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Can you believe we’re less than a week away from the 2024 CD/NLA Show in National Harbor? We’re ready to hit the Gaylord National on October 13-16, located just outside Washington, D.C., and frankly, we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve planned four days of networking, education, and, yes, fun, and can’t wait to see our industry friends and colleagues once again. Despite the show being just around the corner, there’s still time to register and, most importantly, save money. Simply click here to join the industry event of the season and beat the onsite prices.
By now, you’re undoubtedly more than a little interested in the 2024 CD/NLA Show events and sessions, and who can blame you? But if there were only a simple and easy way to get the lowdown on the entire show and plan your time in National Harbor… Well, thanks to returning sponsor North Point Global Transportation Services, the show app is here! This app is your gateway to all of our show’s exhibitors, attendees, speakers, events, floor plans, and so much more—in other words, everything you need to navigate the CD/NLA Show. Just head to your favorite app store and search for CD NLA Shows to download the newest version of our show app.
Once you have the app, you can schedule personal appointments with other app users, whether it’s having coffee with an affiliate or dinner with a vendor. Don’t forget that you can also customize your show agenda by saving events that you don’t want to miss and receive push reminders. Download today and create your personal profile. It’s easy and free!
Nicole Banks of I AM Resource
In the meantime, while you’re planning your show experience on the app, be sure to make plans to stick around on Wednesday, October 16, for a pair of deep-dive sessions. First from 8:45-10:15 a.m., we have Beyond the Basics: Advanced Strategies for Leveraging Team Personalities. Join presenter Nicole Banks of I AM Resource as we will explore advanced strategies to improve communication and collaboration within your team. Learn how to use the strengths of diverse personalities to resolve conflicts, make better decisions, and create a more cohesive, high-performing work environment. Walk away with practical insights and techniques to help your team achieve sustained success.
Sean Duvall of Golden Limousine International 
Jeff Shanker of Black Tie Transportation
Then at 10:30 a.m., we conclude our educational programming with Perfecting the Recipe for a Stronger Risk Management and Safety Plan, an in-depth look at building your safety program. In this session, moderated by Sean Duval of Golden Limousine International and featuring speaker Jeff Shanker of Black Tie Transportation, you’ll go beyond the basics and dive into real-world examples you can bring back and implement right away. You’ll get hands-on materials, templates, and practical tools that will take your safety efforts to the next level. Whether you’re refining your current program or building from scratch, this session will give you the actionable resources you need to drive results.
Visit cdnlashow.com for more information.
[10.08.24]
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- Category: Industry News
HighPoint Solutions Founder & CEO Carol Grant
HighPoint Solutions is pleased to announce their launch into the luxury ground transportation industry. Based in Carlsbad, Calif., the family-run enterprise is poised to provide operators, vendors, and suppliers with an array of FinTech services, such as credit card processing and fraud alerts.
Founder & CEO Carol Grant has close to a decade of experience with credit card processing in the industry and is a respected and familiar face. She’s served in various roles within the processing industry, including partnership management, customer service, operations, and tech support. Her extensive experience and leadership drive the company’s commitment to providing exceptional support and innovative solutions.
“I love creating relationships and helping luxury car service owners and merchants with their day-to-day operations, whether it’s accepting credit cards or giving them advice on their POS systems,” says Grant. “I really enjoy matching the right people with the right types of services.”
Grant’s experience with credit card processing makes her an invaluable partner for any business, particularly when it comes to her skill in finding areas that can save her clients time and money by analyzing existing card statements—a must in a profit-sensitive industry like transportation. Furthermore, she’s adept at handling card disputes, especially when operators are frustrated by a suspicious chargeback. In those unfortunate circumstances, Grant says she and her team will go to bat for you.
While HighPoint Solutions serves a variety of industries, including bike dealers, jewelry sales, and other high-ticket items, Grant says she feels most at home in the chauffeured transportation sector. She began her credit card processing career assisting operators with their financial needs.
