Leadership

Which Will Continue to Shape the Industry?

Which Will Continue to Shape the Industry?

Los Angeles, CA — Ocra, the leading provider of parking revenue management software, announces the appointment of Chris Elliston as Chief Revenue Officer. Elliston joins the company at a pivotal moment of rapid growth, bringing a wealth of experience in scaling businesses and leading high-performing teams within the parking and technology sectors. Elliston most recently served as Chief Revenue Officer at ParkHub (now JustPark), where he helped lead the company to national prominence over his eight-year tenure. In his new role, Elliston will oversee Ocra's revenue-generating functions – including sales, partnerships, and client success – with a focus on sustainable growth. As the company continues its upward trajectory, Elliston will play a key role in expanding Ocra's market presence and advancing its mission to serve as a trusted, vendor-neutral partner – what the company calls the "Switzerland" of the parking industry. “This is unequivocally the best time in Ocra’s history,” says Ethan Glass, CEO & Co-Founder, “and Chris Elliston is the perfect person to take us to the next level. We’re very excited to welcome him to our team. For years, I've personally known him to be an innovator and a tremendous leader. He has ‘seen the movie before’ and is uniquely qualified to execute on Ocra’s potential." “It's clear to me that Ocra is a company with enormous potential to transform not just the parking industry, but adjacent industries as well,” says Elliston. "Parking is a high-margin revenue stream that, when optimized, has a significant impact on the bottom line for asset owners. I look forward to helping the Ocra team uplevel their offerings and grow their footprint." Prior to his parking career, Elliston has held senior leadership positions in the corporate training and e-learning space, including at Skillsoft Corporation and NYSE. Outside of work, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Episcopal School of Dallas and is an active supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas. About Ocra Founded in 2019, Ocra partners with parking operators and technology companies to help asset owners optimize the yield of their parking assets and drive higher net operating income (NOI). Its omni-channel management software empowers operators to centrally control rates and inventory across multiple parking consumer demand channels – also called "aggregators" or "parking OTAs" – and view sophisticated real-time reporting for their entire online business in one place. In 2023, Ocra launched their revenue optimization division, Ocra CoPilot, for a sophisticated, data-driven approach to rates and inventory management for parking assets, providing an “eyes in the sky” approach for the “boots on the ground” team to achieve optimal yield. Today, Ocra works with 50+ parking operators and 20+ hotel management groups at 500+ locations across North America. In the hotel sector alone, Ocra has generated $12.3m in incremental revenue at 45+ locations in the past 6 months (October 2024–April 2025) by selling underutilized parking inventory to non-guest customers. The company has raised $5m to date, most recently in an oversubscribed $3.5m round of strategic industry backers co-led by MCR and Parker Technology. For more information about Ocra, email info@getocra.com or visit www.getocra.com. Media Contact Sarah Becherer VP, Marketing Ocra sarah@getocra.com

