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Des Moines, Iowa — Majestic Limo & Coach owners Scott and Melissa Woodruff are pleased to announce that their family has grown after the adoption of two girls.
As a favor to relatives of Melissa’s, the Woodruffs began taking care of Zyla and Blayce, now 2 and 1 ½ years old, respectively, when the girls were still infants. The couple found out that they would be able to keep the girls in December, and the adoption was made official the end of July.
“They are amazing,” Melissa says of her daughters. “They’ve brought so much joy to our lives and they really make you stop and think about the important things in life. Sometimes we work too hard and need to slow down and appreciate our families.”
Melissa has indeed been learning how to balance the demands of being Majestic Limo’s event coordinator with raising two young girls.
“I work from home, which is nice to be able to do,” she says. “I play Mommy on Mondays, and then the girls go to daycare Tuesday through Friday so I can stay involved in the company.”
The Woodruffs’ two sons, 18-year-old Adam and 15-year-old Nathan, have taken to their roles as big brothers almost instantly, according to Melissa.
“Adam and Zyla are just two peas in a pod—they connected right off the bat,” she says. “All four of them get along just great.”
Aside from “all the fun stuff like hair ribbons and necklaces” that come with having girls, Melissa says that she already knows that bringing up two daughters will be quite unlike raising two sons. But she hopes to offer the same bright future and loving environment to all four of her children.
“I just hope that we can be great role models and teach them to grow and learn from their experiences so when they go out on their own they are prepared,” Melissa says. “I believe God had a plan for these two little girls and we are very thankful for the opportunity to be the parents we think these girls deserve.”
Visit majesticlimo.com to learn more about Majestic Limo & Coach.
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Costa Mesa, Calif. — The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) held its fourth annual Expo and Trade Show September 23 at Orange County’s Promenade Event Centre & Gardens, bringing with it vendor and vehicle displays, sponsor presentations, and guest speakers—as well as an upbeat atmosphere that is reflected in its organizers’ enthusiasm for the event.
“It was just a phenomenal show,” says GCLA First Vice President Kevin Illingworth of Classique Worldwide Transportation. “We had way more people than we expected, the vendors were extremely happy, the guests were great, and we had some great speakers.”
Chauffeur Driven Publisher Chris Weiss and West Coast Editor David Hartson were both on hand to attend the one-day shindig that has become the GCLA’s biggest function of the year. The 2014 Expo’s turnout easily topped those of previous years, boasting an attendance of about 310, who embraced the event’s theme of wiping the industry clean by donning their finest whites for a White Party.
After the evening kicked off with roughly 20 vendor displays that showcased the services and products of companies such as Lincoln, SoCal Penske/Acton Fleet Sales, Century Business Solutions, and Grech Motors, representatives from Cadillac and Ford then gave fleet presentations between dinner, drinks, and dessert.
One of the main draws was a TNC panel discussion with Cheryl Berkman of Music Express Worldwide, Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, and Gregg Cook of Government Affairs Consulting California, which was moderated by GCLA President Rich Azzolino of Gateway Global.
“I felt that more people would be interested in coming if we had Dawson and Cheryl speak,” Illingworth says. “We set up the panel because TNCs are a hot topic. We wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of what’s going on and what we’re doing for them.”
While Illingworth says that “everything flowed so well that it’s hard to put your finger on just one highlight,” he was pleased that the GCLA Expo continually fosters camaraderie among its attendees.
“You get to see people who are actually competitors come together for one night and become friends, everyone networks and has fun talking to each other,” he says. “It was great seeing everyone come out and support California operators and what we’re doing in the industry to try and make sure that we can all stay on the same playing field.”
With an attendance constantly on the rise and each year presenting a new learning opportunity, Illingworth has nothing but praise for this year’s expo.
“We learn something new every time we do this,” he says. “It just gets better every year.”
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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Morrisville, N.C. — The North Carolina Limousine Association (NCLA) held its September 17 meeting at Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s (RDU) Terminal 2. The afternoon included discussions covering both association-specific and industry-relevant matters.
NCLA President Carolyn Henson of Prestige Limousine began the meeting by announcing that Lenora Bowman of Johnny B’s Limousine Service has resigned as the association’s secretary so she can spend more time with her family and their new addition. Henson also reported that City of Oaks Transportation owner Diane McLean, who has been filling in for Bowman, officially agreed to be the new NCLA secretary.
In additional membership news, NCLA Treasurer Vernon Gambill of Black Tie Transportation has recently purchased Blue Diamond Limousine, which will give his company additional presence in Raleigh, N.C.
Members also discussed the increasingly positive relationship that has developed between the NCLA and RDU, as Jorge Carrasquillo was on hand to represent the airport. Carrasquillo also offered guidance with concerns about illegal transportation companies operating in Asheville Regional Airport, who are transporting clients across state lines without Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance.
The conversation then turned to TNCs and the power of local operators uniting as a single voice against unregulated transportation companies. The association rallied together to send photos and letters to the DOT, which has since resulted in a single operator being fined more than $89,000 over illegal activities. Additionally, RDU has been citing Lyft drivers for illegally picking up passengers at the airport, as they have been removing the company’s telltale pink moustaches from their vehicles so they can conduct business without being identified.
Chauffeur Driven’s Show Manager Lauren D’Ambra attended the meeting. She spoke about all that the CD Show has to offer, such as its expanded Operator Mentoring Program, Affiliate Day, and Extended Stay CEO Jim Donald’s keynote speech, as well as the free shuttle service to and from Philadelphia International Airport. D’Ambra also raffled off a free pass to the show, which was won by Robin Luiz of Special Occasion Limousine.
The next NCLA meeting will be November 19.
Visit nclimo.org for more information.