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The event was filled with great energy as the NLA celebrated its 35th anniversary and new show partnership with Chauffeur Driven. NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation, who stepped down after seven years in the role, thanked the association’s sponsors and members for supporting the NLA during a year of transition, particularly the NLA’s Diamond Sponsors Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery and Grech Motors, as well as the Membership Meeting sponsors Chosen Payments and National Interstate Insurance.
As the NLA does at every Annual Membership Meeting, the 2020-2021 Board of Directors was formally introduced as well as the 2020 Board Officers who were elected at the board meeting the previous day:
• President: Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide
• 1st Vice President: Douglas Schwartz of Executive Ground Transportation
• 2nd Vice President: Tracy Raimer of Windy City Limousine & Bus
• Treasurer: Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service
• Secretary: Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car
“I feel very fortunate to be chosen as NLA president, and it’s an honor and privilege I take very seriously,” says Alexander of his election. “I’ve been in the NLA board for a long time and I felt we were at a pivot point. I wanted to be able to continue to make a difference and carry on the legacy that Gary Buffo started. I didn’t want to ever look back and say, ‘I wish I could have, but didn’t.’ I felt an obligation to serve, for sure, and wanted to continue provide an influence to the industry.”
The meeting kicked off with representatives from Ford-Lincoln and Grech Motors Ford Motors presenting the NLA with rebate checks. Dillon Doran of Ford-Lincoln generously presented a check worth $68,500, followed by Ed Grech and AJ Thurber of Grech Motors, who donated a staggering $92,500 rebate to the association.
Next, newly elected Alexander (formerly NLA treasurer) presented a thorough review of the NLA’s financials over the past several years, emphasizing transparency of all fiscal records to the members. Alexander thanked his family, staff, and the NLA Board for supporting him in this new role and assured the membership that he is dedicated to continuing the great work and progress of Buffo.
The event also recognized the NLA’s 10 2020 Scholarship Winners who were all first-time show attendees and submitted impressive applications to receive scholarships bestowed by the NLA’s Scholarship Committee.
Tracy Raimer and Jason Sharenow, co-chairs of the CD/NLA Show Education Committee, updated attendees on the show’s impressive and valuable educational lineup. Following that update, Alexander shared the efforts of the CD/NLA Charity Committee, including donations to be made to Love146 and Wish for Our Heroes at the show’s Awards Dinner & Charity Event the following evening.
Public Relations Committee Co-Chairs Jason Kaplan of The Driver Provider and Rick Versace sat down with Matthew Berritt and David Harrison of EVINS Communications to dive deeper into the NLA’s upcoming PR initiatives and accomplishments from 2019.
Todd Webster of the NLA’s lobbying firm, Cornerstone Government Affairs provided a legislative update including what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and what to expect given the several possible outcomes of the upcoming presidential election.
Buffo thanked three outgoing members of the NLA Board who have dedicated their time to the NLA and the industry—Michael Campbell of Grace Limousine, Erich Reindl of Avanti Transportation, and four-time Past President Scott Solombrino, now of the Global Business Travel Association. NLA Executive Director Kyle Hammerschmidt then presented Buffo with a plaque to commemorate his record seven-year term as NLA president.
Buffo thanked the Board, both past and present, as well as the NLA’s various committees, staff, and members at large for their support during his tenure and congratulated his good friend of 28 years, Alexander, on his new role.
The meeting concluded with a reminder of important upcoming NLA events including No Operator Left Behind Day (May 12), Day on the Hill (June 9-10), and the next CD/NLA Show in Orlando (October 11-14).
Visit limo.org for more information.
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FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service, who also serves as NLA treasurer, opened the meeting by enthusiastically welcoming members and onlookers to “the greatest show on Earth.” With help from Joey Wright of Royal Coach and Limousine, the meeting was livestreamed on Facebook so that members in Florida could still take part. Versace encouraged those not in attendance to make plans to come to the next CD/NLA Show by stating “if you’re in the luxury ground transportation business, this is where you should be.”
First, Versace welcomed newly elected NLA President Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide who thanked everyone for their support before stating his admiration for the FLA and its board. Alexander pointed out that the FLA has an amazing reputation, and its members have done a “great job navigating the waters” of the oft-problematic Florida state regulations.
