More than 600 local residents braved the elements and dined on the finest cuisine and libations Santa Barbara has to offer at Share Our Strength’s 4th annual Taste of the Nation®. The event raised over $50,000 to fight childhood hunger locally and nationally. Signature Parking was proud to sponsor this worthy cause by donating a portion of it’s parking management services.

Read more about this event HERE.

About Taste of the Nation

Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has brought together the most creative culinary minds across the nation. Each spring and summer, pioneers of modern American cuisine, national celebrity chefs and mixologists including Stephan Pyles, mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, Bravo’s Top Chef Tom Collichio, Michael Voltaggio and Celina Tio and thousands more like them donate their time, talent and passion at nearly 40 events across the United States and Canada with one goal in mind: to raise critical funds needed to help end childhood hunger. 100% of ticket sales support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger.

Taste of the Nation’s success is due to the thousands of dedicated volunteers in cities across the United States. These volunteers—chefs, corporate sponsors, marketing and public relations professionals, event planners, financiers and individuals who believe that no child should know hunger– have helped raised more than $75 million for anti-hunger organizations that run or advocate for programs that connect at-risk families with the food they need to thrive. This year, funds raised through Taste of the Nation will support No Kid Hungry™, Share Our Strength’s campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015, as well as selected international efforts. 

Signature Parking recently provided valet parking services for the International Special Events Society meeting held at the beautiful Las Ventanas Estate in Montecito.  The crowd enjoyed a wonderful gourmet dinner from Seasons Catering followed by a great presentation from John Daly, Internationally renown corporate event planner.  ISES is a worldwide association of over 5,000 members composed of professionals in all aspects of Special Events design, production, coordination, support, and management. Great seeing everyone in attendance and thank you Jaimie at Churchill House Events for your kind words.

Our Core Purpose as a company is To make people feel welcomed and cared for everywhere we serve – So when we receive comments from our clients like this…. it’s reason for us to celebrate. Great job to our Pleasanton, CA team who are skillfully serving thousands of members every month for our newest client – 24-Hour Fitness.

Hi Jeremy, 

I wanted to send a quick note. I had the opportunity to visit the club after 5PM yesterday and use the valet service for the first time (definitely came at the peak). Anyway, I wanted to say that I like the new setup and the crew you had on hand was exceptional and I was very pleased. I hope that everything with the shifts and logistics between the lots has smoothed out for your team, but from what I could tell it looked like it has.

 Please thank your team for me. And have yourself a great week.

 Sincerely,

Client

Lease Administrator | Real Estate & Development
24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc.

For our Northern California division - we are proud to announce Peter Zach as the All-Star employee of the month. Peter has been with the company for one and a half years and has risen to the captain level at serveral of our East Bay area accounts during that time.  Outside of his regular locations, it’s not uncommon for Peter to answer the call and deliver a great result at any of our other accounts when needed.  Peter is a high claiber employee who makes management’s job easier.  In a pinch or last minute request from a special client,  he is there to fill the void and get the job done.  We always feel good seeing Peter’s name on the schedule.  Over his course of employment, Peter has been recognized by management of the establishments he frequents as a guy who “always looks good” and who “really gets it when it comes to customer service”.  This is exactly what we like to hear our clients say about us and our employees.  Our team is strengthened because of Peter’s role here.  I commonly get feedback that Peter is one of the hardest working guys on the team.  On that same note, he is also one of the most desired to work with.  This really hits on the point of camaraderie and positive work relationships.   Peter, thank you for your hard work and consistency in delivering a great result.  You are a great asset to the team and we are happy to have you as part of the Signature crew.

For the month of March, Signature Parking management has chosen Josh Rolly as the employee All-Star of the month. Josh is a member of our Nor Cal team who consistently holds the Signature Parking standards high.  Mr. Rolley has been with the company for 3 and 1/2 years.

Josh demonstrates a positive “Own-It” attitude by informing management when there are issues to be addressed and taking the initiative the fix them.   In addition to Josh’s extra efforts to keep things looking sharp at our accounts, he demonstrated his ambition to keep things at his home account running smooth.  On several occasions,  Josh has stepped up last minute to help fill staffing requests from our clients for large events.

Josh has always been a sharp looking team-member and his consistency in keeping the grooming standards and image of the company in the highest regard has earned him a notable place.   Most importantly, through his hard work and customer service, Josh embraces the company mission of making our customer feel welcomed & cared for. We can take this time to recognize Josh’s outstanding performance and use him as a model to learn from.Thank you Josh for your work and dedication.  It is greatly appreciated and well recognized good sir.

