Leadership

Parkpliant, a leading provider of parking compliance and conversion services, is pleased to announce that Rebecca Groth has joined the company as Director of Sales and Marketing. With more than a decade of experience in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry, Rebecca brings a proven track record of driving revenue growth, building strategic partnerships, and parking enforcement expertise across both public and private sectors.

Jared Wright (UNC) will serve as President for the 2026 and 2027 terms. Wright most recently served as Vice President and co-chair of the Education Planning Committee. He has been a member of the CPMA Board since 2022.  Rick Boucher, Jr. (UNC Charlotte) has been selected to serve as Vice President and will continue to co-chair the Education Planning Committee alongside Grant Harris. Boucher has served CPMA since 2025.  Vanessa Weston (Clemson University) will serve as Treasurer for a third consecutive year. Weston has been an active member of CPMA since 2024.  Grant Harris (UNC Greensboro) will continue to serve CPMA as Secretary and will also co-chair the Education Planning Committee. Harris has served CPMA since 2025.  Committee Appointments: Conference Planning Committee: Bill Foster, CAPP (City of Greenville, SC); Tina Reid, CPP (Pivot Parking); Vendor Outreach: Geoffrey Posluszny (Walker Consultants); Brian Favela, Ed.D (University of South Carolina); Membership Planning and Outreach: Clint Joy (Get My Parking); Geoffrey Posluszny (Walker Consultants)  We are also pleased to announce the return of Lindsey Harris (UNC Charlotte), who has volunteered to chair CPMA’s Special Committee on Information Systems.  Finally, CPMA is excited to continue working with DCM Management’s Dawn Marti and Jessica Layton, whose ongoing support helps strengthen our association and annual conference.

When I tell people I run operations for a parking authority, I get that look, the polite smile, the raised brow, and the unspoken, “Wait… really? Parking?” Fair question. For over 20 years, I was deep in healthcare construction, overseeing $85 million expansions, building out senior living campuses (complete with their own utility plants), and managing environments where failure was never an option. So how did I end up managing curbs, license plate readers, and debates about whether people should back into spaces? Simple: I said yes. Yes to a new challenge. Yes to an industry most people overlook. And yes to discovering that parking isn’t just about asphalt and meters, it’s about movement. It’s about infrastructure, logistics, and how cities actually breathe. At my first IPMI convention in Louisville, somewhere between a smart mobility panel and a tasting table (it was Kentucky, after all), I realized: this isn’t a detour. It’s a new lane entirely, one that blends engineering with community trust, operations with real human behavior. I even found myself explaining why you can’t throw a rooftop party on a parking deck (people move around more than 4,000-pound vehicles). That’s parking: where physics meets people, and strategy gets tested by reality. So if you’ve ever wondered whether your skills can leap industries, here’s your sign. Sometimes, the best opportunities don’t shine. Sometimes, they just look like a parking spot. Mark Toro, PTMP, is the Deputy Director of Allentown Parking Authority. Mark can be reached at mtoro@allentownparking.com.

