2020 Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Leo Cai
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, eHi Car Services
Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Leo Lihong Cai has served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing with eHi Car Services since April 2008. Dr. Cai has over 15 years of experience in marketing and information technology, and over six years of experience in the car rental and car services industry. Prior to joining eHi Car Services, he served as a market development director at EMC Corporation; a pre-sales director at Hewlett-Packard; and an enterprise solution and strategic alliances director at Mercury Interactive Corporation.
Matthew Daus
Transportation Technology Chair, City University of New York (CUNY)
Matthew W. Daus, Esq. currently serves as Transportation Technology Chair at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Transportation Research Center of The City College of New York, where he conducts research, and continues to be extensively published as an expert on ground transportation regulation and technology. As a CUNY Distinguished Lecturer for the past 9 years, he taught courses on transportation history, policy, sustainability, for-hire regulation and technology. Mr. Daus also continues to serve for the past 10 years as President of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR), a non-profit educational and advocacy peer group of government transportation regulators from around the world promoting best regulatory and innovative practice. Commissioner Daus is the longest serving Chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), serving for 8 ½ years. Prior to his tenure as Commissioner, Mr. Daus served in executive and other positions in NYC government for almost 20 years at several agencies including as General Counsel to the TLC and the NYC Community Development Agency, as Special Counsel to the TLC and NYC Trade Waste Commission, as a NYC Human Rights Prosecutor, and as Commissioner of the NYC Civil Service Commission. Mr. Daus is a partner and currently chairs the Transportation Practice Group at Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP.
Brian Deeley
Director, Product Management, Spireon
Brian Deeley is a driving force behind the company’s vehicle finance product strategy and leads teams responsible for product definition, customer requirements and solution delivery. Brian has over 20 years of experience in technology, bringing ground-breaking hardware and software solutions to market. Previously, Brian served in product and marketing leadership roles at Smith Micro and Uniloc USA. He holds a degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from Indiana University's Kelly School of Business.
Tomi Gerber
Assistant Vice President, Government & Public Relations, Enterprise Holdings EHI
Tomi currently serves as an Assistant Vice President of Corporate Government & Public Affairs for Enterprise Holdings. During her 24-year career with Enterprise, she has managed corporate liability efforts in numerous states; directed risk management efforts in the New York tri-state region; and served as Vice President of Government Affairs in New York, New Jersey and Vermont. In her current role, she is responsible for global policy issues related to new mobility, the data economy and connected and automated vehicles; directs government affairs in the European Union institutions and select member states; and provides government relations strategic support to operations in the eastern United States on issues that cross the entire transportation sector.
Scott Gregory
Executive Director, Global Alliance for Vehicle Data Access (GAVDA)
Alienor Izri
Head of Customer, Marginfuel
Alienor has deep experience in revenue management in the rental vehicle sector, including the application of technology to pricing. Most recently Pricing Manager at Europcar NZ, Alienor has also held senior revenue, marketing and customer experience positions with Aerodrive Car Rental and Ezi Car Rental New Zealand, one of the largest independent car rental in New Zealand. This is complemented with Alienor’s earlier background in the broader tourism sector.
Kristie Lightfoot
Fleet Connected Vehicle & API Data Services Manager, General Motors
An experienced Connected Vehicle professional and proven leader in the field, Kristie has over 28 years of automotive experience. Through her B2B sales experience, she has been able to connect the needs of fleet customers with the specific vehicle data required to run their operations efficiently. By highlighting all that General Motors is able to provide through its connected vehicle platform and fostering strong customer relationships, Kristie is able to maximize sales and develop innovative solutions that best meet customer needs.
Chris Haffenreffer
Assistant Vice President, Innovation, Enterprise Holdings Inc.
As Assistant Vice President of Innovation for Enterprise Holdings Inc., Chris Haffenreffer is responsible for the evaluation and management of transformational strategic and operational initiatives within the company. Currently, his team is focused on innovation and strategy around the topics of vehicle electrification and shared mobility. Prior to his current role, Chris worked on the Corporate Development team at Enterprise Holdings, where he was responsible for corporate acquisitions and corporate venture capital activities through Enterprise’s affiliate, Enterprise Holdings Ventures (EHV). Before joining Enterprise, Chris worked at HBM Holdings, a privately held company that acquires and operates middle-market industrial businesses. Chris received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dartmouth College and his MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. In addition, Chris holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Arun Rajagopalan
Co-Founder & CEO, Motorq
Arun is the co-founder and CEO at Motorq, a connected-car API company for car data and analytics. At Motorq, Arun and his team are building infrastructure and analytics tools to help enterprises derive actionable insights from multiple car data sources, including OEMs and after-market device manufacturers. Arun is an engineer and data scientist, and started his career at Bosch in Detroit, writing algorithms for in-vehicle safety systems such as ABS and Traction Control. He later spent seven years at Booz & Company, developing commercial strategy for clients across multiple industries
Natalia Swalnick
Senior Director of EV Programs, Electrification Coalition
Natalia Swalnick has a decade of experience and knowledge in public policy issues related to transportation and vehicle electrification. She manages the planning and execution of projects that accelerate the adoption of plug in electric vehicles (EVs) for the Electrification Coalition. Natalia was the Project Manager for Drive Electric Orlando, a partnership between the Electrification Coalition, federal and local governments, Orlando rental car companies, hotels, and visitors centers. The program integrates electric vehicles in an extended test drive application and provides a VIP experience for all renters. Her work includes leading national fleet electrification efforts such as the American Cities Climate Challenge and the Climate Mayors EV Purchasing Collaborative. Natalia has oversight of EV accelerator communities in Colorado and New York, as well as support of the Smart Columbus program in Ohio. She has worked as a private sector consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), spent 6 years as a DOE Clean Cities Coordinator, and served on the policy team in the office of former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. Natalia has been appointed to several State of Colorado steering committees, such as the Regional Air Quality Council and the Colorado Technical Advisory Committee for DC Fast Charging, to share her expertise of the EV market. She earned her Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado at Denver, and is a certified Project Management Professional.
Event Emcee
Chris Brown
Executive Editor, Auto Rental News, Bobit Business Media
(310) 533-2499
[email protected]
Session Speakers
Ronaldo Amorim
CFO, Rentcars.com
CFO, Ronaldo joined Rentcars in 2017. He has been working for 15 years in tech firms, reaching directorship positions in multinational ERP market leader companies in Brazil and Latin America. At Rentcars, Ronaldo is enlarging the company’s levels of governance, directly leading the global tax planning strategy and incorporation of the new headquarter in the Netherlands. Studied at Yale, holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in accounting. Ronaldo worked in the USA e led teams in LATAM and in Europe. Ronaldo was also featured Parana’s Financial Highlight 2018 by the Brazilian Institute of Financial Executives.
Alex Aryafar
Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Rent Centric, Inc.
