2023 IPMI Awards of Excellence
Dorothy J. Verdon, CPSM
June 8, 2023
18 Projects Recognized for Creativity and Innovation
2023 IPMI Professional Recognition Awards
2023 IPMI Professional Recognition Awards
stock.adobe.com / Tartila
Parking and mobility professionals continue to set the bar of excellence in customer service and innovation at a time when automation is the new buzzword. As technology propels our industry forward at lightning speed, it becomes increasingly clear that the people behind the technology are the true drivers of innovation, safety, and service.
The parking and mobility community has talented and pioneering people working at all levels. From frontline employees to executive offices, these professionals are shaping the future of parking and mobility—today. The 2023 IPMI Professional Recognition Program award winners represent creativity, fortitude, and a spirit of leadership that continues to inspire and invigorate the industry.
Our Winners
Organizations of the Year
Dixon Resources Unlimited
“DIXON is well-deserving of this recognition as they embody the values, practices, and processes of a true partner. I believe that recognizing such a valuable team in the industry will inspire others to continue innovating, collaborating, and improving the way that parking shapes cities across the country—and around the world.”
—Daryl Robinson
Director of Operations, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
Leveraging more than 20 years of industry experience, Julie Dixon founded Dixon Resources Unlimited (DIXON) to provide parking solutions tailored to municipal customers. The organization values developing a strong understanding of a parking program, the people behind it, and its goals first and foremost.
This year they celebrated 10 years of service; as a small, woman-owned business, they pack a powerful punch. To keep an eye on industry trends, they actively participate in all major parking associations and stay in touch with new and incumbent technology vendors to be part of their product feedback cycles.
DIXON’s mission is to make parking and transportation easy, convenient, and accessible to all. They have earned the nickname “Parking Coach” thanks to their hands-on approach and personalized services to each client. Their engagement goes beyond the work they are paid to do and extends into voluntary contributions to the wider community.
From transforming traditional parking management plans into an actionable Parking Action Plan format to inventing multiple data analysis software products and even serving as the acting Parking Manager for multiple agencies, there is never a dull moment at DIXON! They don’t believe in cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solutions; they pride themselves on being a unique firm with the depth of knowledge and operational experience needed to assess, design, and build successful parking programs from the ground up.
Outside of the parking world, DIXON actively supports countless non-profits financially and through volunteering. Their advocacy has recruited industry colleagues to join and expand the community’s contributions.
Organizations of the Year
University of Wisconsin—Madison, Transportation Services
“Their alternative transportation program should be a model for all universities. They strive to balance extremely limited parking capacity with easy campus access for all employees, students, and visitors with a robust commuter solutions program. One of the keys to the success of their program is the communication of their offerings; they do an outstanding job in reaching their community.”
—Peter Lang & Debbie Lollar, CAPP,
Associate Vice President and Executive Director (respectively), Texas A&M University Division of Operations, Transportation Services
The University of Wisconsin—Madison’s Transportation Services (UW-Madison) manages all parking and transportation activities on campus. They are a self-funded component of the university, established in 1924 to manage parking for a growing campus. Nearly a century later, Transportation Services’ administration of the mobility infrastructure contributed to its recognition as an Accredited Parking Organization with Distinction.
UW-Madison is a 928-acre urban campus situated on an isthmus bordered by three lakes. Geographical constraints and a growing city make managing campus access a complex task. Over the century, campus parking inventory has expanded from 759 parking stalls in the 1930s to approximately 13,000 parking stalls in nearly 100 parking lots, 17 of which are gated facilities. Today, UW-Madison is home to 80,000 students, faculty, and staff. The parking ratio is approximately 0.16 parking stalls per person—one of the lowest ratios among peer institutions nationwide.
UW Transportation Services workforce includes 200 staff members across eight work areas: parking permits and customer service; enforcement; facilities and maintenance; finance; information technology; commuter solutions; booths and dispatch operations; special events and appeals; marketing and communications; and fleet and garage services.
Their programming has contributed to a vibrant multimodal campus culture, with 86% of students and 40% of employees choosing active or alternate modes of transportation most of the time. In the past three years, existing programs were adjusted, and new programs were piloted to accommodate shifting commuter habits and ensure equitable campus access during (and after) the pandemic.
Long-range planning includes expanding parking inventory by constructing new parking structures in high-density areas of campus. The Linden Drive Garage, completed in January 2021, is one such addition, providing 600 new stalls for permit holders, service vehicles, and visitors. Along with the UW Hospital Ramp, Linden Drive Garage was recognized as a Premier Facility by IPMI in 2022.
Programs including a campus circulator bus, a flex parking program, and implementing reduced-cost parking permits during the pandemic are just a few of the innovative programs that have made UW-Madison an example of parking and mobility excellence.
Through a partnership with Madison Metro Transit, a division of the City of Madison, they provide free campus bus service and discounts for employee bus passes. In 2021-22, Transportation Services successfully advocated for equitable bus service coverage in a transit network redesign to restructure the city’s bus service in 2023.
