Tag Archives: recognition

Recognition & Awards, Resources

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award- Marketing: Melissa Maraj-Bubela

Leave a comment

Melissa_Marja_BubelaMelissa Maraj-Bubela

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Texas A&M Transportation Service

The Texas A&M University Transportation Services Marketing and Communications unit is a powerhouse of creativity charged with safeguarding the public image, promoting services, and telling the university’s story. As manager of this unit, Melissa Maraj-Bubela leads the marketing and communications charge for one of the largest parking and transportations operations on any college campus in the country.

Maraj-Bubela joined the department in 2015. Since then, the department has garnered national and international recognition, including being awarded an IPMI Parking Matters Marketing & Communications Award for three consecutive years. She manages two websites and two mobile apps that target nearly 200,000 combined users each year. She also oversees seven social media platforms, leads branding and image campaigns, and maintains media relationships and media inquiries, community relations, and public engagement.

Throughout her time with the department, Maraj-Bubela has been at the forefront of the department’s most impactful initiatives, successfully spearheading the communications and media outreach for noteworthy campaigns such as the rollout of the largest bike-share program for a university and the implementation of the first U.S. Dutch-style unsignalized and glow-in-dark intersection installed on a university campus.

She has also led the implementation of the university’s Donations for Citations initiative and collaborated with the university’s Football Thursday gameday communications committee, which resulted in unprecedented social media engagement for the university, international media coverage, and university-wide recognition. Furthermore, she has participated in some of the university’s most notable events, providing communications support for events such as the 2017 Hurricane Harvey response and the George H.W. and Barbara Bush interments. ,

Recognition & Awards, Resources

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award- Operations: Carol Yeager

Leave a comment

Carol_YeagerCarol Yeager

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE IV
Texas A&M University Transportation Services,
Parking Services

Carol Yeager has been with Texas A&M Transportation Services since 2008, and has single-handedly created a culture of service toward its personnel and is universally admired and respected. Every year she is a top nominee and frequent winner of the department’s Shining Star awards, which recognize selfless service and commitment to the department’s mission. She is known for her characteristic humor and good nature.

Yeager’s duties include serving as the manager’s administrative assistant and assisting with daily office support activities for eight other supervisors and managerial staff. In addition to routine administrative duties, she is responsible for her internal “customers,” the enforcement staff, and orders the uniforms for 56 full-time employees. Additionally, she is active with departmental committees and has served as the unit’s representative for university-wide fundraisers. Every year she is a key committee member and contributor toward the department’s two major awards and years of service recognition events.

On football game days, when work shifts often last up to 18 hours, her excellent prior planning ensures that supplies are available and ready for distribution. She arranges for box lunches, (frequently delivering them to each post) and then a full meal for all officers once the game begins. She assists in serving all meals and cleaning up after. Without Yeager in this role, the department would be unable to function so seamlessly, providing support to over 100,000 football fans and 50,000 tailgaters seven times a year.

Yeager also assists during the annual move-in event, welcoming about 10,000 new students each fall semester. She supports the officers as they often work 12-hour days. Yeager is also the primary expense account holder, making the purchasing decisions for the unit regarding all supplies, equipment, services, and uniforms. She was instrumental in the recent purchase of three T3 mobile systems, working directly with the vendor, the department, and the Texas A&M Finance and Operations Division. When the vehicles arrived, she performed inspections and received user training.

Yeager also recently enabled the Parking Services unit to drastically improve its key control program. She assisted in the selection, acquisition, and purchase of a digital system that enables the unit to track, control, and maintain accountability of about 100 sets of keys for the vehicles, offices, and facilities managed by the unit.

Recognition & Awards, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award – Operations: Corrine O’Connor

Leave a comment

Corinne_OConnorCorrine O’Connor

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Philadelphia Parking Authority

In May 1990, Corrine O’Connor started her career at the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) in Pennsylvania as a parking enforcement officer. Over the years, she worked her way up and now serves as deputy executive director. She led four major projects last year that led to the integration of many customer conveniences. First, she led the roll-out of meterUP, a mobile payment application that has had over 5 million transactions and approximately 440,000 downloads. MeterUP accounts for roughly 30 percent of the parking authority’s meter revenue.

The PPA procured and began installation of new touch screen kiosks in Center City. Ultimately, over 8,000 single-head meters throughout the city will be replaced, along with 2,000 older kiosks.

