Yes, it was worth the buzz! We knew that Boston was going to be an amazing destination for our 2019 CD/NLA Show, but even we were shocked by the incredible energy that was created this past October 13-16 at the Westin Boston Waterfront, located in the beautifully revitalized South Seaport. This was the first show to be produced along with our new partners in the NLA, and thanks to tremendously positive feedback from our attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors, we couldn’t be more proud of the result. Nearly 1,500 attendees flocked to the Westin and the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for what was an electrifying four days of education, networking, and loads of fun. We welcomed many new faces, including plenty of first-time attendees from around the world, but also reconnected with many of our longtime friends. A major thank you to everyone who helped make it possible by attending, exhibiting, speaking, or sponsoring—especially Title Sponsors Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery Vehicles and Grech Motors.
"I have two words to describe the 2019 Chauffeur Driven Show: ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Great location, and the content of the sessions and show floor were great, too." - Ariadna Noches of Mundi Limousine“This was my first time attending a Chauffeur Driven Show and I was blown away. From the networking to the educational courses, overall it was a great experience,” says Aaron Teich of The Driver Provider.
Networking in Every CornerNothing beats a CD/NLA Show when it comes to networking, whether it’s catching up with peers or making fresh connections. Dedicated events like our bustling Affiliate Central Global Partner Forum (sponsored by Chosen Payments and The Driver Provider), perennial favorite Operator Mentoring Program (sponsored by Grech Motors), bustling International Meet & Greet (sponsored by ETS Worldwide, Global Alliance, and Icona Global), and our always-popular Women in the Industry Networking Breakfast (sponsored by DH2 Chauffeured Transportation, Elite Transportation, Gem Limousine, and Pure Luxury Transportation) were all met with raves from our attendees. You can read more about our Women in the Industry breakfast on page 52.
The networking and camaraderie continued into sundown as our always-packed nightlife events raised the roof. On Sunday evening, attendees were welcomed into the Westin’s outdoor pavilion for a rockin’ Opening Night Reception, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Then on Monday, it was game on when the hotel’s grand ballroom was transformed into a one-of-a-kind tailgating party, courtesy of Above All Transportation/Boston Car. Attendees got to show off their loyalties with their favorite local teams’ jerseys while playing arcade-style games and watching Monday Night Football on a big screen.
But it was fascinating to see all the impromptu meetings taking place between our tailored events as attendees also squeezed in networking at one of the hotel’s bars, on the way to the convention hall, and anywhere else they could sneak in some face time. It makes being out of the office that much more valuable!
“Chauffeur Driven has created an event that was just as rewarding to the newcomers like myself as it is to the long-time companies that have attended in the past. The networking opportunities that I was able to experience still have me answering emails from prospective affiliates from around the globe,” says Joseph Robinson of Best in Chauffeur.
Rock-Solid EducationIn order to deliver on-point content for operators of all sizes and levels of development—paying special attention to the smaller and more aggressively growing companies among us—our stellar CD/NLA Show Education Committee worked tirelessly to find the right balance of topics and lineup of speakers (both within and beyond the industry) for the best ROI. Whether it was creating longevity for your team, determining the right corporate structure for your business, getting the low-down on social media and insurance, or hearing directly from the industry’s leading tech suppliers, just to name a few, the Boston Show was loaded with immediate takeaway designed to improve your operation. Additionally, Bill Faeth of Limo University offered several sessions specifically geared toward smaller and growing operators and their operational needs. For even more education, he also hosted his exclusive Mastermind Group classes as well as Limo U Academy talks at his booth on the show floor.
"My overall show experience was excellent. The classes I attended were exactly what I needed, and the two evening parties were great for networking and good times with industry friends.” - Eric Taylor of Executive TransportationA major thank you to our Show Education Committee: Co-chairs Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide and Tracy Raimer of Windy City Limousine & Bus, Matt Assolin of Nikko’s Worldwide, Alan Candeub of Park Avenue Limousine, Ken Carter of Aadvanced Limousine Services, Colin Devine of Devine’s Worldwide, Kim J. Dolniak of BEST Transportation, Sami Elotmani of Destination MCO, Robyn Goldenberg of Strategy Leaders, Andy Hernandez of CTA Worldwide, Douglas Schwartz of Executive Ground Transportation, Tony Simon of Reston Limousine, and Scott Woodruff of Majestic Limo & Coach. Special thanks go out to FASTTRAK for sponsoring our education seminars, Buffalo Limousine for keeping the masses caffeinated with plenty of hot beverages, Pure Luxury Transportation and SC Express for sponsoring the audio/visual, and Sharenow for being an excellent moderator.
“This show is the best opportunity to grow your business! Global contacts, excellent guidance, and a show floor with every product you will ever need to be successful. It’s the best education for the money,” says Bruce Adcox of Agenda: USA.
“All the educational seminars I attended were very well presented and relevant to our business. Using the show app really helped me plan my schedule around the programs I wanted to attend,” adds Declan O Callaghan of Devine’s Worldwide Chauffeur Services
Of course, our State of the Industry (sponsored by FASTTRAK) was among the best-attended events in our educational lineup. Panelists Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car, and Douglas Schwartz of Executive Ground Transportation, as well as CD Publisher and moderator Chris Weiss, shared their knowledge, wisdom, opinions, and humorous anecdotes from their triumphs and missteps from decades in the business.
