DIAMOND Dialog G r o w i n g To g e t h e r.
WINTER 2018
From Corporate to Coconuts Diamond Parking has announced that Myron Spiegel, Director of Parking Operations, is retiring. Myron began his career in the parking industry 14 years ago joining Diamond as Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Operations. Looking back, Myron says he did not expect that his role with Diamond would continue to evolve. “I owe a lot to the Diamonds. They gave me a tremendous opportunity to learn and grow.” Over time, Myron was promoted to Director of Parking Operations. “Everyday I came to the office, I thrived on meeting new challenges and finding solutions.
Myron Spiegel, Director of Parking Operations I was never bored.” Myron also became intricately involved in all aspects of Human Resources. “We wanted to outsource our Human Resource Management to a 3rd
party to maximize efficiencies. I became the internal liaison providing expertise in recruitment, organizational development, employee relations, employee engagement, and employee development.” Company-wide, it’s very easy to find people who speak highly of Myron. “What I will miss most,” says Dave Watson, Senior Vice President of Operations, “is his dependability and his honest feedback. I will also miss our daily interactions. He is a true friend.” In San Diego, City Manager, Alex Isvanca, says he will never forget Myron’s support in a personal crisis. “Last year, my dad passed away. Continued on inside
Diamond’s Public/Private Partnership Continues to Grow “New parking locations are being added to the park-n-ride pool in King County to offset traditional park-n-ride lots that are overflowing,” states Diamond Parking’s Regional Manager South Sound, Sheila Irish. “We continue to identify and recruit property owners of businesses, apartments, and retailers that can offer unused parking spaces for lease near popular transit lines,” notes Sheila. The public/private partnership with
King County Metro was launched in June, 2017. The Transit www.parkbytransit.com Agency provides services to 137 park-nride lots throughout King County, however, many are overcrowded. Sheila says that Diamond Parking was selected based on the company’s expertise in managing Continued on inside
We hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter INSIDE THIS ISSUE - From Corporate to Coconuts - Diamond’s Public/Private Partnership - Going the Extra Mile - Ahead of the Curve - Diamond’s Annual Seminar
Going the Extra Mile — Exceeding Customer Expectations When it comes to creating beneficial business partnerships, Diamond’s Real Estate Business Development Manager, Hailey Mattson, credits her success to understanding that every clients expectations, motivation Hailey receives a real estate and personality is achievement award, with Joel different. “Each business and Jon Diamond partnership is unique and depends on knowing exactly what the client needs and how I can surpass that need. Being responsive and establishing a personal interest in my clients success also can play a major role in winning the business.” Hailey says her business development focus today mirrors the rapid growth of mixed use projects in urban centers as well as new opportunities for paid parking in outlying areas. Hailey joined Diamond’s Real Estate Business Development team 3 years ago and she continues to be acknowledged in her approach and expertise to build successful business partnerships.
From Corporate to Coconuts
Continued from front page
When Myron found out, he called and told me to take a few days off to decompress. I argued against it but Myron said go. He told me he had already booked a flight and would be there tomorrow to manage the office. I will never forget his caring gesture. One of the greatest bosses I have ever had. You knew he was always a phone call away.” At Diamond’s Corporate Offices in Seattle, Kiyomi Tamura, Executive Administrative Assistant, will miss Myron’s sense of humor. “Myron is actually a very funny person, I consider myself very lucky to have had the chance to work with him.” Early March, Myron returned from a well deserved vacation in Hawaii (see the coconut). “Myron will be getting involved in special projects on a part time basis,” notes Dave Watson. Reminds us of the proverb, “the busiest men have the most leisure.”