Alex is a 20 year veteran of design and development of centralized management systems for various vehicle rental markets. As a founder and lead architect of Rent Centric systems, based in Toronto, Canada, he directed the organization to pioneering the concept of 100% web based rental management rental automation. Alex is also playing a key role in bringing affordable Car Share and Peer-to-Peer technology to profit-focused, mature, vehicle rental businesses worldwide. Today, 15 years after establishment, Rent Centric, Inc., in no small part through Alex's vision delivers sophisticated automation services to 1200+ global clients, assisting them in achieving their competitiveness and success objectives.
David Castro
Fleet Director, Colonial Hyundai
David Castro is a Graduate of the School of Business of the University of Kansas. He is an automotive business professional specializing in fleet operations and has remained at the forefront of “out of stock purchasing in North America” for the past 10 years. He has worked in dealer/fleet operations for several of the largest manufacturers of new car vehicles in the world, specifically foreign imports.
Solomon Cramer
President, Budget Rent a Car Harrisburg
Solomon is the licensee owner and operator of Budget Car and Truck Rental of Central Pennsylvania. He was previously the owner of Vintage Cards Inc, one of the largest retailers of sports collectibles and memorabilia in the United States.
Eddie Crespo
Vice President, Business Development, Economy Rent a Car
Edward Crespo is Economy Rent a Car’s Vice President of Business Development. He is responsible for the steady expansion of the company’s footprint globally, both with leading affiliates and online brokers. Over the last seven years he has engaged and managed solution oriented projects for leading multinational car rental operations in Latin America & Caribbean. Prior to entering the Car Rental Industry, he held various qualitative research posts at recognized marketing and advertising agencies handling key Fortune 500 accounts in the banking, CPG, and automotive space.
Rachel Crockett
Brand Manager, ACE Rent A Car
Rachel is the Brand Manager for ACE Rent A Car. She has been with ACE for 3.5 years. Currently, she supports the on-boarding and training for new affiliates, oversees the ACE user support, and manages the branding and compliance for all locations. She also spent her first two years with the ACE as a Pricing Analyst for both domestic and international markets. Prior to ACE, she spent a year with Hertz in operations as a Manager Trainee. She enjoys working with the ever-changing world of car rental and exploring its different opportunities.
Angela Dodd
Assistant Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, Mile High Markets, Inc.
Angela has over 30 years' experience in the insurance industry, with a focus on program development, underwriting and management. She has been with Mile High Markets, the exclusive program manager for Nationwide E&S/Specialty, since 2001, and managing the Daily Auto Rental Insurance Program since 2009.
Israel Duanis
Co-Founder & CEO, Fleetonomy
Israel Duanis is an autonomous vehicle veteran and data-driven technologist who utilizes his passion for innovation to lead Fleetonomy’s journey towards the autonomous revolution. By using Fleetonomy’s smart-mobility platforms, top tier OEM’s, car rental services, transit agencies, and mobility operators are already launching their new mobility services in order to capture today's opportunities and prepare themselves for the future ahead. Israel holds an M.Sc., in System Engineering from the Technion and a B.Sc., in Physics & Mathematics from Hebrew University. He is also a graduate of the IDF’s prestigious Talpiot cybersecurity program.
Paige Eckhaus
President, Director of Operations, Hertz Rent A Car, San Luis Obispo
Paige is a driven Car Enthusiast and Business Entrepreneurship graduate of California Polytechnic State University. Paige grew up in the “car business” working with her father’s fleet company for many formative years which is where her desire to run a business began. When she’s not surfing or coordinating logistics for musical artists at concerts, she is the licensee owner and daily operator of Hertz Rent A Car, San Luis Obispo.
Dionabel Espinola
Associate Product Manager, TSD
Dionabel Espinola is the Associate Product Manager at TSD with a focus in monitoring tasks involving cross-functional teams in marketing, sales, customer services, IT and production to ensure quality and completion of projects on time. She started her career with Enterprise Holdings and has nearly a decade of industry knowledge. Advocating and building relationships with clients has allowed her the opportunity to work with a diverse group of manufactures, auto groups and corporations both domestically and internationally.
Don Finney
CEO, OTA keys
Don Finney is the CEO of OTA keys, a subsidiary of Continental Automotive and is a part of the Continental ITS Key as a Service portfolio. He has held this position since May of 2017. In this role, Finney is responsible for the OTA keys mobility solution. Before starting at Continental, Finney worked at Abalta Technologies as the Director of Customer Success. His responsibilities included customer engagement for both connected car technology and service business within the connected vehicle market. He also managed development and launched the hardware platform for Navigation Solutions as the Director of Systems Integration.
Branden Fuller
Supervisory Special Agent, FBI
Supervisory Special Agent Branden Fuller currently serves as a supervisor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Counterterrorism Strategic Engagement Unit located at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) in McLean, Virginia. SSA Fuller assumed his current duties December 11, 2017. SSA Branden Fuller entered on duty with FBI in 2010. Upon completion of New Agent Training, SSA Fuller was assigned to the New York Division where SSA Fuller worked Counterterrorism investigations, including threats emanating from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Home Grown Violent Extremists (HVE), and Terrorist Finance Operations.
Julian Gritsch
CEO/Owner, Euroit Technology
Julian Gritsch is the brain behind EuroIT Technology, the Leader in SaaS solutions / management for the Car Rental and Fleet Management in Brazil with more than 700 companies/customers and 150.000 vehicles managed thru the solutions. More than 30 years of experience in technology and 20 years in the Rental Industry. Degree as Software Engineering, MBA in People Management and Masters in Administration by the best Universities in Brazil. 8 Years of Background at Renault Brazil and corporations in Brazil and Abroad.
Albert Guarnieri
Supervisory Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Tripwire Program
Albert J. Guarnieri is the Supervisory Special Agent and Program Manager of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Tripwire Program. In that capacity, Guarnieri works closely with corporate level security officials to provide situational awareness tools, informational products, and training to aide front-line employees in the identification of suspicious activities/behaviors possibly associated with terrorism. Guarnieri joined the FBI in 2004, first serving as an Intelligence Analyst in the International Terrorism Operations Section before attending the FBI Academy to become a Special Agent. Guarnieri spent ten years in the Chicago Field Office working Domestic Terrorism, Human Intelligence, and Counterterrorism matters. As a Counterterrorism Agent, Guarnieri managed FBI personnel, planning, and resources allocated to support special events within the Chicago Field Office’s area of geographic responsibility, including the 2012 NATO Summit. Before joining the FBI, Guarnieri served as an Intelligence Analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency, serving three of his five years with the Agency as a Senior Duty Officer in the White House Situation Room.
Pamela Hanks
Claim Specialist III, Nationwide Insurance
Pamela has been in the insurance industry since 1985. She previously worked for Royal/Sun Alliance until they left the US Market. In 2000, she went to work for Scottsdale Insurance, a subsidiary of Nationwide in their Rental Car Program. She was the first offsite employee and housed in the program managers office of Mile High Markets in Colorado. She has been with Nationwide for 19 years handling complex injury and has litigated files countrywide.