In the world that is parking and mobility, among our primary responsibilities are compliance with laws, regulations, and policies and completing reports to document adherence to applicable requirements. Ensuring the delivery of services in a safe and efficient manner and having sufficient funds for annual expenses can consume much of our time and keep us from stepping back to consider new and different ways of innovating to meet quickly changing needs. In this workplace environment, innovation may not have a place to be explored and generated so it takes purposeful action to ensure we break out of our daily routines. This can occur through employee interactions, meetings and brainstorming where you encourage a wide range of employees to think differently and consider alternative approaches to issues, challenges and problems. It can also include adding to your staff employees who have shown past experience in using innovative approaches so make sure to ask probing questions to get at this during interviews. Although not easy and it may not occur organically, innovation can be incorporated into our workplace providing benefits such as making for a more interesting, exciting and productive place for employees while positioning the organization as a leader in addressing the rapidly changing world of transportation. Mark Hairr, PTMP, is an Executive Director for Wave Transit. Mark can be reached at mhairr@wavetransit.com.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA: The International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) is pleased to announce its 2025-2026 Board of Directors. The association held elections in April 2025. The 2025-2026 board will begin their term at the conclusion of IPMI’s 2025 Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, June 8-11. The Executive Committee will begin the second year of their two-year appointments: Alejandra “Alex” Argudin, PTMP, Chief Executive Officer, Miami Parking Authority, as Board Chair; Maria Irshad, PTMP, Deputy Director, ParkHouston, as Chair-elect; Marlene Cramer, PTMP, Director of Transportation and Parking Services, California Polytechnic State University, as Treasurer; and Gary Means, PTMP, Executive Vice President of Pivot Parking, as Past Chair. One newly elected board member will serve for the next two years: Julie Dixon, President, Dixon Resources Unlimited. Re-elected board members who will serve an additional term through 2026 include: Josh Cantor, PTMP, George Mason University, Director of Parking & Transportation; Carmen Donnell, PTMP, Managing Director, North America, PayByPhone; Irma Henderson, PTMP, Director of Transportation Service, University of California, Riverside; Shawn McCormick, Director, Parking Enforcement and Traffic, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA); and Gabe Mendez, PTMP, Director of Transportation Operations, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The entire 2025-2026 IPMI Board of Directors, effective June 11, 2025, is: Chair: Alejandra “Alex” Argudin, PTMP, Chief Executive Officer, Miami Parking Authority, Miami, FL. Chair-elect: Maria Irshad, PTMP, Deputy Director, ParkHouston, Houston, TX. Treasurer: Marlene Cramer, PTMP, Director of Transportation and Parking Services, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA. Past Chair: Gary Means, PTMP, Executive Vice President, Pivot Parking, Frankfort, KY. Josh Cantor, PTMP, Director of Parking & Transportation, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Julie Dixon, President, Dixon Resources, Fullerton, CA. Carmen Donnell, PTMP, Managing Director, North America, PayByPhone, Vancouver, British Columbia, CN. Robert Ferrin, PTMP, Senior Project Manager, Kimley-Horn, Columbus, OH. Irma Henderson, PTMP, Director of Transportation Services, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA. Casey Jones, PTMP, Senior Director of Customer Success, FLASH, Boise, ID. Alex MacIsaac, PTMP, Director, University of Toronto Transportation Services, Toronto, ON. Shawn McCormick, Director, Parking Enforcement and Traffic, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), San Francisco, CA. Gabe Mendez, PTMP, Director of Transportation Operations, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. JC Porter, PTMP, Director of Commuter Services/TDM, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Josh Stone, PTMP, Executive Director, Parking and Transportation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA Shawn Conrad, CAE, CEO, International Parking & Mobility Institute, Fredericksburg, VA. About IPMI The International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) is the world’s largest association of professionals in parking, mobility, and transportation. IPMI works to advance the parking and mobility profession through professional development, certification, research and data collection, advocacy, and community building. With experts worldwide in dozens of specialties, IPMI helps parking, mobility, and transportation function efficiently so people, businesses, and communities can keep moving.

Orlando, FL – HONK, North America's leading provider of contactless payments for parking and mobility, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Hoyt as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). A seasoned executive with over 20 years in parking, mobility, and transportation tech, Hoyt will lead strategic efforts across emerging markets, product innovation, partnerships, and M&A. Hoyt brings a strong track record of results-oriented leadership, having driven significant revenue and market growth as Chief Revenue Officer, and later as Managing Director, North America, at ParkMobile. He previously held leadership roles at T2 Systems and SP Plus Corporation (Standard Parking), giving him a broad perspective across both software and field operations. “We’re thrilled to welcome David to the HONK executive team,” said Michael Back, HONK Founder and CEO. “He brings deep industry knowledge, a sharp strategic mind, and a strong track record of driving growth. David’s leadership will play a pivotal role as HONK enters its next phase of innovation and expansion, focusing even more on what sets the company apart: making parking and mobility easier for everyone, from drivers to asset owners.” HONK continues to scale rapidly, recently earning a spot on Canada’s Top Growing Companies list for 2024. As demand rises for frictionless, software-based mobility solutions, HONK remains at the forefront with a vertically integrated platform that unifies advanced payments, permitting, third-party integrations, and data insights. “I’m excited to join HONK at such a transformative moment,” said Hoyt. “The team has built a reputation for agility, innovation, and strong client relationships. I look forward to contributing to its continued growth by identifying new opportunities, building meaningful partnerships, and advancing the way people access and experience mobility.” As CSO, Hoyt will focus on identifying and capitalizing on new market trends, expanding HONK’s strategic footprint, and working closely with the leadership team to support sustainable, scalable growth.

Parking Enforcement Customer Service. Does the word “enforcement” go hand in hand with customer service? Yes, it certainly does, and it can be demonstrated daily in both big and small ways. I want to speak more about this and how a servant leader can positively impact an enforcement team to serve their community and show this toward each other in internal customer service, leading to employee retention and a positive and happy workplace. What is customer service? The Oxford dictionary defines it as “the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.” But it means so much more than this because it can create a feeling and attitude of support and motivate an individual to help others, bringing satisfaction and gratitude to both the giver and the receiver. Customer Service involves using various tools, including listening, empathy, understanding, and problem-solving, while feeling empowered to help. In my seven years as a parking enforcement supervisor with the City of Boulder, we always work hard to demonstrate the city values of Respect, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, and Customer Service. This shows up daily with anyone we cross paths with. However, the value of customer service involves more than just doing a job. It often goes beyond what’s expected. Whether changing someone’s tire, jumping someone’s dead battery, providing directions, or being there for someone in a time of need, we can always find ways to show excellent customer service. This cannot be just a simple expectation but must come from somewhere more than a policy. It’s seeing a community or customer as family. It comes from a heartfelt desire to help as if this person is a family member in a time of need. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this. Leo Pelle, PTMP, is a Parking Enforcement Supervisor for the City of Boulder, Colorado. Leo can be reached at pellel@bouldercolorado.gov.

