Member Profile - Melonie Curry, ParkHouston

Our next TPTA Member Profile blog features Melonie Curry. Melonie serves as a Staff Analyst for the City of Houston. Learn more about Melonie’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

10 years

How did you learn about TPTA?

From our Director.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

·         Numerous educational opportunities

·         Meet other parking professionals and share our experiences and expertise.

·         Allowed me to establish a strong network of professionals that I can reach out to help us tackle some of the challenges our organization may face.

·         Keeps me updated on the newest technologies and practices for our industry

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

 ·         Allows us to network and identify peers to share and gain institutional knowledge

·         Great training opportunities

·         Opens our eyes to innovations that will improve the service we provide to our citizens

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

Industry specific training is very valuable in parking. Our technologies are unique. The exposure provided by TPTA will allow your team to maximize the value of your parking resources and help you promote economic development.

IPMI Honors TPTA Organizations and Members for Excellence

Earlier this month, the International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) recognized a number of TPTA members at its annual awards program! Each year, IPMI recognizes parking, transportation, and mobility organizations and professionals worldwide for excellence in a wide range of categories.

IPMI’s Awards of Excellence recognizes outstanding parking and transportation projects for design, innovation, and restoration. Its Professional Recognition Program highlights organizations and individuals for their achievements, and the Marketing Awards recognizes outstanding marketing, public relations, and communications programs. In addition, IPMI also recognized a number of individuals and organizations for achieving industry certifications and accreditations.

We are thrilled to highlight the number of TPTA Members honored by IPMI this year. Awards and professional recognition achievements included:

• Maria Irshad, CAPP
  Assistant Director, City of Houston/ParkHouston
  (and TPTA President)
  IPMI Chair Award

• Melonie Curry, MBA
  Staff Analyst, City of Houston
  Parking Staff Member of the Year

• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
  Parking Organization of the Year

• Texas A&M Transportation Services
  Game Day/Class Day Playbook for Success
  Best of 2019 Marketing Program for Excellence

Also honored this year for receiving their CAPP certifications were:

• Norman Holt CAPP
  Collections Supervisor, City of Houston/ParkHouston

• Kenneth Kimball, CAPP
  Director, Texas A&M University Transportation Services

Congratulations again to all of the TPTA members honored this year at the IPMI Conference & Expo! We are so thrilled to have so many fantastic leaders involved in our association!

Check out photos of these great folks below!

Member Profile - Christophe Malsang, Houston First Corporation

The next feature in our TPTA Member Profile blog series is Christophe Malsang! Christophe serves as Director of Parking Houston First Parking. Learn more about Christophe’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

My organization has been a TPTA member for a very long time. I have been with my organization for 4 years and a part of the TPTA for the last 3 years.

How did you learn about TPTA?

From parking professionals I work with at the City of Houston.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

The main thing to me is the opportunity to meet my peers and exchange experiences, technologies, practices, and trends within the industry.

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

I am managing the parking in my district with more knowledge and direction thanks to TPTA. It has helped me make the most educated choices for my department.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

The more we will share, the more our industry knowledge increases. By sharing different backgrounds and experiences, we will elevate the level of standards and practice within the industry,

The hospitality of Texas is already famous, even the parking ‘folks’ know how to make someone feel at home.  The challenges of the Great State are unique as well.  TPTA brings the best people and ideas across the state together and everyone benefits. 

#TPTA2019 Pictures

Have you recovered from the conference? Pics have been posted - time to relive #TPTA2019! Thank you for helping make it happen!

TPTA members Featured for Innovative Solutions

We love to see our members recognized on a national level for implementing innovative parking, transportation, and mobility solutions. A recent issue of the International Parking & Mobility Institute’s The Parking Professional featured both the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas A&M University and the ways that these two institutions are implementing unique solutions in their parking and transportation programs.

The article “All Aboard” highlights how the University of Texas at Arlington developed a plan to address mobility challenges on its campus and revive its transportation system via a public-private partnership. This plan included reallocating financial resources, enhanced technology solutions, improving equipment, expanding service, and increasing customer service efforts.

The article “Making the Numbers Work” discusses the efforts of the Texas A&M University transportation services team to develop and implement a sound, long-term financial strategy. These efforts have made it possible for the University to implement new processes, infrastructure, and technological innovations.

TPTA members are on the cutting edge of leading our industry into the future. We are always thrilled to see their efforts showcased! Be sure to read these two great articles!

TPTA Conference Breaks Records!

Last month, the Texas Parking and Transportation Association held our annual Conference & Tradeshow in Houston. We are thrilled to have our largest turnout of attendees – reaching 316 parking and transportation professionals from throughout Texas and beyond.

We want to thank all of the volunteers, attendees, vendors, speakers, and more who joined us for this great show. It is always our goal to provide the highest quality education, networking, and professional development opportunities for our members and program attendees.

We also want to congratulate all of the winners of our annual awards program:

• Parking Structure – New: University of Texas at Austin, East Campus Garage

• Parking Structure – Restoration: Silos Harvesting Partners, LP Campus at Legacy West Garage & Site Modifications

• Parking Program: University of Texas at Arlington, MAV Mover Program

• Parking Equipment and Technology: Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza Garage – PARCS Upgrade

• Parking Employee: Carlos Medel, ParkHouston

• Distinguished Service Award: Dean Ahmad, DFW Airport

In addition to a successful conference and awards program, we were also thrilled to announce the establishment of the TPTA Marc Denson Scholarship. We are excited for the opportunity to provide financial assistance to future parking and transportation professionals, in the name and memory of a man who did so much for the industry and meant so much to the association. Check out the details here.

