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TLPA2007 TLPA OPERATORS OF THE YEAR
For 2007 the TLPA Operators of the Year are:
SAM ANTHONY AMATO Sam Anthony Amato was born in 1954 in San Francisco. He is proud to have been raised in the North Beach neighborhood also known as "Little Italy", the same stomping grounds as Joe DiMaggio. His family owned two neighborhood style supermarkets where he worked at the very young age of eight. He married Karen Williams in 1977. They were blessed with two children, Gina and Joel. In 1975, while he was attending the City College of San Francisco, Sam accepted an opportunity to become an assistant manager and wine buyer for a large grocery chain in the San Francisco area. In 1978, his father-in-law, Bill Williams started Gateway Limousines as a hobby while driving buses for the Golden Gate Transit System. Bill’s daily routine was a 6AM run every morning from San Francisco to Marin County with a reverse route at 5:30PM. As he loved giving tours of San Francisco coupled by the notion of wanting visitors to "leave their hearts in San Francisco" he bought a black 1968 Cadillac stretch limousine from a funeral parlor. His first contract, a verbal one, was with the tour desk and the doormen at the Sheraton Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf. In late 1978, Bill asked Sam to help with the evening hours covering the 6PM to 11PM shift. In October 1979, Sam bought his first limousine, a 36" stretch built by American Coach with a center bar. He worked the Sheraton daily during the late afternoons and full time on weekends. In 1981, Sam decided that this was the time to begin the transition full time into the limousine business. In 1982, the Sheraton bought their brand new 48" American Coach stretch limousine. A contract was crafted for Sam to manage the Sheraton vehicle. Sam was given office space and parking spaces for the limousines. The office was staffed by Gateway personnel to provide service for hotel VIPs along with a corporate limousine shuttle for business and leisure guests. For this service, the hotel paid Gateway $35.00 per hour for 3 hours in the morning and for 2 hours at night. In addition, Gateway was allowed use of the limousine for business outside of hotel operations at no charge as long as they provided insurance coverage and car maintenance. Sam got together with his good friend, Rich Azzolino, who helped him with his corporate shuttle, tours and airport service. As a classic automobile enthusiast and collector, Rich happened to own a 1939 Buick limousine and a 1953 Packard Caribbean Convertible that came in handy for the wedding market. In 1984, Sam was able to procure a contract with Gray Line of San Francisco who had tour desks in over 40 hotels. By 1986, Gateway's fleet had grown to 8 stretches, 1 sedan and the 2 classic cars. In 1992, Rich Azzolino became Sam's administrator and right hand man. They decided to leave the hotel business in pursuit of corporate business that they had already begun cultivating through their corporate shuttle business. Also during this time in 1992, Gateway began offering transportation to other cities nationwide through Carey, Metropolitan and a few affiliate contacts that Sam made through his attendance at various limousine shows and conferences. In 2000, Gateway had their biggest year ever until the fall of the dot.com industry followed by 9/11. As a result, from a fleet of 42, the company had to scale down to 25 vehicles. Today, Gateway operates a great affiliate network worldwide. In addition to the 1939 Buick and 1953 Packard for weddings, a fleet of 38 vehicles consisting of sedans, stretch limousines, vans, SUVs, limo buses and minibuses service the San Francisco Bay Area. They began their Los Angeles Division in August 2006 with 10 vehicles able to service all five southern California airports. TLPA asked Sam about his business philosophy. He referred us to the back cover of Gateway's marketing folder, titled Words to Live By.
Sam, along with Rich, joined TLPA about 7 years ago because of Joey Cirruzzo, who made them believe that this association could make a difference. Sam states, "After attending a TLPA meeting and Trade Show, and after listening to Al LaGasse and other members speak, we felt that TLPA was a good fit for us then as it continues to be a good fit today. TLPA has been most instrumental in solving national and local governmental regulations pertaining to this industry making sure that we are not over regulated. If it weren't for the TLPA's participation in a California issue, we all would be paying more taxes. Thanks to the TLPA, this was solved and squashed." Sam told us, "I am honored, grateful and privileged to have been given this award. Being recognized for the hard work gives me the encouragement to do more by continuing to be active in the industry so that I can help, support and promote those who may have been touched by what we do. I want to thank all my friends in the industry that I have met throughout the years and for all that I have learned from them. It is a great feeling to be able to go almost anywhere in the world and have a friend in that city."