View more photos from the Boston Show at cdmediavault.comNearly 100 operators took part in the rousing and competitive Owner’s Game (sponsored and facilitated by Strategy Leaders), which saw teams of 10 competing for bragging rights on who would retire with the most money. This lively exercise brought out the best in the teams as they powered through unexpected surprises, setbacks, and challenges with plenty of real-life on-the-fly thinking. In the end, participants were winners—each ending up well into the black.
Both the New England Livery Association (sponsored by Lancer Insurance, Research Underwriters, and Vehicle Tracking Solutions) and our partners the National Limousine Association hosted meetings in Boston. Likewise, the Association Summit (sponsored by MCI) highlighted the advocacy and efforts made on behalf of chauffeured transportation by the leaders from industry associations around the country. In the first gathering of the Congress of Association Leaders since the CD/NLA partnership, co-chairs Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service and Jeff Greene of Greene Worldwide Transportation were among the more than 30 representatives speaking for associations all across North America during two hours chock-full of enthusiastic discussion, industrywide updates, shared ideas and solutions, and the ongoing fostering of synergy among association decision-makers.
“Great Association Summit!” raved Christina Davis of the Dallas Fort Worth Limousine and Motorcoach Association and The LMC Groups. “Thank you to everyone for sharing what your associations are working on, and your ideas for increasing membership.”
Did you miss a seminar or want to take another listen? We’ve got you covered! Visit cdmediavault.com for video of all of our seminars and Fast Lane sessions.
A Night of Charity and Our First-Ever Hall of FameThe generosity of our attendees never fails to astound us. Whether it was purchasing a one-of-a-kind painting done by a child residing at the Ronald McDonald House, bidding on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, or scooping up some music memorabilia—not to mention spur-of-the-moment packages such as a day with Dawson Rutter and Tami Saccoccio of Commonwealth Worldwide—our attendees helped us to raise an astonishing $130,000! Every single dollar goes to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, where countless families will be able to rest comfortably in a home-like setting while attending to their ailing child, even if their real home is hundreds or thousands of miles away. A special thank you to the evening’s talented auctioneer, Paul Thompson of Santa Fe Valet/Accent New Mexico, for not only keeping the bidding moving but for entertaining us while inspiring our attendees to generously support this worthy charity.
“The Chauffeur Driven Show was a fantastic networking experience and I’m so thankful that I could attend. The charity event was a night to remember, as the Ronald McDonald House is a beautiful charity,” says Wendy Kleefisch of Brevard Executive Limousine.
However, our most impactful event of the show got better with the introduction of new tradition: the Chauffeur Driven Hall of Fame. For our inaugural event, we honored six trailblazers whose influence has been felt industrywide: Sam Amato of Gateway Global, Barbara Chirico of Gem Limousine, Ed Grech of Grech Motors, George Jacobs of Windy City Limousine & Bus, Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, and David Seelinger of EmpireCLS Worldwide. You can read more about these industry leaders starting on page 54.
Did you miss a seminar or want to take another listen? We’ve got you covered!We also send our sincere thanks to sponsors Aadvanced Limousines and Chosen Payments for making the evening possible. For the first time ever, attendees were able to scroll through, bid, and pay for their items all online, thanks to technology sponsors Commonwealth Worldwide and Windy City Limousine & Bus. Additional thanks to our Charity Committee, who helped to collect donated items and also served as spotters during our auction: Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, Sarah McKee of Chosen Payments, Tami Saccoccio of Commonwealth Worldwide, Mechelle Cappel of Elite Transportation, Carolina Garcia of Prestige Limousines, Mary Johnson of Alliance Limousine NY, Wendy Kleefisch of Brevard Executive Transportation, Brady Ollie of Go Platinum Transportation, Bill Placier of Music Express, Ron Stein of Exclusive Sedan Service, and Melissa Woodruff of Majestic Limo & Coach.
Visit cdmediavault.com for video of all of our seminars and Fast Lane sessions.
Rousing Show FloorOur exhibit hall in the beautiful and airy Boston Convention & Exhibition Center—featuring 100,000-sqaure feet of space and nearly 100 vendors, OEMs, bus manufacturers, and tech companies—was a lively hub of activity. After the ribbon-cutting on Monday, attendees enjoyed a Champagne Toast at the Ford-Lincoln booth (also sponsored by the OEM) as well as some games, a charging station for those cellphones, and great conversation at the NLA Lounge in the center of it all. The weary were able to recharge with lunch on Monday (sponsored by Grech Motors), Tuesday (sponsored by Titus Leasing), and Wednesday. (Thank you to Volvo for sponsoring our Tuesday morning breakfast.) Attendees also had a bit of fun with Digital Passport, a competitive game through our revamped and upgraded Show App (sponsored by North Point Global Transportation Services), where participants scanned QR codes at exhibitor booths and collected points toward our ultimate grand prize, The promotion was an instant success, giving operators an extra bit of encouragement to get some face time with new vendors, while earning the chance to win a pass and accommodations to all CD/NLA events in 2020.
Education was built in to everything at our show, including the exhibit floor with our Fast Lane sessions. These bite-sized and interactive classes were intimate gatherings where the speaker engaged with the participants, fielding questions and tailoring the conversation directly for those in attendance.
If you missed this fall’s CD Show in Boston, have no fear. Things are already revving up for the debut of the new CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas, our inaugural co-produced event for the global transportation community. Themed “New Horizons,” that’s exactly what you can expect with our bigger and bolder debut event. The beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is the place to be this February 23-26, 2020. We’re especially excited to have best-selling author and #1 sales coach Grant Cardone as our keynote at the Vegas event! Stay in touch by visiting CDNLAshow.com or limo.org for all of the latest details. [CD1219]