CTANJ Treasurer Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet (left) and CTANJ 1st Vice President Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide
Affiliate Directory Ad Winner Saleh Zahran of Nebo Rides (left) and Chris Weiss
On Tuesday, March 20, the Chauffeured Transportation Association of New Jersey (CTANJ) held their annual fundraiser dinner auction at Il Tulipano in Cedar Grove. The highly anticipated event welcomed close to 100 members and guests from the tri-state area and beyond, including CD Publisher (and CTANJ Board Member) Chris Weiss. Once again, the event served as a dual fundraiser with money raised from the auction going to both the association and Make-A-Wish of New Jersey.
“This was a fantastic event,” says CTANJ President Mike Rose of My Limousine Service. “It was great to see faces from far and wide attend our dinner auction.”
L to R: NLA President Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Maine Limousine, CTANJ President Mike Rose of My Limousine Service, CD President Chris Weiss, and Navinj Kalra of Executive Livery Service
The evening kicked off with cocktail hour, courtesy of Open Bar Sponsor EmpireCLS Worldwide, Dav El/BostonCoach, and My Limousine Service. After members and guests networked, Rose welcomed everyone and thanked the capacity crowd for attending. He then took some time to recognize the evening’s sponsors, including Title Sponsor Complete Fleet Livery Sales. Rose then introduced Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey Director of Events Dominique Gleason, who shared a bit about the charity and its mission. Most importantly, Gleason revealed that the money raised at last year’s CTANJ auction contributed to a Disney vacation for a local child’s family.
L to R: Tim Rose of Dolphin Transportation Specialists, NLA Deputy Executive Director Sarah Mercer, and NLA Executive Director Kyle Hammerschmidt
“We at CTANJ have found Make-A-Wish to be a compelling and worthy cause. They do great work, and a have a strong N.J. presence, which hits home,” says Rose.
Rose then introduced the evening’s special guest National Limousine Association (NLA) President Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Main Limousine, who also serves as president of the New England Livery Association.
Sam Emam of Special 1 Media (left) and CTANJ 2nd Vice President Jeffrey Cartegena of Leros Transportation Group
Barenholtz talked about initiatives of the NLA and highlighted the importance of being a member of both local and national associations, as well as the need for those organizations to collaborate. He then shared a bit about the NLA’s recent record-breaking Day on the Hill advocacy event in Washington, D.C., which saw participation from 80 members from 33 states.
Chris Weiss (left) with CTANJ Secretary Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide
Following a buffet dinner, the evening’s auction got underway, and once again the dynamic duo of 1st Vice President Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide and Treasurer Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet served as the always-entertaining auctioneers. The bidding was fast and furious, as Gulino and Trabb spotlighted a diverse array of auction items, which included high-end gift baskets, golf packages, travel experiences, sporting event tickets, gift cards, and much more.
Steve Horowitz of EmpireCLS Worldwide, Navinj Kalra of Executive Livery Service, CTANJ Executive Director Patricia Nelson, and Chris Weiss
Chauffeur Driven was proud to donate a trio of items, including a one-page operator profile, an email blast, and an 18-month ad in the magazine’s popular Affiliate Central directory. Furthermore, CD and the NLA teamed up to donate a show pass to the 2025 CD/NLA Show in Dallas. The operator profile was won by Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide, while the email blast was won by Navinj Kalra of Executive Livery Service. Saleh Zahran of Nebo Rides was the winning bidder for the Affiliate Central ad, and Jeffrey Cartegena of the Leros Transportation Group is headed to Dallas as the winner of the CD/NLA Show pass.
Visit ctanj.org for more information.
[05.27.25]
