Tag Archives: 2020 award

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

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.

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

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.

2020 IPMI Professional Excellence Award- Customer Service: Barbara Sails

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.

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

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.