It was then off to the evening’s honky-tonk crawl along Broadway, where spirits were flowing as freely as the live music and lively conversation. With stops at The Stage, Legends Corner, The Second Fiddle, and Silver Dollar Saloon (plus a few improvised visits to other watering holes along our route), the good times rolled on well past midnight.
“The nightlife was fun, and it was so great that almost everyone was together on Broadway,” said Brianna Candeub of Park Avenue Limousine in Trevose, Pa.
Frank Rosenbaum of Global Business Strategies closed out the educational portion of the retreat with his workshop on “Maintaining Your Financial Edge in the Chauffeur Driven Industry.” Drawing on his experience with the ground transportation industry, Rosenbaum discussed the ways a company can develop financial solutions while charting its own roadmap to overall increased value.
“There were great speakers presenting interesting, entertaining, and very useful information—even Frank Rosenbaum's presentation on a hard topic to cover kept my attention, and I learned a lot from it,” said Barbara White of VIP Transportation Group Executive Chauffeured Transportation Services in Orlando, Fla.
We ended the Executive Retreat with a visit to Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Each group got to spend some time in the historically evocative center of town and see the whiskey-making process up close at the distillery’s sprawling property.
“The Jack Daniel’s tour was phenomenal: I am now a whiskey connoisseur!” said Tracy Raimer of Your Private Limousine in Chicago, Ill.
We’re hard at work finalizing the plans for next year’s retreat in New Orleans, as well as making sure October’s Miami Beach show brings you all the best education and most exciting entertainment you’ve come to expect from Chauffeur Driven’s events. Check out our August issue for complete coverage of and loads of photos from our first-ever Executive Retreat—and with less than 100 days until Miami, don’t forget to check out chauffeurdrivenshow.com for the most up-to-date information about the industry’s most-anticipated show of the year.
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Click Here to View the CD Show Video
Ready for Miami this October? The Chauffeur Driven Show will literally stage a hotel takeover at the beautiful Loews Miami Beach. We’re less than 90 days away from the event, and we’ve recently released all of the details on our website (chauffeurdrivenshow.com) and in our hot-off-the-press attendee brochure (also visible here:
Click Here for Online Brochure).
But don’t just take our word for it: Get a sneak peek at what you can expect in Miami with our new video shot on location at the Loews. See firsthand what awaits you in gorgeous South Beach, a true global destination. CD President and Publisher Chris Weiss discusses some of the returning favorites, such as the International Meet & Greet, Operator Mentoring Program, and Affiliate Global Partner Forum, as well as some new events like the Women in the Industry Networking Reception and our Association Summit. You’ll also see the breathtaking location of our show, just steps away from the Atlantic Ocean. You can see the video here (link to www.chauffeurdrivenshow.com).
Our website and attendee brochure detail all of the workshops and micro-sessions we have planned for this October. We have over 17 hours of educational sessions—including our always-popular State of the Industry Address and Keynote with Terry Jones, founder of Kayak and Travelocity—available to our attendees. Sessions will include all of the timely topics that help to drive your business forward, such as building your affiliate network, recruiting chauffeurs, defining your company culture, preparing for a DOT audit, and much more. Micro-sessions will held Monday and Tuesday during show floor hours, while on Wednesday we shift gears a bit to offer you two interactive sessions on bus and motorcoach issues (DOT audit and fleet diversification) right on the show floor.
Ready to buy? Check out which industry manufacturers, dealers, and vendors will be on hand to help you make the best decision and secure a great deal.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Chauffeur Driven Show without some amazing nightlife, including Hot Havana Nights, complete with Latin-infused music and authentic cigar rollers; Caribbean Sun Splash, an outdoor, poolside party that will have you sipping the cocktails while we transport you to the islands; and our legendary suite parties, where the party ends when you want it to. We’re also hosting our Charity Auction & Dinner, which will again benefit the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.
We have all the information you need, including how to register for the show, online at
chauffeurdrivenshow.com. We’ll see you in SoBe this October!
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Scott Duffy, Director of Sales
Johnstown, N.Y. — Don Brown Bus Sales, the largest, full service, stocking bus dealer in the Northeastern United States, has named Scott Duffy as its new director of sales.
Duffy, who had been the director of business development at Express Natural Gas in Boston, Mass., is now responsible for managing Don Brown Bus Sales’ network of sales representatives and head the company’s’ initiative to serve clients in the greater Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with the finest brands in the industry.
“The management and advancement of our current sales team, under Scott, will strengthen in myriad ways the level of customer service our clients have come to expect. We will be able to serve our clients more efficiently and effectively than ever before,” said Eric Sebast, vice president. “Scott brings such a high level of expertise and enthusiasm to the team, and we are thrilled to have him head up an expanding division that represents the best products in the industry.”
Duffy comes to Don Brown Bus Sales with over 25 years of professional experience as an executive in sales management and business development along with a mechanical engineering degree from Vermont Tech. According to a press release from the company, his background has produced record sales growth and awards in every company he has been a part of ranging from oil & energy markets, mining and construction aggregates, and over 14 years in the golf business.
“I am honored for the opportunity to lead the growth effort of such a dynamic division with this phenomenal company, whose established brand offers the absolute best products, service, and inventory in the business. We will be trusted partners with every operator we do business with and we will relentlessly support our customer’s business growth in every way possible,” Duffy said.
Visit donbrownbus.com for more information.
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