Enrique Ibarra has been chosen as the Signature Parking employee All-Star for the month of January. Enrique has been with our company for just six months, and in that short amount of time, he has quickly proven himself to be an All-Star.

His supervisor Jared had this to say. “Enrique is a wonderful employee. He is always on time, looking sharp and ready to work with a big smile on his face”. “His commitment and dedication has been recognized by myself and many others who work at the Santa Barbara Surgery Center, his regular location”. He is quite simply the model employee and he embodies the Mission statement of Signature Parking – always exceeding customer expectations.

Enrique is a 3rd generation signature employee. Both is older brothers, Ricky and Hector have worked for Signature for many years.

For his stellar consistent performance, Enrique has received a $100 bonus. Great job Enrique!

On a daily basis, Auggie Smith proudly serves our customers at the Saks Fifth Avenue store in downtown Santa Barbara. This

Good Samaritan

 past week, while talking to a customer in the parking lot, Smith noticed a Saks clerk running out of the store after a man, yelling at the man to stop. Smith quickly realized a shoplifter had just made off with two pricey handbags from the store and immediatley gave chase.  A footchase ensued and Smith caught up with the young man in a matter of seconds and pulled him into a bear hug as he attempted to dive into a waiting getaway car parked at the nearby Greyhound bus depot. By chance, a Santa Barbara Police Officer was driving down the street on patrol and happened to see the chase and was on the scene in a matter of seconds to help Smith aprehend the suspect. 

When interviewed about the dangerous situation – Smith commented “I didnt think twice about it, I noticed the guy running and realized he had stolen something and went after him”. “It was just instinct”. 

After the incident,  in a note to Signature Parking, Saks store management Nana Morris commented, “I am sending this note to let you know what a great staff member you have in Auggie Smith.  He went above and beyond the other night in stopping a guy that had stolen two very expense handbags and saving the store a big loss”.

Great job Auggie. We commend you on this amazing good deed and we’re glad everything turned out ok. Be careful out there!

Signature Parking recently sponsored a day at the track for our Nor Cal division employees in apprecation for their hard work in 2010.  The event was held at the Umigo indoor Kart racing track in Livermore, Ca. Two-man teams competed in time trials and a 45 minute enduro race with multiple pit stops.  Winning top honors for fastest team in the Enduro race was our area manager Jeremy Muldoon and racing partner Mike Locke.  Congratulations guys and thanks for an super fun day at the track.

The Towbes Group recently selected Signature Parking to provide services at the Towbes Building in downtown Santa Barbara, including parking managment and attendant services for this 4 story Class A commercial office building.  Signature Parking also provides valet parking and attendant parking operations at 8 other locations in the immediate area including Saks Fifth Avenue.  The Towbes group is a highly respected organization in town and we’re proud to be chosen by the Towbes group to manage parking at this property.

About the Towbes Group

For over 50 years, MICHAEL TOWBES has been the leader in the development of quality residential, commercial, industrial and retail properties throughout Santa Barbara and the Tri-County area.The Towbes Group’s services range from development and construction to maintenance and management of these properties, all of which is provided in a professional manner and on a timely basis.

One of our very own is making great strides in our local community. Veteran Lucky’s valet Phil Gilley started his own Non-Profit called Notes for Notes (NFN). NFN is a local Santa Barbara after school program whose core mission is “to provides free access to musical instruments, instruction, and music making environments to community youth so that music can become a profoundly positive influence in their lives”.  Since founding the venture in 2004 alongside partner Rod Hare, the venture has grown by leaps and bounds – and has been embraced by some of our local luminaries including Jack Johson and Robin Thicke who have stopped by to join in the jam sessions. Recently, Gilley and his partner were featured in the Santa Barbara Independent “2010 Local Heros” edition which highlights ordinary individuals in our community who have made extraordinary contributions.

On behalf of everyone at Signature Parking we would like to congratulate Phil on this outstanding achievement with Notes for Notes.  For more information on Notes for Notes, please visit their website and check out information on their next big fundraiser “Sound Check“, taking place on December 3rd from 6pm to 11pm at 1129 State St. and featuring DJ music from Martin gore of Depeche Mode. We look forward to seeing everyone there!