The partnerships between the UW-Madison campus and the City of Madison, plus the talents of a dedicated workforce, make the organization resilient in the face of great change. It is well-positioned to continue its mission—providing innovative transportation solutions that serve and support UW-Madison, now and in the future.
James M. Hunnicutt | CAPP Industry Professional of the Year
Perry H Eggleston, CAPP
Executive Director, Transportation Services and University Airport Manager
University of California, Davis
“I’ve always been impressed with Perry’s ability to positively influence others. His dedication and professionalism are exactly what we need to emulate
as we mentor new leaders in our field.”
—Marlene Cramer, CAPP
Director, Transportation & Parking Services, CalPoly
“We are very fortunate to have Perry’s leadership at UC Davis. He is an innovator,
an organizational leader, and an active, contributing member of our community.”
—Robert B. Segar
Associate Vice Chancellor, Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship, University of California, Davis
Dr. Perry H Eggleston, CAPP, DPA, has more than 30 years of experience in the transportation and mobility industry, starting in 1992 as a police officer patrolling the parking beat. In 1996, he became a university police sergeant, where he found placing rectangles in slightly larger rectangles and the human behavior around the process fascinating.
Between 2008 and 2010, Perry served as a non-governmental flight service grant coordinator in Kabul, Afghanistan. The organization transported other NGO workers throughout the country. He also served as Director of Security for a humanitarian maternity hospital treating Afghan women and their families.
When he returned to the United States in 2010, Perry focused his career on transportation and mobility challenges. He worked for municipal and collegiate parking organizations in Kentucky, New Jersey, Texas, California, Ohio, and Arizona. Perry has been
executing a career capstone for the last three years as the Executive Director for Transportation Services at UC Davis.
Seeing the unique opportunity posed by the pandemic lockdown and the massive increase in remote work, Perry and his team inverted the campus parking paradigm with the full implementation of Daily Decision Parking. Perry has encouraged a transparent, empowering team operational model internally and externally in the organizations he led. His leadership encouraged department employees to fill the role of “campus parking and mobility experts,” where previously they were often ignored.
Perry strongly believes that university parking and mobility organizations are part of a student’s educational experience. Furthermore, he feels that the organization’s professionals should be teachers of tomorrow’s leaders and role models to the community by always complying with policy and using sustainable transportation whenever possible.
Emerging Leaders of the Year
Jordan Justus
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Automotus
“Jordan has demonstrated superb leadership in the development of Automotus, applying his passion for reducing traffic congestion and emissions to inspire his entrepreneurship in the parking industry. Jordan’s work promises to transform how cities manage their curb lanes, unlocking significant efficiency gains and revenue potential for cities. His leadership has been integral to the success of Automotus, and I expect that he and his team will transform parking technologies, policies, and practices.”
—Donald C. Shoup, FAICP
Distinguished Research Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
Jordan is an entrepreneurial leader who founded the curb management technology company Automotus. As CEO and co-founder, Jordan oversees a rapidly growing team of business development, marketing, finance, and engineering professionals. He is responsible for setting the company’s strategic vision and collaborating with cities and fleet operators to design partnerships that deliver win-win solutions for all stakeholders.
In 2017, Jordan collaborated with a friend and former classmate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles to tackle a challenge they both knew all too well as LA natives: traffic congestion. This passion project became a broader mission and vision as they set their sights on building a new way for cities and airports to manage the rapid rise in commercial vehicle traffic and CO2 emissions. Jordan’s leadership has led to a positive disruption of the parking and mobility industry and will undoubtedly continue to lead to better curb space experiences for cities and communities.
As part of that mission, Jordan has called on government and industry leaders to foster more holistic and inclusive transportation systems by investing in parking technologies that can adapt to improve the experiences of all road users, from low-income drivers to gig workers and even those who don’t own a car. He has never shied away from feeding his curiosity and passion for developing innovative solutions to help shape the future of parking and create a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable future.
Jordan has demonstrated experience leading and managing large multi-year projects with many stakeholders and tight deadlines. He is dedicated to building teams and technology that help make cities worldwide more accessible, equitable, and sustainable.
Emerging Leaders of the Year
George McLean, CAPP, DBA
Sr. Business Analyst
Miami Parking Authority
“George’s level of customer service and willingness to go above and beyond for every customer is one of the main differentiators between MPA and others in the market. He has constantly risen to the occasion by aptly engaging with customers and working through their issues tactfully and professionally, thus attaining excellent results.”
—Alejandra “Alex” Argudin, CAPP
Chief Executive Officer, Miami Parking Authority
As a Senior Business Analyst for the Miami Parking Authority (MPA), George oversees data analytics, customer service, marketing, and social media. He is a cross-functional leader heading the development and implementation of enterprise-level solutions. During his tenure with MPA, he has spearheaded multiple projects that have solidified their position as a leader in advancing technology. He has worked to identify operational gaps and sourced vendors to address problems that plagued MPA while simultaneously increasing revenue.