Atlanta, GA – Get My Parking (GMP), a global leader in smart parking and mobility software, announced the appointment of Melinda Alonzo, PTMP, as Executive Director of Customer Success & Campus Mobility, North America. Based in Atlanta, Alonzo will join GMP’s North American Customer Success organization while driving the development of a dedicated Campus Mobility Vertical, expanding the company’s focus in university mobility. Alonzo’s appointment reflects GMP’s conviction that customer success is inseparable from operational execution and long-term growth. In her role, she will support adoption, retention, and expansion across GMP’s customer base, working closely with internal product and key account management teams to ensure GMP’s hardware-agnostic solutions deliver measurable results across diverse gated and gateless commercial and campus environments. With nearly 30 years of experience in parking, transportation, and mobility, Alonzo brings deep, hands-on expertise shaped by both private-sector operations and large-scale, complex campus environments. She began her career building a strong operational foundation supporting commercial properties in a rapidly growing urban market, where evolving land use, tenant expectations, and infrastructure constraints demanded practical, service-oriented solutions for building owners and managers. She then spent several impactful years at Arizona State University, where she played a pivotal role in managing and modernizing parking and transportation operations across four campuses during a period of significant institutional and regional growth. Her responsibilities as Senior Director, Parking and Transit Services, included overseeing 26,000 parking spaces, a 25-vehicle intercampus fleet, and transportation services supporting more than 90,000 students. Most recently, Alonzo served as Senior Director of Parking and Transportation at Georgia Tech, leading multimodal mobility programs for a major urban research university. Throughout her career, Alonzo has been recognized for championing technology-enabled improvements, optimizing operational workflows, and leading high-performing, service-oriented teams. She has managed self-funded auxiliary operations, overseen complex vendor and PARCS ecosystems, and guided major system transitions. Her leadership has been formally recognized at the industry level: she was named IPMI Parking Professional of the Year in 2016, and the Arizona State University parking program under her leadership was awarded IPMI’s Parking Organization of the Year in 2017. These distinctions reflect both individual excellence and organizational leadership at scale. “Melinda brings exactly the kind of operational credibility and execution mindset this role requires,” said Joe Mollish, Vice President, Customer Success, North America. “She understands what it takes to deliver results for private operators and complex institutions alike. Her leadership strengthens our Customer Success organization while accelerating the expansion of a University Mobility Vertical built for real-world execution.” “Universities represent one of the most complex and dynamic mobility environments in the market,” said Chirag Jain, CEO of Get My Parking. “Melinda’s experience, leadership style, and standing across the higher-education and operator communities alike make her uniquely qualified to help GMP become the trusted mobility platform for campuses worldwide—without losing sight of the operational rigor our operator clients expect.” “What matters most to operators and campuses is protecting what already works while getting ready for what’s next,” said Alonzo. “Get My Parking lets clients modernize by building on the technology they already have, minimizing disruption and being thoughtful about capital. That leads to better operations and outcomes, and better experiences for the people who use these facilities every day.” Alonzo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Arizona and is a Parking & Transportation Mobility Professional (PTMP). She remains actively engaged across the parking and mobility community through industry organizations, advisory forums, and peer leadership initiatives. About Get My Parking Get My Parking (GMP) is a global software leader transforming smart parking with IoT, AI, and cloud-based automation. GMP’s AI-powered, hardware-agnostic, CAPEX-light platform is redefining how operators and partners modernize existing PARCS infrastructure. Its white-labeled, mobile-enabled solutions unify legacy and new hardware, software, and systems on a single digital platform, enabling real-time management and seamless interoperability across thousands of facilities. Designed for the future of mobility with app-based and app-free capacities, GMP integrates with EV charging, connected vehicles, and shared mobility hubs, helping operators streamline their operations and elevate user experiences. GMP’s solutions are live across 5 continents, 15 countries, and 4,100+ facilities. Learn more at https://www.getmyparking.com/

