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MLA Secretary Joanna Fridinger of The Limo Lady and CD Editor Rob Smentek
On Tuesday, July 18, the Maryland Limousine Association held its summer membership meeting at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Baltimore. The lunch event attracted more than 25 members, vendors, and guests, including CD Editor Rob Smentek.
MLA President Len Joseph of On the Town Limousines kicked things off promptly at noon, welcoming the attendees and introducing guest speakers Robert King of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Mike Blackburn of AddOns/LimoAnywhere. Joseph also took a moment to acknowledge MLA Secretary and Membership Chair Joanna Fridinger of The Limo Lady for her hard work in planning the meetings for the association.
Japneet Singh of Executive CLS
During a short but information-packed presentation, King brought attention to the fact that Maryland currently reported 301 traffic fatalities to date in 2023, calling it a “silent epidemic.” He then provided some overview of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal that was passed in 2022, and initiatives that will affect the ground transportation industry. Fielding questions from the MLA members, King then discussed weigh station regulations, rules pertaining to crossing state lines, and unified carrier registration.
MLA President Len Joseph of On the Town Limousines (left) with Robert King of the FMCSA
Next, Blackburn spoke about the recent AddOns/LimoAnywhere merger as well as the redevelopment of the platform. He also discussed the many benefits of AddOns, and how the company can offer chargeback protection from the “epidemic of friendly fraud” that operators are currently facing. Prompted by a member’s question, Blackburn then talked about LimoAnywhere’s LQC options, calling them a “game changer.”
Mike Blackburn of AddOns/LimoAnywhere
Before lunch was served, Joseph discussed the recent joint MLA/Virginia Limousine Association meeting that was held on June 28. At the event, a six-person committee was formed to address the Clean Hands Code that requires operators to pay $750 per car to perform point-to-point transportation in Washington, D.C. Committee member Japneet Singh of Executive CLS was given the floor to discuss the committee’s lobbying plans.
Finally, Alex Church from Transportation Insurance Brokers and Holly McCulloh of Hilb Group Insurance provided an insurance update. Church confirmed that, unfortunately, rates are continuing to increase, while McCulloh encouraged operators to use analytics to help keep costs lower.
The next MLA meeting will be held at noon on September 19 at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood.
Visit mdlimoassoc.org for more information.
[07.20.23]
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Leading up to its APAC Conference this September, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) recently announced that it has formed a new regional Advisory Board in Asia Pacific. This strategic move aims to enhance GBTA’s presence and growth by engaging valuable local guidance and expertise to best serve members and partners in the region.
The 12-person APAC Advisory Board includes:
- Peter Koh, Executive Director, Head of APAC Integrated Travel and Expense for Goldman Sachs (Chairperson)
- Koreen Barbara, Global Travel Manager for McDonalds
- John Holden, Regional Lead/Global Strategic Sourcing APJ for Workday
- Carl Jones, former Managing Director, Southeast Asia for SAP Concur
- Jonathan Kao, Managing Director (Greater China) for BCD Travel
- Amarnath Lal Das, Vice President—India Travel Meetings and Events for Accenture Solutions Pvt Ltd
- Ewan Lin, Travel Operations Manager APAC/Global Category Lead (Hotels) for Johnson & Johnson
- Michelle Low, Global Vice President of Supply Chain for Synergy Global Housing
- Mike Orchard, Principal Consultant, Lead of Product Development and Analytics Center of Excellence for FESTIVE ROAD
- Bertrand Saillet, Managing Director for FCM Travel Solutions Asia
- Timothy Tan, Senior Vice President Global Corporate Travel Management for UOB Bank
- Nichola Winchester, Asia-Pac Travel, Meetings and Events Leader/Global Corporate Card Leader for EY
“The new Board brings together many expert and diverse voices across the region. Their insights and industry experience will help GBTA be able to optimally serve the APAC region through the development of tailored programs and offerings for business travel buyers, suppliers, and companies in the region,” said GBTA Regional Senior Vice President for EMEA and APAC Catherine Logan in the association’s announcement.
The upcoming GBTA APAC Conference 2023 will be held September 19-20 in Singapore. More information about the conference, including registration information, is available here. Its massive annual GBTA Convention will take place this August 13-15 in Dallas. Additional information for the conference is available here.
Visit gbta.org for more information.
[07.18.23]
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- Category: Industry News
It’s with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Richard Mishriky, founder of CTI Transportation in Houston, on July 14. He was 72.
The longtime Houston operator originally hailed from Egypt and emigrated to the United States after completing his studies in business administration at the American University in Cairo. After making his way to the Lone Star State and settling in the Houston area, he went on to found CTI Transportation, a company he ran for nearly four decades. In early 2022, Richard sold CTI to RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation.
He was very active in his adopted home city and the surrounding community, especially the tight-knit union of transportation operators in the area. He was a regular at the Limousine Association of Houston (LAH) meetings, the successor to the erstwhile Houston Area Livery & Charter Association (HALCA). The new association debuted in 2013 and expanded on LAH’s mission at a time when operators were adopting different vehicles like motorcoaches while also dealing with the emergence of the app-based companies like Uber. During his time with the association, Richard served both as treasurer and on the HALCA Board.
In addition to his wife, Jennifer, Richard is survived by his brother Emad, sister Hoda, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins. CD offers our condolences to all of Richard’s family and friends. He will be missed.
Visitation and funeral information provided by the family:
Visitation:
Wednesday, July 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in Houston
Church Service:
Thursday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Bellaire, Texas, followed by committal service at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at 12 p.m.
Condolences:
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in his honor to Friends of Egyptian Children with Cancer (P. O. Box 155 Bellaire, TX 77402-0155) or to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Houston.
Mike Fogarty of RMA Worldwide: Richard was a close friend for more than 30 years. He was generous with his time and resources, a knowledgeable businessman, and always willing to share his experience with other operators. His tremendous drive and strong will to live were only surpassed by his love for his wife, Jennifer. Richard’s presence will be missed at industry events, but his legend will live on in our hearts and stories.
Kris Korkian of Penguin Cars & Limousines: Very sad news! Richard was a humble gentleman who always had time to discuss industry related issues. We will definitely lose his wise opinions. Such an amazing person. Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed.
Tammy Jordan McQurter of RMA Worldwide: My mentor but mostly my beloved friend. I will miss you dearly. Rest in heaven, my friend, until we meet again.
Mike Rose of My Limousine Service: Richard was one of the best! A true gentleman and industry friend. May he rest in peace.
Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide Chauffeured Services: Richard was a consummate gentleman. I always enjoyed his company and our conversations. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Andy Hernandez of CTA Worldwide Transportation: Richard, thank you for being a friend and for great conversations.
Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation Specialists: Richard was the salt of the earth and would do anything for his fellow operators and friends. We worked together for over 20 years. Rest in peace, my friend, you earned it every day!
[07.18.23]