BY SUSAN ROSE
L to R: Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, Chris Hundley of The Limousine Connection, Scott Solombrino, Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car Service, and Hoss Oskouie of Atlantic Limousine & Transportation
Each year, Dav El/BostonCoach welcomes its entire family of affiliates for a multiday meeting that includes company updates, guest speakers, an awards banquet, and tons of camaraderie and networking. Several hundred affiliates from around the globe flew in to Boston—location of its corporate headquarters—and were greeted by host Scott Solombrino, Dav El/BostonCoach president and CEO. Held August 9-10 at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center Boston, CD Publisher Chris Weiss was among those invited to attend and speak as a panelist.
The daily schedule included several guest speakers and panelists, including those from corporate travel management, law, and technology. Two panels—Domestic and International—were led by Dav El/BostonCoach affiliates and addressed issues that they were facing. Weiss and LCT Publisher Sara Eastwood-Richardson, moderated by Solombrino, provided their insight on the current state of the industry and what they see in the near future.
Benjamin Edelman, associate professor at the Harvard Business School, was also invited to speak about his recent article published in the Harvard Business Review. In Uber Can’t Be Fixed—It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down, Edelman argued that the low cost and on-demand convenience of the service don’t outweigh the numerous alleged scandals and misogynistic bro culture that have been highly publicized in the past few months. The hubris in bucking the rules that company leadership showed from the very beginning, he says, is baked into the company’s operating model and quite possibly cannot be changed by simply ousting its controversial CEO. Edelman also noted that if local regulators simply held the “illegal” service to the same standard as other transportation providers, the fines and penalties for those violations would quickly add up—but so far, they have been rewarding the rule-breakers with special treatment.
A panel discussion included CD Publisher Chris Weiss (right) and LCT Publisher Sara Eastwood-Richardson During the event, Solombrino also announced Sean Arena as the new president of Limo Anywhere, which was acquired by Dav El/BostonCoach’s parent company Marcou Transportation earlier this year. Arena spoke about his plans to move the platform forward. Former president Mark Gentry will stay on with the company in an advisory position. Arena comes to Limo Anywhere after 18 years at travel technology giant Sabre, where he served as executive director of new business ventures. He has led teams ranging from product marketing to corporate strategy and business development throughout his career, and brings a strong technology and user experience background to Limo Anywhere.
L to R: Rupert Beecroft of Gerrard Chauffeur Drive, Karim Maachi of Cardel Global, Karim Rizki of Boston Elite Coach, and Mo Tazi of MT LImousines The event wasn’t all work; the group was wined and dined at iconic Fenway Park during the Opening Reception on the first night of the meeting. The Red Sox were at an away game but the magic in the majestic stadium was enough for everyone to have a great time.
The annual Awards Dinner was held the second and final evening at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, which offered magnificent sunset views on the Charles River. Several affiliates were celebrated with awards such as Farm-Out Partner of the Year and Business Referral Partner of the Year, but all were offered appreciation from Solombrino for their commitment and dedication to the network. After dinner, the group took to the streets of Boston for some Beantown spirits at Whiskey Saigon and enjoy the final moments of this year’s meeting. [CD1017]
The event included a night at Fenway Park (L to R): Stephen Ward of Above All Transportation, Ron Stein of Exclusive Sedan Service, and Marvin Prince of LSA Corporate Car 2017 Affiliate Award Winners
Best VIP Service Performance
Lindsey Limousine in Windsor, Conn. (Michael Lindsey)
Chauffeur Details Compliance
Corporate Car Worldwide in Washington, D.C. (Stan Ismail)
International Partner of the Year
Gerrard Chauffeur Drive Limited in London (Rupert Beecroft)
True Partner of the Year
Towne & Country Worldwide Transportation in Denver, Co. (Chris Haiskey)
Referral Partner of the Year
Gerrard Chauffeur Drive Limited in London (Rupert Beecroft)
Farm-Out Partner of the Year
Classique Limousines in Orange County, Calif. (Kevin Illingworth)
Photos courtesy of John Kreis Photography of Boston, Mass.