Chicago, IL – Ocra announced the appointment of James Hansen as Head of Partnerships. Hansen will be instrumental in leading strategic partnerships as the company scales its AI-powered parking revenue management platform across the hotel industry. Hansen brings more than 25 years of experience in hospitality and hotel management, with a career spanning sales, marketing, operations, and finance. He has a proven track record of exceeding revenue, growth, profitability, and return objectives for hotel asset owners while driving strategic partnerships and market expansion. Most recently, Hansen focused on strategic growth initiatives as Vice President of Development at Reeco, where he drove unprecedented growth in ARR and customer acquisition while positioning the company as the leading AI-driven procure-to-pay solution in the industry. Prior, he served as Chief Development Officer at OTH Hotels & Resorts, where he led the growth and development of a portfolio of 15+ hotels across the United States. His previous roles include leadership positions at Hotel Equities, Kolter Hospitality, and Interstate Hotels & Resorts, where he developed deep insight into hotel ownership, management, and operational realities. In his new role at Ocra, Hansen will focus on building and expanding partnerships with hotel asset owners as Ocra propels into its high-growth phase. His appointment underscores Ocra’s commitment to helping hotels unlock incremental, high-margin revenue from underutilized parking assets through AI-powered revenue management and global inventory distribution. “After meeting James at an industry conference a few years ago, it was clear that he understood the value Ocra drives in the hospitality sector,” says Ethan Glass, CEO & Co-Founder of Ocra. “We first had the pleasure of working with James when he was at OTH Hotels & Resorts as a client, then we saw the incredible impact he made on the technology side at Reeco. When the opportunity presented itself for us to bring James on board, it was a no brainer. He’s been an extraordinary champion from the start, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him on our team.” “I’m beyond excited to join such an elite team of thought leaders and a company that is truly leading innovation in the space,” says James Hansen, Head of Partnerships. “I’ve been an advocate for Ocra for nearly two years now. Parking is a massive ancillary revenue stream and profit center for hotels, and one that’s been overlooked for too long. I’m excited to help the industry recognize and maximize this untapped opportunity to grow NOI.” Hansen’s hire indicates momentum for Ocra expanding its footprint in the hotel sector, partnering with assets to unlock parking as a high-margin revenue stream through hands-on revenue management, sophisticated software, robust platform integrations, and AI-driven pricing strategies. About Ocra Ocra is an AI-powered Revenue Management System (RMS) and Global Distribution System (GDS) purpose-built for hotel parking assets. Hotels use Ocra to sell underutilized parking inventory to non-guest customers using online marketplaces ("parking OTAs") to find parking near airports, venues, and other hotspots. Ocra's team of parking revenue management experts drives growth without adding labor or disrupting operations, helping hotels increase net operating income (NOI) while never compromising guest parking. 20+ hotel groups partner with Ocra to achieve optimum yield of their parking assets – including MCR, Starwood Capital Group, Aimbridge, Stonebridge, Highwood Properties, Concord Hospitality, and OTH Hotels & Resorts. Ocra has raised $10M in strategic funding to date – $3.5M in an oversubscribed round in April 2024 led by MCR and Parker Technology, and $5M led by Trestle Partners with significant follow-on from MCR in August 2025. For more information, visit getocra.com or email info@getocra.com. Media Contact: Sarah Becherer VP, Marketing Ocra sarah@getocra.com

Seattle, WA — Turnstone, the leading provider of parking and mobility data insights and planning solutions, announced that Cole Jaillet has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Jaillet will lead Turnstone’s strategic vision, product innovation, and continued expansion as the company helps parking owners, operators, and municipalities better understand and optimize how parking assets are used. In 2025, Turnstone demonstrated unprecedented growth, tripling its client base. “Data is the essential ingredient to successful parking planning in the 2020s, and Turnstone sits at the intersection of data, mobility, and the built environment,” said Jaillet. “I’m excited to step into this role and continue working with our talented team to deliver the clarity and intelligence that public and private owners and operators need to make better decisions about parking and transportation.” Since joining Turnstone, Jaillet has played a key role in the company’s extraordinary growth. His leadership has focused on translating complex parking data into actionable insights that support smarter planning, improved operations, and stronger financial performance. Jaillet joined Turnstone in September 2024 as Executive Vice President. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Product at Passport Parking, where he led product strategy and development. “Turnstone’s remarkable growth is indicative of the vital role data plays in the parking and mobility industry today,” said Jaillet. “Cities and private owners and operators face increasing pressure to reduce costs and operate more efficiently, and Turnstone helps by providing real-world insights that can be turned into actionable management and policy decisions.” Jaillet is a resident of Charlestown, Massachusetts. About Turnstone Turnstone is a leading provider of advanced parking data insights that help cities and private operators understand how parking assets are actually used. By turning raw mobility data into clear, actionable insights, Turnstone enables smarter planning, better policy decisions, and more efficient use of existing infrastructure. Learn more at www.turnstonedata.com.

Why cities must stop circling the issue and start rethinking the role of parking in public life