Corky Renzi was born and raised in Pittsfield Mass. His parents owned and ran a nursing home for 22 years during time which they also provided the first real ambulance service in Pittsfield from 1952 until they sold it in 1956. The family lived in the nursing home for 8 years and Corky and his brother and sister did chores at the nursing bringing them in daily contact with the patients. He notes that by the time he was 25 he had spent years caring for the elderly and seeing to their needs. Corky and his brother Joe got into the transportation business when they started a wholesale car company. It evolved into a rental car company, then a taxi company, then a limousine company, and then a paratransit company. Corky states, "In March of 2003 we bid on a major Department of Mental Retardation contract and won the bid. This contract was for transporting both wheelchair and ambulatory clients to and from their day programs. At that time we were not in the paratransit business. We were actually awarded the contract on May 29th, 2003. We had to procure 13 wheelchair vans, 8 ambulatory vans and 35 employees to start this contract on July 1, 2003. Although a struggle, we were able to accomplish this by the 30th of June in order to be inspected which we passed with no deficiencies. Since then we have obtained more contracts with the regional transit authority and have been able to gain a majority of the work from the local nursing homes. We have expanded to 23 wheelchair vans in the past 4 years. None of this would have been done if not for the General Manager James Regan. He came to me with years of experience in the ambulance and paratransit field. I told him when I hired him if he wanted to open a paratransit division to let me know when and we would. About 6 years later we did and now we are the largest in our area. All this is a result of the ability of Jim Regan and the crew he hired and trained. Corky notes that he is the president of the other companies that he and his brother own besides CRT Cabulance, including County Rainbow Taxi, Inc., Transport The People, Inc., Arrow Taxi, Inc., Berkshire Rent A Car, Inc and Anthon's Auto, Inc. He says that his brother Joseph Renzi who in the past has been very involved with these businesses has semi retired within the past year. Joseph has been president of some of these companies in the past and is now a member of the Board of Directors. Asked by TLPA what sets his company apart from other paratransit operations, Corky stated, "We are on time for both the initial pick up and the return. This is a result of our employees including dispatchers, drivers and car washers and our clean up-to-date vehicles. Our philosophy is being on time every time and to give the customers what they expect. Our goal is to keep growing at a steady pace, to serve the public and to possibly add ambulance service to our company." Corky says that to him outstanding management means, "The needs of your customers and employees are being met on a daily basis within the financial boundaries set forth by the company." Corky notes, "Our company and myself are very active in the Boys and Girls Club of Pittsfield. Not only have we made donations and supplied transportation, but also I donated a cabin to their camp in my parent's memory. We also regularly give to or provide transportation for Make-A-Wish Foundation, the United Way and UNICO. I am also very involved in an annual Car Show through which the proceeds go to the United Way. This year more than 4,000 people attended making it one of our biggest shows. We raised well over $250,000 for charity." He has been a member of TLPA for 20 years. He says, "TLPA has helped us in setting up guidelines and answered questions that we could not get answers anywhere else. They helped get approval by the Commonwealth of Mass. to hire outside contractors for our taxi company. It has helped by meeting the people who help make the rules and guidelines for all the divisions that the TLPA represents." He continued, "When I first started going to the conventions held by the ITA I had the good fortune to meet the past present and future leaders of the TLPA without knowing how important they really were. That's what makes the TLPA so unique, the ability to hang out and meet people who act like everyone else without putting on a show. While at a limo show in New Jersey I sat next to a couple at lunch. A van builder unknown to me joined them. I couldn't help but overhear the conversation. He asked the couple if they ever go to TLPA conventions. They said no, that they just go to limo shows. They asked him why. His answer has stayed etched in my mind. He said, "When you go to most shows they want you to have fun and spend money, but when you go to a TLPA show they want you to have fun and learn how to make money. Nice quote. I wish it was mine." Corky serves on the TLPA Board of Directors and has been a long time member of the Paratransit & Contracting Steering Committee. Corky's hobbies are collecting taxi and Civil War memorabilia. His reaction to be named operator of the year was to state, "I am proud to get this award and I owe our success to my brother and our employees from the top down. If not for him and the dedicated employees we would never have reached the level of success that we have achieved today."