“This industry is extremely unique; it’s a tight-knit community among affiliates, which is something I’ve always respected. I have knowledge of the software companies that operators utilize, and I understand the small business owner. I have a thorough grasp of what operators need to run their businesses efficiently and profitably,” she says.
Another aspect of the industry where Grant has immense familiarity is with local and regional associations. As a one-time director of association partnerships, she worked first-hand with industry organizations and knows the specific processing and FinTech needs.
“I have experience managing and cultivating association relationships. I am proud to say that I recently joined the Colorado Limousine Association as a vendor member, and I look forward to expanding relationships with other associations,” says Grant.
As a family-owned and operated firm, HighPoint Solutions is committed to service excellence and reinforces that a team member can always be reached, regardless of the day or time zone. Grant’s hands-on approach is geared toward total customer satisfaction, and she affirms that the company will always look out for their client’s best interests.
“I’m really excited to bring my expertise to this sector and assist operators in reducing costs and improving efficiency,” says Grant. “My strong connection with the chauffeured transportation industry has always fueled my passion for driving meaningful change and delivering results,” says Grant.
Visit highpointsolutionsgroup.com for more information.
[10.08.24]
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Chauffeur Driven is excited to announce that the magazine and trade show have been prominently featured in two major media outlets.
First, CD President Chris Weiss was among the industry heavyweights interviewed for a September Business Insider piece entitled The Death of Stretch Limos, which chronicles how the one-time popular fleet staple has fallen out of favor with VIPs, and in some cases, the general public.
L to R: Ronnie “The Limo Driver” Mund of the Howard Stern Show, Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet, CD President Chris Weiss
Weiss commented on the safety challenges of operating stretch limousines and pointed out that a “better mousetrap” has been invented, namely executive vans.
“Even a lot of the associations that represent this space have morphed or are planning on morphing their name and getting the word 'limo' out of it,” says Weiss in the article.
Current National Limousine Association President Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Boston Car/ETS/Maine Limousine was also among the experts interviewed for the feature.
“The vehicles can change,” he stated. “We're just selling a premium service, and people want a premium service.”
The article also included feedback from operators Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide and Joe Reinhardt of Carolina Limousine & Coach, as well as Scott Michael of the United Motorcoach Association.
To read the Business Insider article, click here. Please note that a subscription may be required.
In other news, on October 1, fans of renowned radio star Howard Stern had the opportunity to learn about the annual CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas. You may recall that at our show in early 2024, Stern show regular Ronnie “The Limo Driver” Mund was a special guest at the event courtesy of Complete Fleet Livery Sales.
L to R: Jonathan Blitt of the Howard Stern Show, Chris Weiss, Ronnie “The Limo Driver” Mund, and Barry Trabb
Well, this week, the SiriusXM host got around to grilling Mund and show writer Jonathan Blitt about their appearance at the MGM Grand last spring, and, as you can guess, laughs ensued. After confirming that Mund is truly the world’s most famous limo driver (as verified by a quick Google search), Stern began by namedropping not only Chauffeur Driven, but also Complete Fleet. He then played a barrage of clips of Mund “schmoozing” with industry folks and even closing deals for Complete Fleet. When pressed to describe the CD/NLA Show by a skeptical Stern, a clearly impressed Blitt called it “huge.”
Mund also recounted his early days as a chauffeur, which included some raucous, over-the-top discussion (as one might expect from the Stern show). All in all, the generally cantankerous Mund said that he enjoyed his time at the show and was happy to meet his fans.
“As a long-time fan of the Stern show and its cast of characters, it was a thrill of a lifetime for the CD/NLA Show to be included in this segment,” says Weiss. “We’ve had a good relationship with Mund and the show in the past, as they’ve sent items to be included in past charity auctions, but being mentioned at length on air is next level. A big thanks to Barry Trabb at Complete Fleet for bringing Ronnie to our show.”
Subscribers of SiriusXM can access an archive of the show by clicking here. Be aware that the segment does skew toward adult listeners.
[10.08.24]