The conversion of ticketing and enforcement was a major initiative and automates the towing and booting processes. O’Connor spearheaded the strategic thinking necessary to craft new solutions to a very complicated system that has been in place for over 35 years.

The PPA was tasked with overseeing the installation of speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard, one of the deadliest highways in the country. Last year, a vendor was selected and the cameras installed. The program has been married with the red light camera enforcement program already administered by the PPA.

O’Connor has testified before the city council and provided input into many ordinances involving on-street regulation. She has also testified before a state Senate committee regarding taxi enforcement, which is part of the PPA’s responsibilities. She has provided input into various proposed state laws regarding license-plate recognition; traffic cameras; taxi, limo, and transportation network companies; and ride-sharing.

The PPA is also preparing various technologies to assist with managing the curb. O’Connor is on several committees for related projects that include an ability to monitor truck loading zones, create and enforce demand pricing, and provide an application to determine real-time availability.

Recognition & Awards, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award- Finance: Kenneth Kimball, CAPP

Leave a comment

Kenneth KimballKenneth Kimball, CAPP

DIRECTOR, FISCAL AFFAIRS, HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL, IT DEVELOPMENT, IT SUPPORT
Texas A&M University, Transportation Service

Kenneth “Kenny” Kimball, CAPP, is chief compliance officer and chief finance officer, Texas A&M University Transportation Services, managing a budget of $50 million, directing the IT development and support unit, and overseeing the human resources manager and staff. He also volunteers in his church and community and for Texas A&M, leading a university committee of business administrators.

Kimball is frequently called upon by peer universities, undergraduates, and graduate students to lend help and solutions to their problems or projects. He recently wrote a comprehensive, instructive article for Parking & Mobility magazine, “Financial Success in a University Environment,” in which he outlined how to create a successful financial plan.

Kimball took the lead for his department in undertaking becoming an APO with Distinction. He met with all of the units to lay out expectations and tirelessly gathered and organized thousands of documents.

His plans help his department thrive even in lean times. In one example, Transportation Services was faced with an aging bus fleet and limited financial resources for replacement. Kimball identified a bus company to serve as a partner and led a significant cost-saving venture to remanufacture the fleet. A new bus costs about $450,000 and takes about two years to build. Remanufacturing usually takes less than a year and saves hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As the department financial adviser, Kimball’s goal is to always make sure leadership has the information needed to make sound fiscal decisions. His strength is projecting what the budgets will look like in the future and creating good models. He is also talented at building models that factor in the many challenges of budgeting for auxiliary services in a university environment. He has an intuitive sense for planning for the unknown, based on his vast experience with the many constraints a government entity is bound to produce. His presentations to propose rate, policy, and infrastructure changes are always based on a careful look at the big picture, constraints, and future projections.

Recently, he was placed on a university-level task force to explore how recent changes to federal tax law will affect parking benefits for staff and faculty.

Recognition & Awards, Resources

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award- Customer Service: Barbara Sails

Leave a comment

Barbara SailsBarbara Sails

AMBASSADOR
REEF Parking

Barbara Sails has spent over six years providing the highest quality of customer service for patients and visitors to the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Ky. The center is Kentucky’s National Cancer Institute-designated center.

As an ambassador, Sails interacts with dozens of patients and visitors daily. Her interactions are key to a frictionless visit, with most patients arriving for chemotherapy or radiation appointments. Sails is mindful of and sensitive to patients’ emotional state and always takes the time to listen as they share news and updates. One of her tasks is to assist with wayfinding and guidance, and her knowledge of the center is especially helpful for new patients trying to navigate their way around.

Sails’ friendly face, demeanor, and emphatic approach helps soften a frightening period in people’s lives. The job can be emotionally difficult as patients tell her about unsuccessful courses of treatment. This role requires a genuinely kind and caring person like Sails to handle the daily interactions.

Sails’ service makes a difference. She has been nominated for the Markey Difference Maker Award, which recognizes the above-and-beyond dedication and talent of those who go about the business of treating cancer patients, finding efficiencies in business procedures, improving working conditions.

Recognition & Awards, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

2020 IPMI Emerging Leader of the Year: Megan Leinart, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C

Leave a comment

Megan LeinartMegan Leinart, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C

PRESIDENT
Leinart Consulting

Megan Leinart, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C, is president of Leinart Consulting, a professional services marketing and consulting firm specializing in the parking, commercial real estate, and professional services industries. She has over 13 years of experience in the parking industry, working with both public and private organizations. She is a LEED Accredited Professional, as well as a Parksmart Advisor through the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). She is also an APO site reviewer.