D ea r Jo el , Jo n an d D av e, I wa nt ed to le t yo u kn ow ho w m uc h I ap prec ia te th ef fo rt s of on e of e yo ur sa le s prof es si on al s. H ai le y M at ts on ha s do ne an ou ts ta nd in g jo b of re pres en tin g yo ur co m pa ny an d crea tin g su cc es sf ul pa rt ne rs hi ps wi th y ou r pa rk in g lo t le ss or s. O ne of m y cl ie nt s, H ot el Co nc ep ts U S, ha d va ca nt prop er ty th ey wa nt ed to le as e to a pa rk in g se rv ic e prov id er. I re fe rr ed th em to H ai le y sh or tly af te r sh we nt to wo rk fo r e D ia m on d Pa rk in g. I ha d kn ow n H wh en sh e wo rk ed ai le y fo r Re gu s, wa s qu ite fa m ili ar wi th prof es si on al is m he r an d so lid b us in es s ac um en an d fe lt sh e co ul d fo rm a th at m ut ua lly be ne fic ia l pa rt ne rs hi p wi th em . Sh e ha s d on th e ex ac tly th at a nd ha s im prov ed m y re la tio ns hi p wi th m y cl ie nt as a re su lt. Th e pr in ci pa ls of H ot el Co nc ep ts U S ha ve a tre m en do am ou nt of re sp ec us t fo r H ai le y. Th ey are hi gh ly et hi ca l pe op le , a re qu ite se le ct iv e wi th re ga rd to wh om th ey wo rk wi th an d ha ve ch os en to fo cu s th ei r pa rk in g prop er ty le as in g wi th H ai le y, de sp ite re ce iv ve ry at tr ac tiv e of in g fe rs fro m ot he r pa rk in g se rv ic e prov id er s (m os t sp ec ifi ca lly U -P ar k) . Th an k yo u fo r ha vi ng so m eo ne as ou ts ta nd in g as H on yo ur te am . H er ai le y prof es si on al is m , po si tiv e at tit ud e st ro ng wo rk et hi c an d se rv e H ai le y, an d D ia m on d Pa rk in ex tre m el y we ll. g,
Si nc erel y,
M ar y Ti sd al e | Br ok er ag e Se rv ic es CB RE | Co m m er ci al R ea l Es ta te
Diamond’s Public/Private Partnership Continued from front page
transit lots in fast growing cities such as Auburn and Puyallup. “We created a special website www.parkbytransit.com so the public can easily go online and purchase a monthly permit. As an incentive, King County Metro picks up the cost of the first month. After that, it can be month to month with prices varying from $27 to $125 depending the parking location.” For their part, Sheila explains that King County Metro is promoting the program through frequent mailings to targeted zip codes. “We are still looking for locations. Areas that are close to transit stations have more appeal. It’s definitely worth our efforts because we get more parkers and there’s room to grow. Currently, Diamond Parking is managing park-n-ride spaces in Bothell, Bellevue, West Seattle, Shoreline, Kenmore, Mercer Island, Kent, Tukwilla, and Lake City as well as Auburn and Puyallup.”
from the
President’s Desk Every Industry and every business is facing constant change. We are no exception. Throughout our winter 2018 Seminar, Steps for Success, our parking managers shared their Jon Diamond own approaches to meet these challenges. We heard strategies on ways to locate pockets of parking in outlying areas to replace surface lots in urban cores that are being eliminated due to rapid development. We understood how important it is to pursue opportunities that are most likely to produce results. We discussed the critical component of creating personal connections with clients and customers to achieve success. We learned the value of communication and how important it is to understand what we need help in rather than to know what we do well. We gained insights on the value of trying new ideas such as managing less stalls in more locations and replacing costly pay boxes with pay by phone technology only. We saw first hand, how our decentralized structure gives our mangers the ability to make decisions without having to wait for it to go up a chain of command, allowing us to react quickly to situations where fast action can mean the difference between gaining and losing a customer. The value of our annual seminar cannot be overstated. We return home inspired and motivated to achieve our goals and continue to grow organically, utilizing our management resources and decades of parking expertise.
Ahead of the Curve One of the highlights of Diamonds annual seminar is the anticipated announcement of the prestigious President’s Award. Company President, Jon Diamond, says the award recipient is honored for several reasons. “He or she is an outstanding manager that is willing to listen, overcome challenges and welcome new ideas and approaches to grow the business.” This year, Joe Koontz, Regional Vice President Western Washington, was honored. Back home in Seattle, Joe took time to share his thoughts on winning the Presidents Award.
Joe Koontz, Regional Vice President with Jon Diamond
What does winning the award represent to you? It’s quite an honor. There are always many talented, experienced and deserving people in the organization. I think the award also speaks to the team we have in play. For example, my Operations Manager, Paul Myhre, does a fantastic job. Paul makes a huge contribution to our bottom line. He has greatly improved both systems and accountability. We also have 6 area managers that bring a combination of experience and fresh new ideas. No question that our success is due to our team collaboration over the years.
You have a new title? Yes, I was recently promoted to Regional Vice President, Western Washington. I now have oversight responsibility for a larger area the includes the University District Seattle, Tacoma, the Eastside and Seattle proper.
Looking ahead, what challenges and opportunities do you see? The building boom continues to take away surface parking. As a result, we are focused on finding parking in new markets to replace what we lose to new developments. We work closely with our Business Development team to continually discover new parking opportunities. Our goal will always be to grow and manage the assets we have.
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2018 Annual Seminar
ess c c u s O t s step
Diamond Parking’s team of 60 Senior and City Managers and Business Development Specialists gathered at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, Wednesday, January 24 through Friday, January 26, for their annual seminar. “I would rate our list of presenters as the best we have ever had,” says President Jon Diamond. Topics ranged from Networking, to Renegotiations, to Discovering New Locations, to Knowing Your Competition, and many more. Jon said that emphasis was placed on best practices to find new and unconventional locations. “Surface lots in many areas are disappearing due to Real estate & OpeRatiOns seminaR rapid development. We need to look beyond our traditional bread Jan. 24 – 26, 2018 and butter markets to find pockets for growth.” Worth noting is the logistical effort it takes to stage a successful seminar. Kiyomi Tamura, Executive Administrative Assistant, says she uses her previous experience to make the event run smoothly. “I come from the hotel industry. I speak their language. It gives me a leg up and helps with advance planning to overcome logistical challenges.” Kiyomi says planning has already begun for 2019.
