Signature Parking has signed an agreement with Stratus Media to be the exclusive Parking & Transportation partner for the 2010 Santa Barbara Concours d’Elegance - returning to the Santa Barbara Polo Fields October 29-31. The 24th Annual Santa Barbara Concours d’Elegance, will display some 200 of the world’s finest automobiles on a spectacular site of Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. The event  is a multi day festival event honoring the design and engineering of the sleek and powerful Italian Automobiles, as well as the creativity and nostalgia of American classics, muscle cars, hot rods and custom cars and a day of traditional, judged classic automobiles shows called the Concours d’ Elegance. In addition the weekend festival will include car club corrals, motorcycle exhibits, live entertainment, and an evening cocktail gala benefiting a select charity.

This is a very unique concept in our industry. Stratus is building on its history of producing preeminent Concours d’ Elegance Auto Shows, premier fashion shows, wine festivals and art exhibits and will combine all of this into these weekend festivals. This year, Stratus Media Group will host the Santa Barbara Vino D’ Elegance Wine Festival, showcasing local wineries and food vendors, creating an interactive as well as delicious atmosphere! A portion of the entry fees and proceeds from the wine festival will go to benefit local charities. Also included in the weekend’s events are the Inaugural Cocktail Party, Children’s Activities, Commercial Exhibitions, and in the spirit of Halloween, a Masquerade Gala! VIP access and general public tickets are available as well.

Stratus also recently announced they will be bringing the famed Mille Miglia Italian car race to the U.S. The Mille Miglia is an open-road endurance race which is currently one of the most important classic sports cars events in the world. From 1927 to 1957, the Mille Miglia was a legendary speed race focused on drivers, challenges and adventures. Today, the legacy of the Mille Miglia remains strong through the use of yesterday’s cars on today’s roads.  This year, a Mille Miglia Salute Road Rally will be held on Friday October 29th as a kick-off to the weekend Concours D’Elegance activities.

Signature Parking is excited to be associated with such a legendary and prestigious event as the Concours D’Elegance & the Mille Migilia and we look forward to helping manage the various parking and transportation needs for this great weekend event.  For more information or to purchase tickets for this event please visit the event website.

April 29, 2010
Montecito, CA

The lush Lotus Land of Montecito served as a stunning backdrop today for the annual Girls Inc. scholarship luncheon. Today’s event marked the 25th anniversary of the One Hundred Committee luncheon which has grown to become the major source of funding for the scholarship programs of Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, where over 70% of the girls attending their award-winning programs are on scholarship. The luncheon has evolved into one of the Marque events held annually in Santa Barbara with many of areas most well know benefactors, philanthropists, business men and women in attendance.

Past featured speakers have included world-renowned women, accomplished role models and celebrities such as First Lady Barbara Bush, media superstar Oprah Winfrey, First Lady of California Maria Shriver, and Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Wangari Maathai. This year’s speaker was Debra Martin Chase, a two-time Emmy nominated television and film producer.

For the eighth consecutive year Signature Parking was chosen to orchestrate the complex parking and shuttle operation. A team of over twenty valets, directors, and shuttle drivers combined to execute a flawless arival and departure experience for every guest in attendance. The event was a smashing success and we would like to thank Girls Inc. and Lotus Land for their continued support and partnership.

The Leading Quality Assurance (LQA) system, part of the Leading Hotels of the World quality inspection division recently inspected our valet and bellman team at the Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara, CA. The highest scores were received by our bellman/valet department which received a 100% perfect score on the guest departure summary. LQA also recognized our employee John Salontay as an outstanding employee for his impeccable service provided during the LQA undercover visit. We would like to congratulate John on this very impressive award. Great job!!

Our team recently received back to back 100% scores for their outstanding valet and bell service provided for guests of the Canary Hotel, one of our valued Hotel Clients and a member of the Leading Hotels of the World Association. The Market Metrix reports are submitted by hotel guests who evaluate their visit and rate the property on multiple criteria. Our valet manager Itso Hristov and his team of superb valets have received consistently high marks for their outstanding customer service over the past year and these reports help to reinforce that. We would like to personally congratulate Itso and the entire crew for this great achievement in customer service.