As John Peverada officially retires after more than 30 years of dedicated service to the City of Portland and the parking industry, it’s an honor to reflect on the incredible legacy he leaves behind. For the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside John as Client Success Principal at Passport. During that time, I’ve come to know him as not only a thoughtful and visionary leader but also as a person of unwavering integrity. His approach to solving complex challenges with humility and fairness has shaped Portland’s parking operations into a model for cities across the country. Initially joining the City during a downturn in the real estate market, John anticipated a brief tenure. But he quickly became captivated by the field’s challenges, from technology and garage maintenance to budgeting, staffing, and customer service. As Parking Director, he led with autonomy and intention. A former NEPC Board Member, John consistently emphasized professional development, networking, and staying ahead of trends. In his words, it’s “more about substance than style.” Among many accomplishments, John led Portland’s transition from over 100,000 hand-written citations per year to a modern, cloud-based ticketing system with digital permitting and LPR. He also embraced mobile payments early on, accounting for nearly 80% of meter revenue. John approaches partnerships with thoughtfulness and strategy. Our work together has always been collaborative and focused on serving Portland’s community. And he never forgets the human side. “Get out on the street,” he says, “listen to customers and employees, and most of all, be fair.” His advice to newcomers? Stay informed, join industry groups, explore new tech, and always listen. Now entering retirement, John looks forward to family, travel, and the outdoors. His legacy of innovation, integrity, and leadership will continue to guide the industry for years to come. Congratulations, John, and thank you. Tydus Kira Mana is the Client Success Principal for Passport. Tydus can be reached at tydus.mana@passportinc.com.

There has been some chatter amongst our San Francisco group recently related to what motivates and inspires us individually to show up, day in and day out, and do what we do. For some, an easy answer, for others a little self-reflection and introspection is needed to coax out a more developed response. One of the main responses, is to set an example – for one’s children or family, for the employees we lead. There is a sense that what we do is meaningful in that we can provide not only sustenance but also life guidance for those we love and support, to nurture the human kindness in others. That we can demonstrate peer to peer connection. For some, the acceptance of a certain role holds great responsibility, and we feel a duty to uphold the position in which we provide leadership. We want to see others succeed and we will do all in our power to support others in accomplishing shared goals, both large and small. Personal ambition and drive to find meaning in work and life is also a great motivator. Some folks are driven to complete any task at hand with energy and passion. Whatever the answer is, there is a basis to nurture and lead others as best as we can. Our goals often align and a group can thrive when we consider both personal and shared success as meaningful. Adam Feller, PTMP, is an Operations Manager for LAZ Parking. Adam can be reached at Afeller@lazparking.com.

In today’s world, effective leadership is important for balancing operational needs with employee satisfaction. But how can we achieve this in a world where employee needs are constantly evolving and we face ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining top talent? Without addressing this question, our organizations risk becoming the next casualty of turnover. The answer is simple! Balance the needs of your operations! Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all strategy but a tool we must use to find a way to balance the needs of all our stakeholders.  Here are a few suggestions on how to do this in our operations:  First and foremost, practice empathy and open communication! As Leaders, we should actively listen to employees and understand their concerns while clearly communicating operational needs. We can do this by having regular check-ins and team meetings to maintain a two-way dialogue!  Second, flexibility works! As the industry evolves, we must adapt our polices and procedures. Offering flexible hours or shift-swapping are a few options that will help us meet operational needs while also giving our team a higher work- life balance. The majority of our operations run 24/7, and having adequate coverage is necessary!  I also recommend that you align your organization's goals with your employees' needs. Our teams need to understand how they contribute to the bigger picture! It's simple! Provide professional development opportunities, such as training or leadership programs, to help them grow while preparing our operations for future challenges.  Finally, lead by example! Leaders should model positive behavior daily! Make choices that support a healthy balance between dedication to the company and employee well-being! Show your team it’s ok to balance hard work and self-care in the workplace.  Dr. George J. Mclean, MPA, DBA, PTMP, is the Senior Business Analyst for Miami Parking Authority. Geoge can be reached at gmclean@miamiparking.com.

As you consider sustainability programs and the frontline, I suggest focusing on systems instead of goals.

While Maintaining Strategic Discipline