AWARD RECIPIENTS President’s Award Joe Koontz, Seattle, WA
City Manager of the Year Patrick Seward, Bellevue/Eastside, WA
Real Estate Manager of the Year Monty McAlpine, Seattle, WA
Outstanding Achievement — Real Estate Mike Poirier, Vancouver BC
Special Achievement — Real Estate Gus Rojas, U-District/North, WA Hailey Mattson, Seattle, WA Jeff Sanborn, Honolulu, HI Alex Isvanca, San Diego, CA Chuck Harvison, OR John Cole, SLC, UT Sheila Irish, Tacoma, WA
Outstanding Achievement – Operations (listed alphabetically) John Cole, SLC, UT Jasmine-Victoria A. Crusat, Kona, HI Bob Duprie, Bremerton/Bainbridge, WA Sheila Irish, Tacoma, WA Alex Isvanca, San Diego, CA Tom Malone, Spokane, WA Michael Murray, Vancouver, BC Gus Rojas, U-District/North, WA Scott Whitford, Long Beach, CA
Special Recognition Award Monty McAlpine, Seattle, WA Andrea Pierce, Spokane, WA
Prospect Award Chuck Harvison, OR Sheila Irish, Tacoma, WA Matthew Samuel, Anchorage, AK
– 1 90 0 L O CAT I ONS – 1 54 ,89 3,7 98 Combine d Hours of Ex per ienc e –
Diamond Anniversaries We want to congratulate those employees who are celebrating 10 or more years with Diamond Parking. Thank you for your dedication! 60+ Years Joel R. Diamond
Corporate
62 years
United Parking
54 years
Steven A. Chaves
Honolulu
38 years
Yolanda A. Ang
Accounting Office
34 years
Jeffrey Sandborn
Honolulu
30 years
Howard Nez
Salt Lake City Airport
29 years
Yohanes Weldemariam
Seattle Attended
25 years
Linda Entus
Tacoma
20 years
Larry E. Stedman
Spokane Downtown
20 years
Ayman Mohamud
Seattle Attended
19 years
Amanuel G. Abraham
Seattle Attended
18 years
Mesay Mekonnen
United Parking
17 years
Azeb Wosene
Seattle Attended
17 years
Douglas M. Schroeder
Bellevue
17 years
Quentin A. Sannes
Spokane Downtown
16 years
50+ Years Richard G. Jeffries 30+ Years
20+ Years
15+ Years
10+ Years Jasmine-Victori A. Crusat Kona
14 years
Seyum S. Debesay
Seattle Self Park
14 years
Paul D. Archuleta
Salt Lake City Airport
14 years
Paul R. Lopez
Santa Ana
13 years
Steven Eugenio
Spokane Downtown
13 years
Alfred S. Olsen V,
Spokane Downtown
12 years
Joseph Koontz
Seattle Self Park
11 years
Peggy L. Huebner
U-District
11 years
Tekle A. Zerasion
Seattle Attended
10 years
Andrea R. Pierce
Spokane Downtown
10 years
Bacnhan Y. Ngo-Garrison Parking Service Millicent O. Wofford
10 years
ou Y k n a h T
Salt Lake City Downtown
10 years
Diamond Feedback We welcome your comments: Diamond Dialog is published by Diamond Parking. For comments and suggestions please write to us at: dialog@diamondparking.com.
To learn more about the Diamond Difference visit www.diamondparking.com
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Employment Opportunities Diamond Parking is a full-service parking operator which prides itself on the quality of its employees. We do everything possible to accommodate our clients and make sure each and every client is satisfied. Such exceptional service can only be delivered by hiring the brightest and hardest working people in the industry. If you are interested in joining Diamond Parking, please e-mail your resume to: hr@diamondparking.com. Diamond Parking is an equal opportunity employer.
A ctionline WHAT DO YOU THINK? Your observations, ideas and
opinions are very important to us. Whether you are a landlord, customer or employee, you can use Actionline to provide comments, suggestions or observations; to ask questions, voice concerns, report situations, or to forward information that you feel may need attention. Actionline is served by an independent communication services firm. Through this service, you may provide your personal contact information and receive a response directly from Diamond Parking. Or, you may provide your personal contact information, request to remain anonymous to the company, and receive a reply through the Actionline service. You may contact Actionline by e-mail at ask@actionline.com, by telephone at 1-800-426-0426 (day or night, toll-free) or by using a postage-paid mailer available at any Diamond Parking field office.
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