Again, thank you to all who participated in this important event. We couldn’t do it without you! Stay tuned for details on future TPTA events throughout the year. And if you haven’t already, be sure to join as a member to take advantage of membership discounts on future TPTA events.

Thank you to Parking Guidance System - our Diamond Sponsor #TPTA2019

The 32nd Annual Conference & Tradeshow is a wrap and it was our biggest show ever - 316 registrants!

We simply cannot put on a show of this size without the support of our generous sponsors. Today we recognize our Diamond Sponsor - Parking Guidance System.

TPTA Establishes Marc Denson Scholarship

The Texas Parking and Transportation Association (TPTA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the establishment of the Marc Denson Scholarship Fund.

 The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial support those who seek to build a career in the parking and transportation industries. The TPTA Board will select an applicant each year, and award them the TPTA scholarship based on their commitment to public service and the parking and transportation industry. Scholarship applicants will be assessed not only on their academic achievements, but also on their commitment to public service.

 The TPTA scholarship has been established in memory of Marc Denson, who served as the Parking Manager for thee City of Corpus Christi. He also served on the TPTA Board of Directors from 2012 – 2017. In 2017 Marc passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.

We are thrilled to establish this scholarship in memory of our friend and colleague Marc Denson. We look forward to the opportunity to further his legacy through supporting up and coming parking and transportation industry professionals.

 For more information about the Marc Denson Scholarship, including application requirements, deadlines, and submission details visit our Scholarship page.

Member Profile - Matt Penney, Baylor University

The next feature in our TPTA Member Profile blog series is Matt Penney! Matt Penney serves as Director of Parking & Transportation Services for Baylor University. Learn more about Matt’s experience as a TPTA member below!

How long has your organization been a member of TPTA?

I have been at Baylor Almost 9 years and the relationship was good and in place prior to my arrival.

How did you learn about TPTA?

Baylor’s software representative at the time was getting a heavy dose of questions and could see I needed help.  She recommended the TPTA conference as a ‘must go to’ event/organization.

What value has your TPTA membership provided you for your career?

I remember meeting Dr. Bob Harkins from the University of Texas at my first TPTA event.  He was a deserving legend within the TPTA group and beyond.  I was new to parking and he spent time with me and told me ‘if there was anything he could do for me to just let him know’.  I met Peter Lange from Texas A&M University who managed the largest university parking operation in the world.  He invited me to visit his operation and wore a green and gold tie when I took him up on the offer. 

There was an immediate theme that kept reoccurring as I bounced around introducing myself at my first conference, People were open and welcoming.  I gathered numerous business cards and eventually made several trips to nearby campus parking operations.  I can unashamedly say I ‘borrowed’ ideas from outstanding parking operators across the state. 

What value has your TPTA membership provided your institution?

TPTA kick started my introduction into the parking world.  Introductions and networking with other professionals in a relaxed setting was ideal for getting to know leaders across the state.

What would be your advice to those organizations who are not yet a TPTA member?

The hospitality of Texas is already famous, even the parking ‘folks’ know how to make someone feel at home.  The challenges of the Great State are unique as well.  TPTA brings the best people and ideas across the state together and everyone benefits. 

TPTA Conference Session Feature: Parking Operations & Procurement - Best Practices & Lessons Learned

This presentation will introduce an approach that can be applied to any parking program, allowing you to apply best practices in your operation. It will incorporate innovative strategies to achieve your optimal parking program focusing on financial analysis, operations, asset management, workforce management, and maintenance.

Check out the full agenda and register here: https://bit.ly/2GkLdxJ

Top 5 reasons we created an app for #TPTA2019

This year’s mobile app for the Texas Parking & Transportation Association is going to be awesome! Here are just a few benefits and reasons why you don’t want to miss out on the app:

 •  Access the event schedule and customize your agenda with personal appointments

•  See all the speakers and read their bios.

•  Check out the exhibitors and locate their booths more easily through an interactive map

•  Get important updates and exciting offers through the app through Push Notifications

•  See who’s attending and share contact information by networking with other attendees

Our app will soon be live. Stay tuned for the app release details and more info on how you can use the app to enhance your event experience.

One More Week Until the 2019 TPTA Conference & Tradeshow!

We are officially one week away from the 2019 TPTA Conference & Tradeshow. Don’t miss out on this important opportunity for you and your staff to learn from experts on a wide range of topics important in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry.

The TPTA Conference & Tradeshow will include industry professionals from a wide range of specialties including higher education and healthcare institutions, cities, municipal parking authorities, transit agencies, airports, parking operators, and more. Some of the topics highlighted will include: 

• Customer service

• Parking technology

• Enforcement

• Impacts of mobility trends on parking

• Parking operations during natural disasters

• Smart cities

• Alternative transportation

• Strategic planning

• Curb management

• Procurement best practices

There’s still time to join us for this important event and gain access to the information, resources, and connections to enhance your organization, as well as your career.

View the entire agenda here, and register today!