John Hansen
Manager of Client and OEM Experience, TSD Rental
John Hansen, Manager of Client and OEM Experience, is part of the senior management team at TSD leading the strategic effort for global business development in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. John has over 20 years’ experience in the car rental and courtesy car technology solutions segment. His car rental background includes 20+ years with Budget Rent a Car, operating 14 local market and airport franchise locations. John is proud to be an integral part of client success while providing comprehensive vehicle management solutions for the car rental and automotive dealership courtesy car segments.
Kaila Hart
Senior Client Services Manager, Frontline Performance Group | fpg
Kaila Hart is a senior client services manager with FPG with a focus in short-term mobility and the rental car industry. Upon earning her B.S. degree from Indiana University, she started her career with Enterprise Holdings. Since joining FPG, she has worked with over 50 car rental and automotive clients to enhance their customer’s experience and profitably grow and retain their business.
Paul Hayes
Senior Account Manager, Expedia Group
Paul has over 17 years experience within the Car Rental industry, predominantly focused on the European source market. Paul began in the call center at Holiday Autos before moving on to manage the international satellite offices, and ended up opening the source US website and call center. The last 6 years have been spent at Expedia Group, with current project of ensuring the right products are being sold in our Latin American markets.
Carlos Hernandez
Chief Development Officer, Mex Rent A Car
Carlos' career in the Car Rental Industry started when he was seventeen years old as a Service Agent, today Carlos has became a strong pillar for Mex Rent a Car as the Chief Development Officer. He has participated in different projects and contributing with initiatives to improve customer satisfaction and to increase revenue based on agents performance. Now Carlos represents the Revenue Department where he oversees the sales ancillaries from all locations in Mexico and United States. He is a true promoter of teamwork, passionate about his work, he defines himself as a simple person and always willing to help the team to give their best.
John Healy
Analyst, Northcoast Research
John joined Northcoast Research in May 2009 as Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst covering the Business Services sector, with specific emphasis on the Car Rental and Industrial Services, Commercial Services and Staffing industries. Prior to joining Northcoast Research, John was an Associate and Senior Analyst at FTN Midwest Securities from 2003-2009. John and his team have developed an extensive network of industry contacts to draw from, including private equipment rental operators, equipment auction operators and auto auction operators, private uniform rental operators, private document management operators, private U.S. and international professional, industrial, and commercial staffing operators.
David Justice
Southcentral Rental Manager, Alaska Auto Rental
With over 30 years’ experience in car sales and over 20 years in auto rentals, David has transformed multiple rental businesses to make them more successful and profitable than before his arrival. He is highly sought after by other companies in the rental industry and other industries to direct their sales efforts.
Karim Kaddoura
Co-founder, Virtuo
Born in Beirut, Lebanon and raised in Paris, Karim graduated in 2007 from Tufts University in Boston & LSE in London and also holds a Master's degree from SciencesPo Paris. He co-founded his first start-up in 2008, called NeoWebCar.com, the first ever new car classified website in France that helped consumers select and buy their next car from an inventory of 50,000 new cars from 2,500 car dealers. The website rapidly grew to be one of the Top-5 most visited auto website in France and was sold to l'Argus, the used car leader in France. In 2015, he co-founded Virtuo, the new generation of car rental: 100% mobile and hassle-free service that reinvents the experience of car rental in train stations, airports and cities. No lines, no paperwork, and a standardized fleet of fully equipped cars. Thanks to the Virtuo application, customers unlock and complete their damage report with their smartphone. Virtuo is going against the big car rental companies with a true customer centric and technological approach. Virtuo raised 30M Euros in total since its creation, among which Balderton Capital (Revolut, Vivino, Citymapper,...) and the service is now available in 10 cities in France, Belgium, the UK and Spain and Germany in 2019.
Russ Lemmer
President & General Manager, Dealerware
Russell Lemmer is a storied business builder known for developing mobility concepts into high-value businesses. In his role, Lemmer is currently growing the Dealerware SaaS business by helping those in the automotive space (dealerships, dealer groups and big auto manufacturers) use technology to better manage growing fleets, from loaner cars to subscription units. Using Dealerware, customers become more profitable: they reduce costs, create efficiencies, and elevate their customers’ experiences. Dealerware is managing tens-of-thousands of vehicles for hundreds of dealerships; working with 9 of the top 10 public auto groups and more than sixteen OEM brands. Prior to leading the Dealerware business, Russ co-founded Silvercar in 2011, and was the driving force behind the framework to elevate Silvercar as an industry disrupter. Prior to Silvercar, Lemmer served as an Associate and Venture Capital Investor in Austin Ventures and Consultant at Bain & Company where he mastered the art of identifying viable, disruptive business ideas and strategic problem solving.
Brendan Lewis
Operations/Training Manager, Affiliated Car Rental
Prior to starting with Affiliated Car Rental, L.C. (Sensible/Affordable/A-Sub RAC) Brendan was working in the car and truck rental industry, working for Budget and Thrifty in the local and airport markets. In addition, he gained valuable experience in the local and commercial truck rental space with Ryder Truck Rental. He joined what is now known as Affiliated Car Rental in 1996 as the Training and Operations Manager. In 2005, he was promoted to National Director of Training & Operations. He has been responsible for training and supporting new and existing dealers since that time.
Daniel Lindstrom
Supervisory Special Agent, FBI
Mr. Lindstrom entered on duty as a Special Agent (SA) of the FBI on March 21, 2004. From 2004 through 2008 Mr. Lindstrom was assigned to the Washington Field Office where he worked counterintelligence and extraterritorial counterterrorism investigations. SA Lindstrom transferred to the San Juan Division in 2008 and worked public corruption and intelligence through 2010. In 2010, Mr. Lindstrom was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent within the Counterterrorism Division and managed the Iraq Program through 2012. Mr. Lindstrom was selected as a field supervisor in 2012 and transferred to the El Paso Division where he was the program coordinator for international and domestic terrorism and the weapons of mass destruction programs and supervised the JTTF and SABT programs. In 2016, he transitioned to the field supervisor and coordinator for El Paso Division’s cyber, CART and technical programs. From 2016-2017 he served overseas in Nairobi, Kenya as the Deputy Legal Attache. Currently he serves at the Campus Security Program Manager with the National Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Kristopher Luey
Business Development Manager, Vulog
Kristopher Luey, Vulog's International Business Development Manager, brings deep knowledge of the mobility industry to the ICRS stage. After spending 4 years with Zipcar North America and supporting the launch of three new markets, Kris now guides Vulog's new carshare and scootershare clients in building their own successful mobility brands. His presentations and panel discussions focus on key learnings for existing industry players and startups looking to enter the shared mobility space. With Vulog’s 30+ projects around the world, Kris comes armed with troves of insights on shared mobility success factors.
Brad Meyer
Consultant, JM&E-TCS, Inc.
Brad Meyer has 30 years’ experience in the car rental industry. He started in in 1985 with Agency RAC Minneapolis MN. Brad then spent 12 years as general manager running corporate stores for DTG and franchisees, including: Sacramento, San Francisco, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and the Keys. He was a corporate employee for DTG in Tulsa as the Director of Franchise Operations, East coast. Brad then owned and operated his own franchises for Dollar, Thrifty and Hertz in five states and over 2,500 units beginning in 2000, eventually selling to Hertz in 2014. He is currently a consultant.