Versace then provided the membership and guests with FLA updates, including a recap of the Association Summit that he moderated at the show. He touched upon insurance matters, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer’s plans for a federal limousine bill, and recent association victories against the TNCs. Versace then revealed that the FLA’s lobbyist is making headway with Florida’s legislature, and a bill is moving quickly that would even the playing field with the TNCs. If the bill passes, luxury ground transportation operators would no longer have to register their vehicles locally county-by-county; there would only be a single state registration. This would be a massive game-changer for Florida operators, and, appropriately, the news was met with excitement.
Next, Versace introduced Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation, spotlighting his role as one of the founders and respected leaders of the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ), one of the largest industry associations in the country. Now that Rose is largely based out of Florida, he plans to use his wealth of experience with LANJ to help the FLA grow into an industry powerhouse. He pointed out that “events are key,” and mentioned LANJ’s success in fundraising with their annual auctions and golf outings.
Versace then welcomed another familiar face, International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR) President Matt Daus, who gave a rundown on regulatory issues facing operators across the country, particularly the federal laws introduced by Sen. Schumer. While the SAFE Limo Act (H.R. 4708), Take Unsafe Limos Off the Road Act (H.R. 4709), and End the Limo Loophole Law (H.R.4697) each contain important guidelines that would improve passenger and operator safety, Daus was quick to point out that there are items contained in each bill that could place a stranglehold on the industry and put many companies out of business. He closed by reaffirming the commitment of his law firm, Windels Marx, to offer free legal help to industry operators and associations.
Before the last speaker took the mic, Versace introduced representatives of Chosen Payments, who presented the FLA with a rebate check of $6564. Joe Guinn of Limo & Bus Compliance then finished the meeting by providing a brief primer on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new CDL Clearinghouse Portal, which went into effect in January. This new resource allows operators to report and research any driver who may have a drug or alcohol violation on their record.
Visit floridalimousine.com for more information.
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The idea of an association dedicated to address issues affecting luxury transportation operators across the European continent has been batted around for the past decade but received a kick-start in October 2019 at the CD/NLA Show in Boston. Conversations between charter members Stephane Bombeek of Modern Car, Colin Devine of Devine's Worldwide, Anastasios Korovesis of Limotours Chauffeur Service, Karim Maachi of Cardel Global, Claudio Neag of Mondo Limousine Worldwide Services, Michael Oldenburg of United Limousines AG, Kevin Reiss of Superb Chauffeured Services, and Ralph and Robert Van Delden of Van Delden Limousine resulted in the group establishing its charter and officers.
Executive Director: Kevin Reiss of Superb Chauffeured Services (Israel)
President: Michael Oldenburg of United Limousines AG (Germany)
Vice President: Karim Maachi of Cardel Global (France)
Secretary: Anastasios Korovesis of Limotours Chauffeur Service (Greece)
Treasurer: Ralph Van Delden of Van Delden Limousine Service (Holland)
A panel consisting of the officers, and member Michael Bell of Driven Worldwide, addressed the attendees by introducing themselves and offering a brief overview of their goals for the EPTA. Reiss made a point of thanking CD President & Publisher Chris Weiss for the magazine’s support of the organization during their formative period. As a long-time NLA Board Member, Oldenburg stated that it’s his hope that the EPTA be something of a parallel association to the NLA in that it will give the industry a voice and “harmonize the standards of operation” within the continent.
In addition to building a strong membership, although the EPTA had an impressive 100 members even before their first meeting, the association’s immediate plan is to develop a consistent standard of quality among European operators. Each perspective EPTA member will be required to submit financial and insurance records, which will be reviewed by the association. This, ultimately, will give operators something of a seal of approval, providing peace of mind for affiliates and clients, alike.
After introductions, the panel welcomed questions from the audience, which took up the majority of the 90-minute meeting. Issues discussed ranged from insurance matters to the cost of membership to the advantages of joining EPTA. While Reiss and the officers were frank that the EPTA is still in its early stages, with many details still to be finalized, they were enthusiastic about their commitment to make the organization grow. The possibility of a European summit among members was proposed for 2021. Attendees were encouraged to visit the EPTA website to join the association.
“I see a lot of good things coming,” says Maachi. “This is the beginning of a great adventure.”
Visit epta.eu.com for more information.
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