According to the powers that be, the NPA show this year was the biggest ever. They had over 500 folks signed up to attend prior to the opening of the show, and expected quite a few more walk ins.
I’m sure a lot of it had to do with the keynote speakers, Tom Ridge, former secretary of Homeland Security, and Ollie North, who needs no introduction.
Oh, parking — The exhibit hall was jammed with booths, and the first evening it was jammed with people.
As I walked around, may folks told me that they read this blog. It frightened me a bit. I knew some read this stuff, but I didn’t realize how many movers and shakers in the industry did. WOW! I’m going to have to get my act together and make this better. No more throw away entries. Only first class from now on.
I spoke to Steve Long, now running a parking operation in Salt Lake City. He seemed to be loving his new home. Rick West regaled me with his very in-depth knowledge of parking financing and purchasing by merchant banks. I just loved listening to Tom Phillips (Sr) and Larry Donoghue talk about, well about parking. John Phillips gave me some incite into the Chicago four garage purchase, as did Bob Caplin of next parking. Tom Rollo is becoming intense on the subject of Credit Card processing approvals. Sonny Schwartz, although retired, says he’s amazed that the NYC Metropolitan Parking Association keeps him on as their president. Jeff Olknow CEO of his new company ParkingSOFT was holding forth in his booth, bigger than life.Kathy Phillips at Alliant Insurance Services tells me she does a monthly web cast — check out PT to find out how to learn all about insurance from her. … And that just scratched the surface.
If the next few days go like the first two, the NPA has a winner on its hands.
JVH