Doug Moore
Director-Rental Competitive Edge, Cathedral Consulting
Doug Moore is a rental industry veteran and Executive Vice President of SomervilleAuto who operates leasing companies in Toronto and Vancouver and owns Canada’s highest volume Hino truck dealership. He is also is the Director of Rental Competitive Edge (formally The Tennant Group) and Leasing Competitive Edge, a service of Cathedral Consulting moderating their study groups, working directly with CEOs of over 30 leasing and rental companies from across North America to improve their performance. He serves on the board of both NVLA and the Canadian Finance and Leasing Association.
Christina Morris
Pricing Manager, Independent
Christina Morris has been a pricing manager since 2005. She began her car rental journey in Phoenix circa 1997. She has experience in leisure, commercial, and government markets. She has had the privilege to work for corporations as well as independents and franchisees. The one constant theme in this industry is change and she has always been drawn to overcoming a challenge.
Robert Muhs
Vice President, Government Affairs, Avis Budget Group, Inc.
In his role with Avis Budget Group, Inc., Bob is responsible for all federal and state government relations activities which includes but is not limited to directing lobbying efforts before the United States Congress, the 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. In addition to directing lobbying activities, Bob is also responsible for oversight of all government inquiries. Bob also manages complex litigation and has a proven track record of success; he is especially known for his knowledge of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Antitrust compliance and Consumer Protection. An industry leader, Bob was honored by Auto Rental News, the rental car trade publication, with its Executive Leadership Award for his efforts in enacting the Graves Amendment—a law that eliminated state laws that imposed absolute liability without fault solely based on vehicle ownership. In 2016, Bob was again honored by Auto Rental News and the American Car Rental Association with the Russell Bruno Award for his continuous and unwavering commitment to the rental car industry. Bob is a graduate of Nassau Community College, St John’s University and Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.
Patrick Muggler
Product and Partnerships Management, Continental Automotive
Patrick Muggler has worked in the Automotive, Semiconductor, and High-Tech industries in Strategic Planning, Marketing, Product Management, Business Development, and Engineering in both startups and Fortune 500 companies. Currently, Patrick is managing products and partnerships for the ITS business unit at Continental Automotive focused on enabling innovative shared transportation initiatives. Prior to Continental Patrick worked in roles such as CEO, Founder, CPO, Business Dev, and Product Management/Marketing in the Semiconductor, IoT, and Mobile industries. Patrick holds a dual Executive MBA from Columbia University and the University of California as well as a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from Arizona State University.
Patrick Muggler
Product Manager, Continental
Alan Powell
Senior Vice President, Clutch Technologies
Alan Powell is Senior Vice President for Clutch Technologies. Clutch provides a software platform that lets the automotive industry build and manage vehicle subscription businesses. For Clutch, Powell has the important mission of capturing the mindshare of the automotive sector, including dealerships and OEMs nationwide, as the market embraces subscription technology. He is well versed at developing new industries and has been responsible for creating disruptive technologies for more than 20 years. Powell began his career in the mid-90s as co-founder of nFront, Inc., the pioneer of Internet banking and payments for businesses and consumers. Graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Steven Puentes
VP of Operations, ACE Rent A Car - MCO
Steven Puentes was named Director of Operations for Priceless Car Rental MCO in March 2017 and was named Vice President of Operations for ACE Car Rental Orlando in July 2018. He is responsible for the company's operations, fleet optimization, pricing, and new business development. His extensive background has helped reach these companies to new heights in one of the biggest and busiest car rental markets in the world. Prior to joining Priceless Car Rental MCO and ACE Rent A Car Orlando, Puentes was in Procurement at Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. in Savannah, Georgia. He earned a BA in business management and a master’s degree (MBA) from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (2013).
Duke Puniani
Director of Strategic Accounts Growth, Ridecell
Madhukar Puniani is the Director of Strategic Accounts Growth at Ridecell, the world’s leading platform to launch, operate and scale new car and ride sharing mobility services. He leads the customer success and account management teams that enable our customers to maximize asset utilization, accelerate consumer acquisition, increase operational efficiency and manage their risks as the expand and grow with their carsharing and ridesharing business. He has been at the forefront of new business development in various fields such as industrial automation, alternative fuels and fleet management. Prior to Ridecell he led the Gas Fuel Systems Business Unit at Parker Hannifin (NYSE PH) a global leader in motion and control. Before that he was the General Manager at Endress+Hauser Wetzer, North America. He holds an MS in Sensor Systems Technology and a Diploma in International Business from Karslruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.
Teresa Quale
CIC Executive Director, Sonoran National Insurance Group
Teresa Quale, CPCU, CIC is the Executive Director of Sonoran National Insurance Group, an agency specializing in providing innovative insurance products to the rental car industry. During her thirty-five years of insurance experience, she has developed creative marketing and underwriting solutions and since 2008, she has led the Sonoran team in being an expert in the rental field. Superior products from high quality insurers and exceptional client service have maximized the profitability for both Sonoran’s rental operator clients and the carriers alike.
Michael Rozin
President, Rozin Security Consulting LLC
Michael is the President of Rozin Security, Special Deputy at Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and Course Director at the University of Minnesota. He created SIRA®—an advanced and proven behavior threat detection system. Michael worked at Mall of America focused on counterterrorism. Department of Homeland Security has recognized Michael's work as a leading approach to protecting soft targets. Michael served in Israel Defense Forces and later worked as a field protective agent for Ben-Gurion International Airport. Michael is a graduate of the Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Israel and the Advanced Security and Anti-Terrorism Academy under the Israel Security Agency.
Bill Schweigart
Chief, Critical Industries Branch, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security
Mr. Bill Schweigart serves as the Critical Industries Branch Chief in Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. CISA’s mission is to lead the national effort to protect and enhance the resilience of the nation's physical and cyber infrastructure. Within CISA, the Critical Industries Branch is responsible for four sectors: Commercial Facilities, Critical Manufacturing, Chemical, and Emergency Services.
Jose Seas
General Manager, Green Motion Costa Rica
Jose Seas has over 12 years’ experience in the car rental industry in Costa Rica with a vast knowledge of the leisure as well as the corporate market in his country. He is currently the General Manager of Green Motion Costa Rica and previously was part of Avis Costa Rica as General Manager. Throughout his career he has been involved in the management of sales teams for maximization of opportunities through the application of sales techniques focusing on customer satisfaction. Prior to joining the car rental industry, he served as Operations & Projects Manager at Scotiabank de Costa Rica.