Signature Parking has partnered with the Walnut Creek Downtown Business Association and the City of Walnut Creek to provide a Public Valet Service for visitors of Downtown Walnut Creek.  The new Public Valet program will start on Friday November 20th, in time for the busy holiday shopping season. The program will incorporate several of our existing curbside locations at Il Fornaio and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse alongside a new location at 1250 Locust St. (The Old Veterans Building Lot) located directly across from Century Theaters.  The Fee for valet parking at the new Locust St. location will be $5 and all other participating locations throughout town will charge $7.

The Public Valet Locations can be easily identified by valet podiums with large signs indicating “Public Valet Parking”, with valet attendants in Red Polo Shirts.

It is our goal to make valet parking a convenient and easily accessible parking option for all visitors of downtown Walnut Creek.  As an added convenience, customer of the service will be able to drop off accumulated shopping purchases at the valet station for delivery to their vehicles, making extended shopping and dining outings easier.

See the write up in the Contra Costa Times

New Premium Valet Service for 2009/10 Ski Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Squaw Valley, CA – December 1, 2009 –
Squaw Valley USA Ski Resort has partnered with Signature Parking LLC under a multi-year agreement to manage and operate a premium valet parking service starting with the upcoming 2009-10 ski season. The new service is scheduled to launch in mid December and will operate from 8am – 6pm daily throughout the ski season. Summertime hours are also being considered.

Signature Parking, a California based parking company was chosen to provide the service. The Signature Valet Parking crew will be outfitted with stylish Helly Hansen branded Ski Apparel to match the distinctive image of Squaw Valley and will operate from a curbside podium at the main entrance of the resort. Signs will direct arriving patrons to the valet drop-off located at the front driveway of the ski resort

“We’re excited to be offering this great new service for Squaw Valley patrons and to be associated with a First Class Organization like Squaw Valley Ski Corp” said Michael Holmstrom, founder and president of Signature Parking. “We expect the new service to be a big hit for those who value convenience and want to avoid the hassle of walking through the parking lot with heavy ski equipment” he added.

Squaw Valley began searching for a parking firm last year who could help them generate new revenue streams while also meeting their high standards of customer service. After a long bidding process, Signature Parking was chosen as the best company based on its proven experience in managing large, high volume venues and for its employees and owners commitment to providing superior customer service.

The new premium valet service coincides with the special 50/60 anniversary season at Squaw, marking 50 years since the Winter Olympics were last held at the resort and 60 years since its opening.

About Signature Parking
Signature Parking is a California based parking company specializing in valet, shuttle, and parking management solutions for the Hotel, Retail, Restaurant, Entertainment, and Healthcare Industries. With over 150 employees serving in multiple markets throughout the U.S., Signature Parking is recognized for providing its customers with unparalleled customer service combined with value driven solutions.

About Squaw Valley USA
The Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest and most high-concept ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe (after Heavenly), boasting highly-advanced chairlifts (High speed quads and High speed six packs), as well as the only Funitel in the United States.

Press Release: New valet parking service available at Squaw Valley USA

Considering how many new cars are rolled out every year, it’s no surprise that a few might be just plain homely. There’s a chance that certain styles might become fashionable with a dash of retro hip. (Well, maybe not from the 1970s.) But for the most part, the following 50 cars will never be anything but design duds. Read More from this Article Here

I’m a big fan of the Volkwagon Thing and the AMC Gremlin – Leave a comment on your favorite!

Did you know that potential hazards and dangers lurk at every valet job site, including yours? While they may not seem obvious, part of becoming an expert valet employee is being able to recognize these potential hazards and taking proactive preventative steps to deal with them. Some of the most common hazards include wet or slippery surface areas, dark or poorly lit areas, and unsecured valet equipment. It’s easy to overlook these types of situations if you are not actually looking for them in the first place, but remember it is every employees duty and responsibility to be on the lookout for these types of situations. An alert and aware valet taking preventative measures can actually help avoid a potential serious injury, not to mention a costly lawsuit for us and our clients. Valets who are proactive about looking for safety issues at their sites are not only doing their jobs, they are also helping us with our Mission of Exceeding every customers expectations.