TLPA received six letters nominating Murray Rosenberg for the TLPA 2007 Taxicab Operator of the Year award including letters from former TLPA Presidents, Ellis Houston, Brain McBride and Ham Smythe, IV. Mr. Smythe wrote. "As we all know, Murray has successfully operated in a very competitive market for many years, and his reputation in the community reflects this success. Of more importance to me is his many years of faithful work on behalf of our trade association throughout its many incarnations. As a Board member, Vice President, President and Past President, Murray has consistently pushed to do what is best for our membership and to expand that membership. He has aggressively sought out taxicab operators from a wide spectrum of regions, not only in the U.S., but internationally as well. Nobody cares more for continued success of TLPA than Murray Rosenberg." Murray S. Rosenberg, was born in Atlantic City June 23, 1942 to Paul and Helen Rosenberg. After a lengthy adolescent career as a beach bum (hence his nickname, Murph the Surf) and graduating from the Atlantic City High School Murray enrolled at the University of Richmond. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and after a brief stint in the job market he enlisted with the United States Army. He served with distinction in Vietnam as a member of the Eleventh Armored Calvary Regiment. After being honorably discharged in 1969 Murray returned to a previous employer, the great State of New Jersey, as a Placement Interviewer in the Department of Labor and Industry. Although he grew up surrounded by his father's company, the City Service Cab Company, Murray truly began his transportation career in 1975 when he purchased (against his father’s wishes), the Yellow Cab Company of Ocean City. In 1976 negotiations were finalized for the purchase of his father’s company which, since the 1950s, had grown to include a former competitor, the Yellow Cab Company of Atlantic City. With the ever present help of his wife, Joan, the two eventually expanded the business to include trucking, car rental services, a courier company and managed operations for the Ocean City Bus Terminal. Murray expanded the operations of Yellow Cab by incorporating into its holdings and radio dispatch systems the Checker Cab, Red Top Taxi, and King Cab. Murray has created a premiere company that is unrivaled in the New Jersey region in terms of service, customer standards, availability, and flexibility. With a fleet of nearly 60 vehicles, he can boast total independent contractor status while maintaining uniform, clean vehicle appearance and a 4-minute or less response time in a city that sees 40 million visitors annually. Through years of hard work, negotiations, partnerships, and personal financial sacrifice, he has established an environment for taxi drivers that enables them to work for themselves, own real property, provide for their families and acquire affordable insurance. On a daily basis visitors can see taxi operators washing and waxing their cabs, but, as he is fond of telling associates, "I never saw them wash and wax one of my cars." Murray is very proud that his company puts people to work for themselves and provides the resources they need to be successful. According to Murray, the most important and widest reaching change in the industry has been the advent and continued refinement of the leasing concept and the use of independent contractors as a business model. These advances have enabled Yellow Cab to present and promote successfully a concept of "condo-minimization". More specifically, Murray has provided a packaged approach to putting people to work. Ideally, the Company either holds directly or manages for another owner, a City Taxi Medallion, which is leased to an individual operator. The Company also provides to that operator the opportunity to finance a pre-painted and wired vehicle, purchase specialized low cost insurance, and access radio dispatch services. "Give the people who do the work a stake in the outcome!" is the one philosophy that Murray has always endorsed. This concept is the basis for his tireless business efforts and the root of his quest to be the best cab company anywhere. Throughout his career, Murray has always maintained close relations with various charitable and civic organizations including the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Midtown Business Association. Aside from these official groups he has made himself and his company available to groups such as Crime Stoppers, the Rotary Club, Atlantic County's Safe Drivers Campaign, the American Red Cross, Mother's Against Drunk Drivers, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Every year Murray takes great pride in personally greeting and chauffeuring the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor when their distinguished group gathers in Atlantic City. Murray has been an enthusiastic TLPA member since 1979 and has had the pleasure of serving in several capacities as well noted by Ham Smythe above. Murray states that TLPA has provided him with outstanding business opportunities, invaluable strategic insight, and most importantly, friendships that will last a lifetime. He considers his service to the Association one of the greatest honors and one of the true joys of his life. Hal Morgan, TLPA director of research & education submitted this article. He may be reached at 301-946-5700.
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