Jonathan Smoke
Chief Economist, Cox Automotive
Smoke leads Cox Automotive’s economic industry insights office. This office is tasked with leveraging data to expand Cox Automotive’s deep expertise in all aspects of the automotive industry. His focus is to connect the data from all of the company’s businesses and platforms and relate to economic, industry and demographic trends. For more than 22 years, Smoke has focused on translating data and trends into relevant, actionable insights for the industries that represent the biggest purchases that consumers make in their lifetimes: real estate and automotive. Prior to joining Cox Automotive, Smoke served as Realtor.com’s chief economist. Before that, he was the chief economist for Hanley Wood, a media and market intelligence company, and also served in a variety of roles at Beazer Homes, including senior vice president of strategy and innovation. Smoke was named one of “the 21 most interesting people in real estate” by Inman News and was the only economist to make the list in 2016. He is quoted in national news outlets and has published more than 150 original articles. Smoke blogs regularly and tweets using Twitter handle @SmokeonCars to share his industry insights.
Jan van den Ham
Operations Manager, Sunset Car Rental Aruba, a Fox Affiliate
Although a newcomer to the business, in no way a stranger to customer service! Having functioned in several sections of the leisure industry, and mostly being in direct contact with customers, I have gained a decade of unique experiences to share with front-end professionals and counter agents alike. Using leading-by-example methods, empathy techniques and setting the tone, customers are now leaving the car rental raving about the service and recommending your business to their friends and contacts. Assessing the customer as soon as they enter your business, gives the Counter Agent the opportunity to play-in to their needs and no-needs.
Carlos Vuillaume
Head of Supply Partnerships - AMERICAS, BookingGo - Rentalcars.com
Carlos Vuillaume is responsible for the commercial and strategic development of the car rental suppliers based in the Americas region. He started his car rental career at Avis France managing the Inbound business. He successively held various positions before he was given the responsibility for the development of the leisure business for Avis Budget Group Western Region (France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg). Carlos joined Rentalcars.com in 2016 to manage, along with a team based in Manchester, the Latin America region development. Prior to his car rental experience, Carlos held various positions in the automotive industry, banking and IT.
Rick Zoppi
President - Founder, Rick Zoppi Consulting
Rick Zoppi is President and founder of Rick Zoppi Consulting & Associates, a sales and motivation consulting company specializing in front line car rental counter coaching and management. He has over 30 years in the industry, and was a Senior Consultant for Khoury Performance Group for 10 years. He founded RZC&A in 2005 and has helped call centers, car rental locations, moving & storage companies, as well as many travel related companies to optimize their profits through Motivation / Attitude / Skill training. Mr. Zoppi holds a Master’s in Education, with an emphasis in Sports Psychology, the study of improving performance through how you THINK about your performance. RZC&A focuses on the WILL to sell, as well as the SKILLS needed to sell. It is by combining BOTH of these components that he has been able to achieve the great results over the last 14 years of his Consulting.
Claire Alleaume
Head of Market Strategy, IMS (a Trak Global Group company)
IMS is one of the world’s largest providers of connected solutions in the Mobility and Insurance spaces, with clients including automotive OEMs, large fleet operators, global insurers and governments. As the leading telematics partner in Europe to vehicle rental operators, IMS has extensive experience accompanying clients on their transition to running increasingly flexible fleets and propositions. With a background in international marketing and strategy within both tech businesses and insurers, Claire is passionate about helping partners from across the ecosystem drive impactful outcomes from connected vehicle and driving data.
Bob Barton
President Global Mobility, RentalMatics
Bob Barton is a highly accomplished professional with proven ability to lead profitable growth in global markets. A goal-oriented problem solver with expertise in marketing, operations, sales, franchising, and public company experience built upon a strong accounting and financial foundation, he is recognized among his peers for leadership, innovation, and expertise in the vehicle rental/automotive and travel/hospitality industries, specializing in corporate operations and franchising. Most recently, Bob joined a former colleague in a new venture solving the mobility/connected car question for operators. In six short months, Bob brought the product to North America and increased the Company revenue base by 20% and bringing his expertise to enhance the product offering. Bob is the past President and member of the Board of Directors of the American Car Rental Association and the 2009 recipient of the Russell Bruno Award as Car Rental Executive of the Year. Bob also holds several Board positions, including Meeting Point USA, the LAL Language Schools, North Carolina Entrepreneurial Center at the University of North Carolina—Greensboro (UNCG); University of Tampa Business School. He has represented the rental industry on the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and testified before the Federal Trade Commission on competition in the car rental industry. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of North Carolina, Arizona State University, University of Tampa, and the Small Business Institute. His editorials on tourism and taxation have been featured on CNBC.com and Forbes.com, and in the Wall St Journal, Automotive News, and newspapers worldwide.
Carlos Bazan
Head of Corporate Development, Worldwide Leaders Grid
Mr. Bazan is a businessman and investor in several industries. He has built businesses from startup to profitability and private placement ever since 1995. His initiatives include IT and Internet, Media, Sustainability, Retail, and Car Rental, and disruptive technologies. Among his accomplishments were founding and launching Yahoo! in Mexico, and building one of the top car sharing-based car rental company in the United States.
Ed Bernal
Agent Consultant, Bernal and Associates, Inc.
Bernal and Associates, Inc., founded in 1991, specializes in the daily auto rental industry. An independent agency providing services in the areas of primary/excess fleet liability, general and garage liability, workers compensation and more. Our scope of services exceeds that of most insurance agencies. How so? Providing specific recommendations, suggestions and opinions; through this, we assist operators by maximizing rental days, profitability, reducing claims utilization through sound counter training and the implementation of appropriate fleet maintenance procedures. Our mission: the success and growth of our clients and that they flourish in an ever changing, highly competitive industry.
Sherb Brown
President, Bobit Business Media
Sherb Brown is the President of Bobit Business Media with 20 years of experience within the fleet industry. Sherb is a member of the Ford Fleet Advisory Board and GM Commercial Sounding Board.
Doris Cassan
Owner, CMC Investments, Dollar Rent A Car, Seattle and Portland
Cassan is owner of CMC Investments Inc., a Dollar Rent A Car licensee with locations in Seattle and Portland, including the Portland International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Cassan has been involved in the car rental industry for many years. She served as one of the original board members with ACTIF (Association for Car and Truck Rental Independents and Franchises), which has since become part of the American Car Rental Association (ACRA). In addition, she was the first female to serve as the Car & Truck Renting and Leasing Association (CATRALA) president at a state level.
Julian Cowart
Director of Operational Excellence for Pivet, Cox Automotive Mobility
Julian Cowart is the director of operational excellence for Cox Automotive Mobility, where he is helping lead the nationwide expansion of the Pivet network, which is focused on fleet servicing and mobility advancement. As part of his role, Julian is leading the implementation of various cutting-edge technologies and products new to the automotive industry, including ADAS scanning, and calibration and electric vehicle charging and maintenance. Previously, Cowart oversaw operations at Pivet Atlanta, an industry-first facility focused on mobility fleet services. Before joining Cox Automotive Mobility, he worked at Cox Communications, where he served as a director of contact center management for sales and retention. Cowart is a graduate of Emory University.
Sean Cox
Owner Operator, U-Save Car and Truck Rental
After four years in the USMC, Sean was hired to manage a small, locally owned rental car company in 1995. Completed Bachelor of Science in 2004, and purchased the same company in 2006. Proud member of the U-Save franchise since 2008 and is a standing member of the U-Save Franchise Advisory Council. Experienced in car sharing since 2013 with multiple companies. Today Sean is not only an active “owner” with dozens of vehicles across many major platforms (Turo, Drift, GetAround, HyreCar and others), he also provides consulting, coaching, training and business plan/model development for rental car operators and car sharing owners who have never been involved with commercial car rental.
Mike DeLorenzo
Executive Vice President, International Franchise Systems
Michael L. DeLorenzo brings 45 years of car rental industry experience. Mr. DeLorenzo currently serves as the Executive Vice President of a combined car rental operation. He has developed and expanded regional car rental operations to multiple locations and thousands of vehicles. Additionally, Michael has experience supporting and working for legislative change for the car rental industry.
Miguel Fernandez
Co-Founder & CEO, Claimbot
Miguel and his team at Claimbot are transforming customer experience for mobility and insurance. Claimbot automates and enhances customer service for companies like Silvercar by Audi and Omadi Roadside Assistance. From reservation to roadside assistance, Claimbot empowers drivers to self-serve driving efficiency for rental, insurance and mobility operations. Miguel is the founder of The Future of Mobility Meetup and a frequent speaker at leading industry conferences including: Dig|Ins, Insurance Analytics and Plug and Play. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and native of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Daniel Florence
COO, SIXT USA
Daniel Florence is Chief Operating Officer of SIXT North America, one of the world’s first and most successful auto rental companies. Founded in 1912 in Munich, Germany, SIXT started out with a fleet of just three vehicles, and has grown to a leading global provider with a presence in more than 105 countries with branches in over 2,200 locations. Prior to joining SIXT in 2017, he spent nearly two decades immersed in North American rental car operations. Florence spent 18 years with Dollar Thrifty in the US, holding various leadership roles within operations, and eventually rising to become Area Director. In 2014, he transitioned to Hertz, where he was appointed as a Vice President of Airport Operations. Florence was then tapped by Car2Go to serve as Chief Operating Officer for North America. Florence received a certificate in Executive Management from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and earned both his MBA and Bachelor of Science in Business Management at the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. In his downtime, Florence enjoys golfing, spending time with his wife, and visiting his children who attend university in Kentucky. Florence brings a passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence in every dimension of his role. SIXT is always at the forefront of the car rental industry, it was the first car rental company with a website and the first to accept mobile reservations. SIXT cars are available in almost every major city and tourist destination worldwide, and at convenient locations such as airports, train stations, cruise ports, and hotels. He lives with his wife in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where SIXT North America is headquartered.
Roger Gelder
President, A Betterway Rent-A-Car Group
Roger Gelder currently serves as the President of A Betterway Rent-A-Car group, the largest car rental licensee in the United States, with more than 60 independently owned and operated Budget and Avis locations. Roger has over 50 years of experience in the car rental industry. He began his career in 1968 with Hertz Corporation in New York City as National Manager of Customer Relations and became the assistant to the General Manager of the Rent-A-Car Division before entering the operations side of car rental. During his ten-year career with Hertz, Roger was the General Manager in Syracuse, NY, Orlando, FL, and Dallas, TX. Roger then went to work for Budget Rent a Car Corporation in Dallas as the General Manager prior to his acquisition of the Atlanta franchise in 1977. Through conservative operating strategies, carefully targeted sales and marketing, and excellent fleet planning Roger has led his franchises to industry leading profitability and is one of the most successful rental car operations in the United States. Roger is a past President of the American Car Rental Association and was on Budget’s national advisory board for over twenty-five years.
Robert Gordon
CEO, Allan Consulting Group
Robert Allan Gordon began his career as a rental agent in 1996 with Dollar Rent A Car Florida. He quickly became a top producer, and in 1997 he was promoted to City Manager of the Dollar airport location in Melbourne Florida. In 1998 he began working with The Khoury Group to start a new coaching and consulting division which quickly became popular with car rental operators in the USA. In 2000 Robert started his own training and consulting company and has since then helped dozens of companies increase their revenues while improving their levels of customer service in the USA and throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Shantell Guerra
Project Manager, Bobit Business Media
Shantell Guerra is a project manager at Bobit Business Media. She manages B2B content marketing campaigns for advertisers in publications such as Automotive Fleet, Government Fleet, Work Truck and Heavy Duty Trucking. She has experience overseeing the planning, design, and execution projects and focuses on customer success and satisfaction.
Shmuel Hazan
President, Surprice Car Rentals, Florida
Shmuel Hazan is an entrepreneur in the car rental industry and has owned and operated several car rental companies over the past 15 years. Most recently he has purchased the Surprice Car Rental franchise at Miami International Airport.
Steve Hengeli
Attorney at Law, CIPP/US, CIPP/E, Polsinelli
With a background in computer programming, Steve Hengeli takes a problem-solving approach to privacy, data security, and technology transactions. Steve works with clients in a variety of highly-regulated and innovative industries, including mobility and vehicle use, to develop strategies to address U.S. and international regulations relating to privacy and information technology. Among other work, he counsels clients and negotiates agreements in the vehicle telematics data space. Steve is a Certified Information Privacy Professional for Europe (CIPP/E) and the United States (CIPP/US).
Jordan Holtzman-Conston
Regional General Manager, Getaround
Jordan has worked in the mobility space for the past 6 years, first as an early Uber employee and currently as a Regional General Manager at Getaround. Jordan manages Getaround’s business in the Northeast, overseeing teams handling operations, sales, marketing, and field service across 5 of Getaround’s largest markets. Additionally, he manages Getaround’s national enterprise sales and partnerships team which works to enable rental companies, fleets and dealerships to use Getaround’s technology platform to create additional revenue streams.
Garrett Kautz
Senior Credit Analyst, 1st Source Bank
Garrett Kautz has been with 1st Source Bank since 2013, when he was hired into the Corporate Management Trainee program. He worked for more than five years in the Credit Department where he was responsible for overseeing the underwriting of the Auto Rental, Commercial Leasing and Bus portfolios, and was also instrumental in the process of growing the Bank’s Commercial Leasing portfolio. In the summer of 2018, Kautz transitioned over to the sales side and currently manages the banks presence in the Auto Rental and Commercial Leasing industries on the East Coast. Kautz earned a bachelor’s in Accounting from Manchester University, and he is currently studying for Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) designation. He is also active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Stepping Stone Women’s Shelter and as an Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach at South Central High School.
Bobby Klyce
President, Car and Truck Rentals, Inc.
The Klyce family had been in the car rental business since 1918 until it sold their company to Avis Budget Group in 2019. Robert (Bob) started in the family business after graduating from the University of Alabama in 1968 serving as Birmingham Airport manager for Avis licensee operations. In the late 70's he was promoted to Vice-President of Operations for the family business. In 1993 he assumed the position of President and the company now included five different Avis licensee locations. Bob was elected president of the newly formed Avis Licensee Association in 1994 and in 1998 he was elected as Chairman of the Avis System Advertising and Policy Committee. Bob also has served on the Board of Directors of the American Car Rental Association. Before selling the family business to ABG the business had grown to include Avis, Budget and Payless brands operating in two states with 12 different locations.