Leinart has served in numerous leadership positions throughout her career; she is a member of IPMI’s Sustainability Committee, a past member of the IPMI Research Committee, and a past member of the Pennsylvania Parking Association board. She was the marketing chair for the Green Parking Council (now Parksmart/USGBC); a board member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Philadelphia Chapter; and a board member of the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Association.

Leinart has served on the IPMI Sustainability Committee for a number of years. In that role, she has spoken at numerous state, regional, and national conferences, educating attendees on the latest sustainability trends, technologies, and advancements in the industry.

Leinart co-founded IPMI’s Young Professionals in Parking (YPIP). She has also been very involved in the commercial real estate industry, specifically with the Urban Land Institute, where she has worked to highlight the advancements of the parking, transportation, and mobility industry. She served as membership chair and young leader chair for the Urban Land Institute Philadelphia Chapter, as well as a vice chair for its national Urban Development and Mixed-Use Council. She has also contributed articles on parking to Urban Land magazine.

Her background in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry includes experiences in a wide range of areas, including planning, design, and construction, as well as operations and management.

Recognition & Awards, Resources, Transportation & Mobility

2020 IPMI Parking Organization of the Year: Philadelphia Parking Authority

Leave a comment

Philadelphia Parking Authority

Philadelphia Parking Authority

The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) in Pennsylvania serves the parking needs of the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with more than 1.5 million residents. The PPA—which has achieved an Accredited Parking Organization with Distinction designation—recently developed a three-year strategic plan, with the goal to advance economic development and improve quality of life while reducing the environmental impacts of single-occupant vehicle use.

Read more about our 2020 Parking Organization of the Year here.

The PPA is dedicated to implementing the latest parking, transportation, and mobility technologies to enhance user experience and improve efficiency for employees. In 2017, the PPA implemented its new mobile parking payment app, meterUP, which has transformed how residents and visitors interact with parking. Users can pay for parking with their smartphone, which notifies them before their session expires. They can also end their sessions early and receive a refund for unused time.

The PPA recently updated its towing system, allowing for complete automation of the towing process through handheld devices. The devices can send assignments directly to tow truck drivers, while parking enforcement officers (PEOs) can request a tow. This system has helped improve the jobs of PEOs and tow truck drivers, while creating a more safe and efficient process.

To provide a paradigm shift to the meaning of enforcement, PEOs now provide drivers with written reminders when their vehicle registrations expire (given in the first 15 days of the month). This allows the public to see officers from a different perspective and provides education, not punitive action, with the goal of improving public safety.

PPA Executive Director Scott Petri has created a podcast aimed at informing the community of the PPA’s efforts. He interviews employees about PPA initiatives so the public can better understand projects, programs, and technology.

The PPA has worked with the city to implement its Sustainability Action Plan, focusing on enhanced recycling; reducing waste, energy, and emissions; and conserving water. The PPA has implemented sustainability initiatives throughout its facilities and management procedures, including using low-emitting and fuel-efficient fleet vehicles, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and halon-free fire suppression systems. It has also implemented parking guidance systems, electric-vehicle charging stations, tire inflation stations, and off-street bike racks. The PPA is also working with Philadelphia’s regional transit agency, SEPTA, to address congestion along bus routes. PEOs conduct targeted enforcement in bus lanes to reduce traffic delays, congestion, and the resulting emissions.

The PPA is responsible for a number of unique tasks in Philadelphia that are not typically the responsibility of municipal parking authorities. These revolve mostly around community safety. The city participates in the Vision Zero Network, an international initiative aimed at reducing the number of injuries and deaths from traffic collisions each year.

The PPA takes part by managing red-light and speed-camera enforcement, identifying the most dangerous intersections, installing signage, and conducting community outreach to encourage traffic calming. This initiative has helped modify the city’s curb behavior and resulted in a significant drop in violations at these locations. In addition, the PPA supports bicycle mobility and collaborates with the local Bicycle Coalition. In fiscal year 2019, 5,438 tickets were written to enforce clearing bike lanes.

The PPA’s unique combination of responsibilities highlights its ability to manage the comprehensive nature of this changing industry, with the integration of transportation and mobility initiatives.