What's going on in beautiful
Scottsdale, Arizona?
NVPA will be holding the 2009
Annual Conference at the W Hotel in
Scottsdale, Arizona from November 3 to 5, 2009. This exciting event
introduces our inaugural Valet Olympics. Valets from across the country
will be competing in events designed to determine which valet company
in the nation provides the best attendants the country has to offer.
Safe driving, efficient service and cooperation will be demonstrated
in this team-building contest.
There is so much to do in Scottsdale; it's the perfect conference
and vacation destination. Spas, golf, nature, native arts, clubs,
music, shopping, fine dining, handmade arts and crafts, museums and
theater are some of the attractions Scottsdale has to offer. Please
mark your calendars. We are looking forward to a large turnout.
NVPA
Valet Olympics — Let the Games Begin!
by Amanda Cuddy
 |
Regional Sponsor for Park, Inc.
North
Carolina |
Regional Sponsor for Sunset Parking Service
Southern California |
The
2009
Annual Conference will include the Inaugural Valet Olympics
to be held at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. The conference
will be held November 3 Ð 6, 2009 with American Valet
as the host company.
The Valet Olympics will consist of four events that will focus
on both individual skills and teamwork. Events consist of Individual
Maneuvering, Key Jumble, Slalom and a Valet Relay. Teams will consist
of the member companies best valet employees and an optional alternate.
Member companies have been holding their own competitions to determine
the best team to represent them at the final games in Phoenix.
To date Advance Parking Concepts, Park Inc., and Ultimate Parking
have conducted preliminary rounds. Individual companies have been
given participant eligibility requirements and a structured point
system to ensure all match what will take place in Phoenix.
The final round will be held on Thursday, November 5 beginning
at 10am and concluding with a ceremonial dinner and awards ceremony
at 7:30pm.
Your Valet Olympic Committee consists of Dan Nash, Committee Chair,
LAZ Parking; Andrew Tuchler, Derek Brandt, Amanda Cuddy, Ultimate
Parking; Andrew Janisson, Red Carpet Valet; Ellis Dumont, Advanced
Parking Concepts; Brian Haupricht, Park Inc.; Kynn Knight, Sunset
Parking; Tom Carter, Toledo Ticket; Scot Fletcher, AmeriPark; Danielle
Humphry, American Valet.
For more information on our games, please contact Amanda Cuddy
of Ultimate Parking at 617-424-3030 or via email at Acuddy@ultimateparking.com
Some of us who live and work
in California are fed up with workers compensation rates affected
by the way premiums are calculated. Ben Akbary, President and
CEO of Quality Parking, Inc. in Los Angeles California became
proactive against the issue and stood up to the Governor of
California.
Valet Companies and Workers
Comp: An open letter to the Governor
by Ben Ackary
March
25, 2009 Quality Parking Service, Inc.
The Honorable Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Sir:
I own a small valet parking company in Los Angeles;
we park cars at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and so on.
I am writing to you on a very important subject which you have
been a champion of since you were elected to office. Workers Compensation
Insurance.
You have successfully managed to reduce the litigation
but there is a definite wrong in the way the workers comp premiums
are calculated. I want to bring this issue to your attention.
The following employee benefits are subject to Workers
Compensation Insurance premiums:
1. Vacation Pay. If I choose to pay an employee
to go on vacation and surf the waves in Hawaii, I am being asked
to pay workers compensation premium for vacation pay.
2. Sick Pay. If I chose to pay my employees for sick leave, I am
being asked to pay workers compensation insurance premium for the
sick pay.
3. Holiday Pay. I pay all my employees for six national holidays:
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For this holiday pay I am being
asked to pay workers compensation insurance premium.
4. Bonus Pay. We are being asked to pay worker's comp premium
for a Christmas Bonus we pay our employees.
How can anyone justify this? What kind of a law
is this that the Workers Compensation Insurance Bureau is making
businesses pay these extremely high rates to insurance companies?
I always understood that workers compensation insurance was to
cover injury at work.
This is why companies are leaving California. Some
of us cannot leave the State, we cannot move our businesses.
I would be grateful for a response.
Thank you,
Ben Akbary, CEO
Quality Parking Service, Inc
 |
On
the lighter side. . .
American Valet of Phoenix, AZ administered
a survey to their valets to see what experiences come
with the duties of parking cars. |
Handguns, Cash, Bandits and Beer: A survey of
unique Valet Experiences
American Valet Parking Survey
What
is the craziest thing you have found in a car:
1) Lots of cash guns and panties
2) A life size blow-up doll
3) A baby dirty diaper in Arizona July sun
4) A handgun and a six pack missing some beers
5) Empty vodka bottles
Craziest request from car owners:
1) To get the panties out of the car before his wife finds them
2) Take a woman's daughter out on a date
3) Run to the gas station to buy cigarettes
4) Start the car every half hour so the battery would not die
5) Leave the car running so the dogs would stay cool in the summer
heat
6) To not get someone's car wet while it was raining outside
7) Four drunk people asked to tip valet to drive them home
What is the best car ever parked:
1) Lambo Diablo
2) Porsche Carrera GT2
3) Rolls Royce Phantom
4) Heart
5) AMC Gremlin
Who is your biggest celebrity:
1) Gov. Schwarwawenegger
2) Tom Cruise
3) Will Smith
4) Wayne Greztky
5) Jon Elway
6) Charles Barkely
7) Gary Bussey
8) Danika Patrick
9) Matt Lienhart
The worst car you ever parked:
1) 1968 Chevy something
2) 1998 KIA, with manual transmission, knob came off if you pulled
on, car reeked of marijuana and the windshield was so dirty had
to roll down the window to park the car.
3) 1981 Ford Fremont drivers door fell off while parking
4) Pontiac Sunbird had to crawl through the passenger side to get
in, it was loaded with Marijuana and anti-Bush and smelled like
the rotting flesh of a 1000 dead camels.
5) A beat up Camerro that needed a book for all the damage