A recent situation at one of our accounts highlights the importance of preventative safety and the costs of not doing anything about it.  A customer who dined at one of our restaurant accounts was leaving the restaurant and walked to the parking lot where our valet was on duty.  Although the customer did not valet park, she did stop to say hello to the valet. While doing so, she failed to see a small step down into the parking lot and tripped face first, causing a significant facial/dental injury.  There were two major contributing factors to this incident: 1) the lip of the curb she couldnt see was at one time painted yellow, but over time had become faded to completely black (matching the color of the parking lot) due to repetitive foot traffic. 2) the area was poorly lit, thereby making it even more difficult to see.

Fortunately, an alert and proactive Signature Parking valet had notified the restaurant on two previous occasions about the dangers of the invisible curb step – noting that people always trip on that curb. Unfortunately, the restaurant did not take any corrective action, and a customer subsequently became injured from slipping off the curb. The proactive steps our valet took to notify the client of the safety issue were ultimately helpful in excusing our company of any wrongdoing, and saved us from potentially more expensive civil damages.

Here are some of the most common Safety Issues to be on the look out for:

Dangerous Steps - Worn, unmarked curbs, steps and stairs. Be on the lookout for any steps where customers may be difficult to notice or navigate. Preventative measures should be implemented such as bright paint, Grip Tape or other measures which can reduce the likelihood of a trip and fall.

Wet or Uneven pavement - Wet pavement can easily cause someone to slip and fall. Place traffic cones or delineation over the area and tell people to avoid walking in the area. Do the same for any pot holes or uneven areas that are prone to tripping. Alert the client and inform them of the situation.

Poor Lighting - Dark areas are a safety hazaard because they make it easy for someone to slip and fall and they also present a prime opportunity for criminal behavior such as burglary and assault.  Take note of any areas at your location which are poorly lit and bring it to the attention of management.

Unsecured Equipment – Unsecured valet equipment can pose a significant safety hazard, especially on windy, stormy days.  Be sure your valet podium wheel locks are secure. Signs must be firmly weighted and stable.  If there is any significant wind, you may pull the sign stand away from any people or property. Do the same with podiums and umbrellas. Don’t risk having something blow over and cause damage or injure someone. If your equipment needs more weight, locks, etc. alert your supervisor.

Cash Handling - Always keep cash in a safe locking drawer. Do not become a target for theft by being careless with your cash handling.

If you notice an unsafe situation – take immediate proactive steps including:

1. If possible, fix the unsafe situation

2. Alert the Client and your direct Supervisor

3. Complete a Safety Report Form available at every account and submit this to your supervisor within 24 hours.

With your help, we can make our workplace a safe environment and protect the interested of ourselves, our clients and our customers.

We recently rolled out a new look for our valet parking signs at a few locations in Walnut Creek. More changes are in the works including a new uniforms for our Northern California Division consisting of Red Polo Shirts and Charcoal Grey Slacks. Additional upgrades will be rolled out company wide over the next few months. As always, upgrading our equipment and uniforms is part of our company’s mission to exceed our customers expectations.

For the 6th consecutive year, Signature Parking provided stellar parking management services for the 2009 BIMMERFEST at the spectacularSanta Barbara Polo Club.  The event drew a record attendance of over 10,000 BMW enthusiasts.  Signature Parking provided over forty parking directors, traffic directors, cashiers, and valets to ensure a smooth and well organize event for the attendees.

Bimmerfest is hosted each year by Performance IX, a automotive media company based in Medford, MA.  Since it’s founding eight years ago, Bimmerfest has grown into the largest gathering of BMW aficionados in North America.

Check out More Photos from the event here: