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.

Paulo Gaba

CEO Brazil, Europcar Brasil

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.

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.   

Richard Lowden

CEO & Founder, Green Motion International

Richard Lowden is recognized as one of the world's most experienced leaders in the field of vehicle rental franchising, having spent the last 25 years developing 100% franchised brands both on a European and worldwide basis. Launched in 2007, Green Motion has become the largest fully franchised vehicle rental system throughout North & Central America, Europe and the Middle East. Creating Green Motion's eco brand along with the introduction of the latest technologies Richard was able to cause major disruption, developing clear space within what is considered to be a very congested and competitive sector. Richard remains focused on developing Green Motion to be at the forefront of the new era of mobility.

Arun Rajagopalan

Co-Founder & CEO , Motorq

Arun is the co-founder and CEO at Motorq, a connected-car data and analytics platform company. 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 a passionate engineer and data scientist, and started his career at Bosch in Detroit, writing algorithms for 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.

Gregory M. Scott

President, GAVDA

Greg Scott is the Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Vehicle Data Access.  GAVDA is a diverse group of global stakeholders and thought leaders united by the common goal of ensuring the right of private and commercial motor vehicle owners to maintain control over their personal and vehicle-generated data.  GAVDA’s primary goal is to be achieved by preserving and enhancing the current vehicle data environment of open, secure, technology-neutral, and direct access by vehicle owners to real-time data.  Greg is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and lobbyist with over 35 years of experience representing clients and trade associations before Congress and the federal administrative agencies.

Chris Brown

Executive Editor, Auto Rental News

Chris Brown is the executive editor of Business Fleet Magazine and Auto Rental News for Bobit Business Media. Through these publications, online newsletters, trade events and associations, Chris covers all aspects of the fleet world, including fleet management, manufacturer fleet activities, the fleet leasing industry, vehicle remarketing, rental industry news, car rental taxation and legislation as well as automotive environmental initiatives and trends. Chris is actively involved in the National Vehicle Leasing Association and produces the Car Rental Show. Chris is relied on as industry resource in matters relating to car rental by major media outlets such as the Washington Post, New York Times and National Public Radio.

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.

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

Owner, Bernal and Associates

Bernal and Associates, founded in 1991, specializes in the management and consulting of group benefits, WC, business insurance and Property & Casualty.  The agency evolved and now specializes in the automotive business.  We evaluate risks by detailed review of loss and claims history, finding deficiencies and exposures in policy coverages that accompany the inherent risks within this highly competitive ever-changing industry.  I became active in the Auto Rental Association of South Florida serving as a Director and have been acting Vice President since 2013.  In addition, we are in association with Auto Rental Solutions providing consulting, training of Rental Agents to maximize the sales of Ancillary products, proper qualification procedures for renters, innovative ideas for maximizing rental days and increasing operator’s income streams.   

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.      

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.

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.

Sharon Faulkner

Executive Director, American Car Rental Association (ACRA)

Sharon Faulkner is the Executive Director of the American Car Rental Association. She has been involved with the car rental industry since the 1970’s. She was the owner/operator of Thrifty and Dollar Rent A Car in Albany, NY for over a decade and worked with corporate Avis/Budget Group before becoming the director of ACRA. She has been a board member of each national car rental association and has always been very involved with the legislation that affects the car rental industry. Sharon advocates extensively to promote sensible legislation on both a national and state level.

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.

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.

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.

Wes Hurst

Attorney, Polsinelli

Wes Hurst is an attorney with a nationwide Mobility and Vehicle Use Practice. He represents rental car companies, carsharing companies, automobile manufacturers and companies pursuing new and emerging business models related to mobility and the use of vehicles. Wes is a frequent speaker and author on mobility related topics. 

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.

Richard Lowden

CEO & Founder, Green Motion International

Richard Lowden is recognized as one of the world's most experienced leaders in the field of vehicle rental franchising, having spent the last 25 years developing 100% franchised brands both on a European and worldwide basis. Launched in 2007, Green Motion has become the largest fully franchised vehicle rental system throughout North & Central America, Europe and the Middle East. Creating Green Motion's eco brand along with the introduction of the latest technologies Richard was able to cause major disruption, developing clear space within what is considered to be a very congested and competitive sector. Richard remains focused on developing Green Motion to be at the forefront of the new era of mobility.

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.

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.

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).

Leslie Pujo

Attorney, Plave Koch

Leslie Pujo is attorney with Plave Koch. Leslie’s practice focuses on two primary areas – vehicle rental law and franchise law. Leslie also oversees the editing and publication of the Federal and State Guide to Vehicle Rental Law. Leslie was in-house franchise counsel at a publicly-traded hotel franchising company and also was an associate at a large, Washington, D.C. law firm. In addition, Leslie previously served as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School and the University of Maryland University College.

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. 

David Purinton

President, PurCo Fleet Services, Inc.

David’s extensive involvement in loss recovery spans more than twenty-five years and he is an established and respected veteran across many industries.  He has been a featured speaker at many national conventions and was a founding member, and currently serves as secretary, of the Utah/Idaho Car and Truck Rental and Leasing Association.  With over 30 years' experience in the auto rental industry, his resume includes regional management for two national car rental companies, on-site computer software training for the auto rental industry, and independent risk management consulting. His articles on risk management have appeared in industry journals. In 1993, David and wife Jeanne founded PurCo Fleet Services and dedicated themselves to making the vehicle rental industry more productive, profitable, and attractive to customers. Since its inception, PurCo has become the nation's largest independent vehicle rental claims management company. 

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.

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.

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.

Emily Slaby

Manager, Franchise Fleet Program, The Hertz Corporation

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.