San Diego, CA — EnSight Technologies, a leading provider of parking, mobility, and smart-infrastructure solutions, announced the appointment of Julianne Wilhelm as its new Director of Marketing. Wilhelm is a highly respected marketing leader who brings deep experience in parking and mobility marketing. She joins EnSight from Flowbird America, where she served as Vice President of Marketing for the U.S. “We are thrilled to welcome Julianne to EnSight,” said Chris Scheppmann, Managing Partner of EnSight Technologies. “Her proven track record as a marketing strategist and leader, and deep knowledge of the parking industry, will be instrumental as we accelerate our growth and bring next-generation parking solutions to markets worldwide.” In her new role at EnSight, Wilhelm will lead the company’s global marketing strategy, overseeing brand development, go-to-market planning, customer communications, and demand generation across EnSight’s expanding portfolio of smart transportation and mobility software, parking guidance technology, and smart analytics platforms. “I’m honored to join EnSight at such a pivotal time,” said Wilhelm. “Since the company was founded in 2018, it has been working to transform the parking industry, helping it become smarter, more flexible, and customer-centric. I’m excited to help shape EnSight’s story and bring those solutions to parking owners, operators, and institutions on the forefront of the smart parking and mobility revolution.” EnSight Technologies is one of the parking and mobility industry’s most innovative and fastest growing companies. Since its founding as a parking guidance technology trailblazer, the company has grown to a smart parking and mobility leader providing the industry’s most advanced integrated systems encompassing parking guidance, EV-charging management, real-time analytics, and curb/curbside management. About EnSight Technologies EnSight Technologies is a parking technology company that has set out to simplify parking guidance with smart technology. EnSight’s smart, simple and scalable technology ecosystem provides a cost-effective parking guidance alternative to parking owners and operators of all sizes. The company can be found on the Internet at www.ensight-technologies.com. Media Contact: Bill Smith Smith Phillips Strategic Communications (603) 491-4280 bsmith@smith-phillips.com

United States — Cleverciti®, the global leader in AI-powered curb and parking intelligence, is proud to announce that Tobias (“Tobi”) Marx has joined the company as Director of Client Success, North America. Marx will report directly to Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) Sonny Samra, strengthening Cleverciti’s rapidly expanding North American leadership team. Tobi brings with him a distinguished track record from his role as Parking Services Division Manager for the City of Bend, Oregon, where he emerged as one of the most forward-thinking and innovative mobility leaders in the industry. During his tenure, he transformed Bend’s curbside and parking operations through a holistic, data-driven management system—improving efficiency, elevating the user experience, and laying the foundation for the city's parking and mobility initiatives. His leadership in Bend helped redefine how cities can blend technology, data, and user-centric design to create more livable communities. In his new position at Cleverciti, Tobi will oversee all North American Client Success functions, ensuring that cities, universities, and parking operators realize the full value of Cleverciti’s intelligent guidance, detection, and curb optimization technologies. His mandate includes client onboarding, long-term performance management, operational transformation, and strategic partnership support. Sonny Samra, CRO, shared his enthusiasm for the appointment: “Tobi represents exactly the kind of visionary leadership shaping the future of mobility. He has lived the challenges that cities face, and he knows what it takes to turn bold ideas into meaningful operational impact. His experience, passion, and commitment to people-first mobility will play an instrumental role in helping our partners unlock the full potential of intelligent curb management.” David Parker, CEO added: “We are building something extraordinary at Cleverciti—technology that not only helps cities run more efficiently but fundamentally transforms how people move through their communities. His arrival marks an exciting new chapter for our clients across North America.” With the addition of Tobi Marx, Cleverciti deepens its commitment to delivering intelligent, sustainable, and user-focused curb and parking solutions that help communities thrive. Cleverciti continues its strong growth trajectory across North America, serving leading organizations including LADOT; Miami Parking Authority; West Palm Beach, Florida; Bend, Oregon; Redwood City, California; Toronto and Montréal, Canada; and more than 200 global deployments, including major installations in London, Cologne, Paderborn, Gelsenkirchen, and Dublin’s iconic Liffey Valley Shopping Center. As a leader in intelligent parking technologies, Cleverciti increases parking efficiencies while reducing traffic and emissions, creating a convenient, stress-free parking experience. The Cleverciti platform includes the CleverPortal, Cleverciti Sensor, the Cleverciti Circ, the Cleverciti Sign, Cleverciti App, and more. For more information, visit www.cleverciti.com.

Successful transformation, whether operational, technological, or cultural, depends on one thing above all else: communication. In times of significant change, leaders must balance strategy and empathy, ensuring that every message, decision, and adjustment keeps their teams and customers aligned toward a shared vision.

Leadership isn’t defined by volume; it’s defined by impact. Whether you lead with quiet reflection or energetic enthusiasm, understanding and embracing your natural style can unlock new levels of influence and effectiveness.

Every parking structure has a maximum capacity, and so does every leader. When a leader's cognitive capacity is "full," the team experiences "gridlock." This session uses simple, relatable analogies to show how a leader's unseen stress translates into measurable team problems like inconsistency, high anxiety, and staff turnover. We will provide practical tools—like the 3-Point Clarity Check and the Refuel Protocol—to help