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On Thursday, December 16, the New England Livery Association (NELA) held its holiday quarterly meeting at the Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus, Mass. Approximately 70 people attended the event, including some who traveled a distance to be there, such as Chris Przybylski of LBC Fleet and David Eckstein of Valera Global.
L to R: NELA President Joe Cardillo of AOT Global (left) and NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi (right) present Teale Smith of Maine Limousine Service with a plaque for his years of service
Hosted by NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi, several NELA board members made presentations during the meeting, including NELA President Joe Cardillo of AOT Global, Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car Service, and Mark Kini of Boston Chauffeur.
After Szilagyi offered appreciation for the members of NELA’s Quarterly Meeting Committee, he turned the mic over to Cardillo who thanked Szilagyi and the team at Lexian Management for all they do to support the association, as well as attendees for making a very strong showing. Cardillo reminded everyone of the mission of the NELA, focusing on how the association assists both operators and vendors by strengthening the industry, supporting both sides to continue its mission. He also asked for members to consider running for a board seat or working on a committee before closing with an overview of the great programs the NELA has rolled out and will continue to roll out with TIEF funds.
Cardillo and Szilagyi then presented Teale Smith of Maine Limousine Service with a plaque in thanks for his more than eight years of service on the NELA Board of Directors, including time as Treasurer.
NELA held its annual holiday meeting and party at Kowloon Restaurant
Next up, Barenholtz had attendees give themselves a round of applause for soldiering on during the extreme challenges the pandemic has inflicted on the industry, followed by a moment of silence in memory of NLA Board Member and friend Ken Carter of Aadvanced Limousine, who passed in early December at the young age of 40.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest winners Terry Murtaugh of United Private Car (left) and Greg Hawes of Boston Chauffeur
He also extolled the efforts of the NLA’s and NELA’s lobbying firms especially during the past two years.
NELA Board Member Kini next discussed the huge opportunity that operators have relative to the Employee Retention Credit, and shared his personal experiences with it. He recommended that Mass. operators take advantage of all the benefits currently on the table.
CD/NLA Vegas Show pass winner Tina Benson of LA Limousine Service
Barenholtz, Kini, and Szilagyi also discussed their recent meeting at Logan Airport, where new traffic patterns were reviewed and each of the four terminals were visited. Barenholtz noted that once construction is completed, terminal exits impacting on each other will be a thing of the past. In the meeting with Logan Airport management, Kini and Barenholtz helped to identify areas where improved limo signage was needed.
Before the end of the evening, prizes were awarded for the Ugly Christmas Sweater contest, which were won by Terry Murtaugh of United Private Car and Greg Hawes of Boston Chauffeur. Finally, a pass to the 2022 CD/NLA Show in Vegas was raffled, and was won by Tina Benson of LA Limousine Service.
More information about the meeting can be found here.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
[12.21.21]
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Deem, a leading mobile and cloud technology provider for the corporate travel industry, recently announced four new awards for culture and leadership from employee-review site Comparably. Deem employees provided anonymous reviews of the company that have ranked it among the top 5 percent of companies with fewer than 500 employees.
Deem President David Grace
“These awards are wonderful to receive, but they’re really a testament to our team,” said Deem President David Grace. “They’re the ones who bring our culture to life through their ingenuity, professionalism and integrity. Together, we’ve created a company where everyone can bring their best self to their work, despite the challenges to our industry over the past 18 months. It’s an honor to lead here.”
These are not the first awards for Deem or its corporate travel software solution, Etta. The company has previously won numerous awards from Comparably including Best Outlook, Best Company in the Bay Area, Best Perks and Benefits, and Best Leadership Team. This Best CEO award is the second such acknowledgement for Deem President David Grace.
Deem and corporate travel software Etta will hold its signature virtual event, Miles Ahead, on March 2, 2022. Information and registration can be found at deem.com.
[12.21.21]
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- Category: Industry News
US Travel Association (USTA) National Chair Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, recently announced nine industry leaders, drawn from the association’s board of directors, to serve on a committee to identify the incoming president and chief executive officer to lead the association following the July 2022 retirement of Roger Dow.
USTA National Chair Christine Duffy
According to Duffy, the committee is representative of core segments of the travel industry, including two from destination marketing organizations, the largest segment of association membership. Those serving on the committee include:
- Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line and chair of the Search Committee (cruise lines)
- Julie Coker, president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority (destination marketing organizations)
- Debbie Johnson, executive director of Arizona Office of Tourism (state tourism offices)
- Elie Maalouf, CEO, Americas of IHG Hotels & Resorts (hotels)
- Monya Mandich, global vice president of Marketing of Expedia Group (representing segments including technology and travel vendors)
- Tim Mapes, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer of Delta Air Lines (airlines)
- Michael Massari, chief sales officer of Caesars Entertainment (gaming)
- DT Minich, president and CEO of Experience Kissimmee (destination marketing organizations)
- Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels & Co. and treasurer of New York Giants (sports and attractions)
“Determining the next top leader of the US Travel Association is the single most critical function the board will undertake next year, especially as we rebuild this industry with our eyes on the future growth and evolution of travel,” said Duffy. “I appreciate the time each of my colleagues has agreed to dedicate to this important process to appoint a leader who will advance the vision, values and goals of the association and the broader travel industry.”
The committee will convene in 2022 to select an executive search firm to assist them in the process.
Visit ustravel.org for more information.
[12.21.21]