Mike Kulp
President, Kulp Car Rentals
Michael Kulp received his Bachelors of Business administration from Kutztown State College and Masters in Taxation from Villanova University. He assumed leadership of Kulp Car Rentals in 1993, after the retirement of Harvey Kulp, who founded the company in 1960. Under Michael’s leadership, the team at Kulp Car Rentals built a different type of car rental company. First, KCR delivers cars to their customers, choosing to have their vehicles waiting for their customers, rather than customers waiting for vehicles. In order to properly and efficiently service and repair their fleet of over 750 vehicles, Kulp Car Rentals operates their own mechanical repair facility, body shop, and recon center. The company also negotiates and settles insurance claims for their renters involved in accidents. Finally, KCR has retail sales operations from which they retail approximately 75% of their fleet.
Ian Kusinitz
President, Empire Rent a Car, Van & Truck
Owner/Partner of a multi location local independent rent a car with a lifetime of experience. A diverse portfolio of rental equipment servicing NYC and beyond.
Frank LaViola
VP Sales & Marketing, AirPro Diagnostics
Frank LaViola is Vice President of Sales for AirPro Diagnostics located in Jacksonville Florida. AirPro Diagnostics is a provider of remote scanning, diagnostic and calibration solutions to the automotive aftermarket in North America. Prior to Joining AirPro Frank spent 23 years with Enterprise Rent A Car as a starting as a Management Trainee in San Diego and working his way up to Vice President/General Manager of Operations in Lower Saxony, Germany. Frank spent 10 years at Enterprise St. Louis headquarters as a Senior Executive working with insurance companies and collision repair centers focusing on growth through technology. Frank is a graduate of San Diego State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. He and his wife Stacey reside in Houston Texas and have 4 children.
Gary Macdonald
President, Midway Auto Group
Lea Malloy
AVP of Research and Development, Cox Automotive Mobility Group
Lea Malloy leads Research and Development for the Cox Automotive Mobility Group, with an emphasis on emerging technology and mobility services, such as electric vehicle battery, powertrain and charging, as well as, sensor and calibration (ADAS) capabilities for fleet and retail clients. Previously, she oversaw reconditioning operations for Manheim. Malloy joined Cox Automotive in 2010 in a strategy and corporate development role at Autotrader.com. She has held positions in Product and Portfolio Management at Autotrader before joining Cox Automotive strategy in 2015. Malloy holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Sociology, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Wake Forest.
Jason Manelli
President, Rent-A Wreck
Jason Manelli began his career with Rent-A-Wreck in 1999 as an intern in the company’s marketing department. Much of his career has been spent working with the Rent-A-Wreck, Priceless and NextCar brands to grow and enhance their digital presence. Jason plays a hands on everyday role in managing the Rent-A-Wreck, Priceless and NextCar website and apps and reservation system utilizing a combination of custom software and hosted applications. He was named President of Rent-A-Wreck in July of 2018. Jason Manelli is a graduate of Towson University and lives in Catonsville, MD with his wife and two daughters.
Michael Meyer
President, Rate-Highway, Inc.
Michael Meyer, co-founder of Rate-Highway, is the world leader in increasing revenue through ground-breaking Revenue Management and Competitive Intelligence systems. Prior, Michael worked at Microsoft, managing Fortune 1000 companies to implement Microsoft software and guiding the development of critical line of business applications. After leaving Microsoft in 1998, Michael co-created the first commercial Internet rate shopping product for the hotel industry called Check-Rate. After Check-Rate was sold to Hotel Industry giant Travelclick in 2001, Michael focused exclusively on the car rental market, and his new company, Rate-Highway, provided the first rental car Internet shopping tool leading to the development
Sandy Miller
Managing Partner, Basin Street Partners
Sandy Miller has experience in the transportation and tourism industries and strong knowledge of the vehicle rental market. He started his career in 1979 at the vehicle rental company Budget Group, Inc. that he joined as North East Field Operation Manager, before becoming a franchisee of Budget Rent-a-Car from 1980 to 1987. Appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Team Rental Group in 1987, he notably supervised the acquisitions of Cruise America, VPSI, Premier Car Rental and Budget Rent-a-Car; he then served as President, Chief executive Officer and Chairman of Budget Group from 1997 to 2003, where he supervised the acquisition of Ryder TRS as well as the acquisition of Budget Group by Cendant Corporation. From 2003 to 2012, he served as Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Franchise Services of North America, Inc., where he managed the acquisition of Advantage-Rent-a-Car, the merger with Rent a Wreck Capital and U-Save. He also served as member of the Board of Directors of the restaurant chain Stonewood Holdings and of the State University of New York at Oswego Foundation and as President of the American Car Rental Association. Sandy Miller is currently Managing Partner of the private investment firm Basin Street Partners that he founded in 2001. He sits on the Supervisory Board of Europcar Mobility Group for the past five years. From 2006 to 2017, Sandy was the Vice Chairman of the Board & Founding Director of Gateway Financial Holdings of Florida, Inc. He is also a management consultant at Gerson Lehrman Group since 2003. Sandy Miller holds a Bachelor of Science, Business from the State University of New York, Oswego, NY.
Shona Nabity
President, Rate Pros
Shona Nabity, President of Rate Pros, the leading provider of outsourced pricing management for licensee and independent rental locations; specializing in boosting revenue while improving product utilization. Shona has a broad experience base in car rental, having guided and managed efforts in three of the top four car rental brands during her career, gaining an international perspective through helping operations both inside the US and out. As the leader of Rate Pros, Shona has had the opportunity to help rental locations implement her ideas and programs and realize revenue increases averaging 22% year-over-year. Shona is an industry thought leader, passionate about revenue generation, driving profitability, focusing on the customer, and sales enablement.
Kyle Pfister
Vice President, Rental Operations, Silvercar by Audi
Kyle Pfister is the Vice President of Operations for Silvercar by Audi, the next-generation all-Audi rental car company. With a sleek mobile app, Silvercar offers a hassle-free, premium rental experience. Since joining Silvercar as a member of the founding team in 2012, Kyle has been involved in the launch and oversight of all Silvercar locations in the country. He is responsible for the day-to-day management and growth of the Silvercar rental operations, fleets, and world-class teams. By implementing best-in-class service, Kyle has led Silvercar to an industry-leading NPS score in the mid-80’s.
Kaio Philipe
North America Business Partner, Rentcars.com
With several years of experience developing digital strategies for the Consumer industries, Kaio was responsible for one of the oldest and largest domains for online travel in the world, Cheapflights.com. Prior, he implemented the metasearch concept in emerging markets, serving as a Director for Kayak.com (Booking Holdings). As a Search Engine specialist, Kaio worked for Baidu and Google - the two largest search sites in the globe. Prior to onboarding in the Search and Data fields, he spent his time helping CitiBank and Standard Chartered Investment banking divisions. As a professional entrepreneur, he founded a company to help the largest online travel businesses in the US to thrive with Big Data, including Rentcars.com; using Cloud, Data Science and Blockchain solutions for better decision making. Kaio studied Economics in Brazil. Later on, Data Science at Harvard University, Big Data at UC San Diego and Management & Marketing Analytics at MIT Sloan. He is also a candidate for Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development (alternative to an Executive Master).
John Possumato
President & CEO, DriveItAway
John F. Possumato, is a noted consultant, author and speaker in the automotive industry, and is the CEO of Driveitaway Inc, the first “dealer focused shared mobility” company, which provides a turn-key cloud platform and driver app, to facilitate profitable Mobility as a Service business options for car dealers. Both a serial automotive industry entrepreneur and a franchise owner veteran, Possumato has over 30 years of car industry leadership experience, having founded three other ground-breaking car industry focused companies. Possumato holds a J.D. from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. from the Wharton School.
Matheus Riolfi
Co-Founder and CEO, Tint.ai
Matheus is the Co-founder and CEO of Tint.ai. Before this, he was the Director of International Expansion at Turo and launched the company in Canada, UK, and Germany. He pioneered the operations, including designing risk management in different stages of the company and sourcing insurance in various countries. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a dual degree in business from University of São Paulo and Kedge Business School.
Andrew Rodriguez
Vice President, Automotive Solutions, Frontline Performance Group / fpg
Andrew Rodriguez is Vice President, Automotive Solutions with the Frontline Performance Group (fpg). For over three decades Andrew has led successful operational and sales teams in the Automotive, Car Rental and Staffing Industries.
Ben Rosenbloom
Vice President, ACT Leasing Services, Inc.
Ben is the Co-Founder and VP of ACT Leasing Services, a middle market vehicle leasing company serving daily car rental operators throughout the U.S. He is also the former co-owner of 5 Hertz car rental francise locations in Pennsylvania as well as Thrifty Car Rental franchises in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach, FL. He also previously held the title of Executive Director at Alamo Rent A Car. Ben has a BA from Colgate and an MBA from Wharton.
Jim Schalberg
Owner & Principal, Jim Schalberg Auto Rental Solutions
Jim Schalberg is a 40 year veteran of the retail automotive industry and has been involved in the rental end of the industry since the late 70’s. Jim is the owner and principal of Jim Schalberg Auto Rental Solutions and Schalberg.com a provider of training, services and products designed specifically to help his clients “Sell More Rental Days”. Jim’s 2018 Profit Builders program includes regional meetings as well as Live Web Workshops and Private Coaching Sessions.
Rich Sinda
General Manager, RES Enterprises Inc.
An automotive industry lifer, Rich Sinda is Vice President and General Manager of Hertz, Athens. Rich started his automotive career as a car washer at the Hertz franchise in August, GA. Upon his college graduation, Rich entered the automotive business full-time, working his way through all different aspects of a rental car operation.
Adam Steinberg
CEO & Co-Founder, Fetch
Adam Steinberg is CEO and co-founder of Fetch, a marketplace for self-service truck rental backed by Knoll Ventures, Avis Budget Group and Y Combinator. Prior to Fetch, Adam co-founded PlacePunch, a location-based marketing solution that served Fortune 1000 consumer brands and retailers. Silverpop acquired PlacePunch in 2011, where Adam served as Director, Emerging Apps. IBM acquired Silverpop in 2015 for a reported $300m. Before co-founding PlacePunch, Adam served in various product and marketing roles at early-stage startups. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Clemson University.
Ken Stellon
EVP & Partner, Strategic Initiatives, FPG
Ken Stellon leads FPGs’ strategic initiatives and product development efforts. He has nearly twenty years of experience in various sales, training and performance management roles within the hospitality, automotive and car rental industries. As a highly sought after speaker, he has presented FPG seminars to thousands of sales associates, managers and executives throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. He has gained valuable insights from leading brands like Hilton, Waldorf Astoria, Hertz, Avis Budget Group, Enterprise, Alamo-National, Virgin, AutoNation, Nissan, Universal Theme Parks and many other privately held businesses. He has written fifteen different articles on a wide variety of topics for Auto Rental News.
Ian Sweeney
SVP & GM, Trov Mobility
Ian Sweeney is an entrepreneurial business management expert specializing in early-stage product launches at technology companies. He has over 20 years of experience working with a broad range of enterprises including Dolby Labs and Taulia and tech product start-ups in the automotive and FinTech markets. At Trov, Sweeney manages growth and drives innovation in the emerging space of mobility insurance. Sweeney lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and two sons and serves as a mentor at SkyDeck Berkeley and a board member of the Montclair Soccer Club.
Anne Taylor
Sales Representative, Guidepoint
Anne has been in the GPS Tracking industry for 24 years. Anne focuses her efforts on providing advanced tracking technology to the rental car market, ensuring a full understanding of the needs of the industry, thereby providing a solution that provides a positive return on investment. Anne has served on many Board of Directors including the Association for Car and Truck Independent and Franchisees, Truckload Carriers Association. Anne has a university degree from Trent University and lives in Toronto.
Gary Tucker
CEO, Zubie
Gary Tucker is a 30-year veteran of the automotive industry and CEO of the telematics platform provider Zubie. Prior to joining Zubie he was CEO of the automotive review site DealerRater where he guided the company’s growth and led a founder transition resulting in a successful exit for investors as DealerRater was acquired by Cars.com in August of last year. Prior to that, Gary was a senior executive with J.D. Power and Associates (JDPA) for 12-plus years. During his tenure there he held several roles including senior vice president, global product management and marketing, a position in which he established the company’s first product and strategic marketing organization. He also was instrumental in the global growth of the services sector for JDPA and previously led its automotive client services team. Earlier in his career, Gary was vice president of marketing and product planning for American Isuzu Motors Inc. and also held various sales and marketing positions at GE Capital Auto Financial Services, including as business leader of their Canadian unit, GE Capital Autolease Canada, located in Mississauga, Ontario. He spent the first 10 years of his automotive career working in the retail automotive industry in the Northeast. Gary studied engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and earned an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Brian Walsh
Founder, Sofiac
Brian Walsh is a technology executive and entrepreneur that remains highly technical by performing active technical roles in his organizations and companies. Brian is a vibrant caring person, encouraging and inspiring others in the pursuit of happiness.
Andy Wilson
President, UNITED MileFleet
Andy Wilson, President of UNITED MileFleet, has spent the last 23 years working for some of the biggest names in the vehicle rental industry including Enterprise, Budget, Toyota and United Rental Group. In 2015 Andy arrived in the USA with a remit to launch and build United Rental Group’s USA business. Setting up a small office in South Florida the business grew substantially and in 2018 acquired MileFleet. UNITED MileFleet now offers vehicle acquisition through lease and purchase to the independent vehicle rental industry right across the USA. Andy’s passion is to help the independent vehicle rental sector compete in all market sectors and the recent launch of the UNITED MileFleet Partner Program brings big company support and access to products and services at exclusive Partner rates. Andy is married with two young children and lives in South Florida.