As a transformational leader, George has taken the steps necessary to push our industry forward using an innovative approach that has provoked thought leadership amongst his peers. He is an aspirational leader amongst peers, colleagues, and patrons of the city of Miami. He is well-known inside and outside of the parking industry. George was one of the first members of the MPA to study and pass the CAPP certification examination in the last ten years. Once passing the certification exam, George volunteered to coach and mentor his peers internally to support an organizational culture of personal development. He has spearheaded various internal programs that brought awareness to professional excellence in the MPA, such as professional skill development, educational seminar participation, and interpersonal skill building. George has played an integral role in developing the 2022-2025 strategic plan, leading planning, goal development, and execution initiatives. In addition, George has helped transition the Authority’s focus to a data-driven approach, providing robust analysis and visualizations supporting long-term strategic growth. He has restructured social media and marketing to increase engagement and awareness, resulting in an increase in followers and product sales. His leadership is the catalyst of change that supports the ongoing advancement of the industry into the era of data-driven decision-making.
George’s dedication to service and leadership is extraordinary, and he is the epitome of leadership in the parking industry.
Professional Excellence Award—Frontline
Victoria Freeman
Regulatory Investigator
ParkHouston
“Ms. Freeman’s performance during fiscal year 2022 was amazing and demonstrates a level of dedication and performance that is rarely, if ever seen.”
—Clayton Harrington
Compliance Division Manager, ParkHouston
Anative of Lafayette, Louisiana, Victoria Freeman began her career with the City of Houston as a Parking Enforcement Officer in 1999. Now a Regulatory Investigator with a 23-year career with the city, she supports safety initiatives by educating the public on parking compliance, providing parking assistance and information to customers, investigating and resolving customer complaints, and reducing neighborhood blight. With an amazing memory and ability to recall information, Victoria is considered one of ParkHouston’s “go-to” people. She is frequently called upon by her peers to verify information and provide guidance.
In addition to being a valuable resource to ParkHouston, she intentionally stays connected to her peers in other city departments. If you need a contact in the sign shop, neighborhood inspection, waste management, or a police officer for a particular beat, she can point you in the right direction.
As with most organizations, ParkHouston faced staffing challenges during the past year; Victoria jumped in and helped to fill the void created by those staffing shortages. Last year, although short-staffed by up to 30% as the year ended, the compliance division met or exceeded all their target goals, in no small part due to Victoria’s dedication.
Victoria exemplifies excellence as a leader in frontline service – and leads her team to do the same each day.
Professional Excellence Award—Innovation
Bruno Lopes
Director of Parking & Station Access
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
“His technical, management, and leadership skills deserve to be celebrated throughout the industry.”
—Kelly Chronley
Deputy Director of Fare Programs and Policy, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
As his role as Director of Parking & Station Access at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Bruno designs, implements, operates, and maintains infrastructure and services that encourage best-in-class multimodal connections to transit, and operates 101 parking facilities across the region. Bruno focuses on improving customer experience, ensuring accessibility to all riders, and deploying leading-edge technology solutions and partnerships to accomplish the agency’s mission.
Under Bruno’s leadership, MBTA pioneered invoice-by-mail in 2015, a novel approach to reframing ticket-by-mail enforcement as a service that aligns with its objectives to provide a frictionless parking experience to its customers. They coupled this with pay-by-plate as a third payment option, a nonpunitive measure to increase compliance and provide more ways to pay for its ridership. With these innovations, MBTA streamlined its payment methodology and saw a significant increase in parking payment compliance.
Bruno’s professional innovation contributions have been significant and documented thoroughly over the past decade at the MBTA. His passion for innovation and tenacity have made the MBTA a thought leader in the transportation marketplace. With his profound knowledge that success begins and ends with customers, the authority has significantly increased compliance, resulting in substantial revenue growth and stakeholder satisfaction at the MBTA. His team’s focus on a customer-first ethos mindset, management approaches, revenue growth, and increased efficiencies revolutionized MBTA’s overall operations.
Professional Excellence Award—Leadership
Lisa Burke
Area Manager
ProPark Mobility
“Lisa makes me and everyone else around her better each and every day. Whether Lisa is supporting her team, cross-functionally working on a strategic initiative, or independently enhancing the organization’s products and services, Lisa is always driving value to the business and her colleagues around her.”
—Keith Palma
Executive Director of Business Operations, CampusParc Management Inc.
Lisa joined the parking industry from a sales and marketing background with two Fortune 500 companies, giving her a unique view on project management. Using that expertise, she developed strategies for her teams focusing on training, data-driven decisions on quantified metrics, and customer-centric operational efficiencies.
Lisa recognized that a career as a parking professional does not have a specific university degree assigned to it, even though our industry encompasses every business line ranging from accounting, finance, operations, marketing, hospitality, and communications. Lisa wanted to create an opportunity to expose the parking industry’s business side to individuals, specifically women and minorities, who were unaware of the lucrative career the parking industry offers. Recognizing that women and minorities are under-represented in leadership positions in parking and mobility, Lisa worked toward creating an internship program designed to develop a sustainable talent pool of diverse future leaders.
As a strong manager of people, operations, and budget, what sets Lisa apart from her peers is her commitment to driving organizational change to create a first-class parking experience while optimizing efficiencies. Lisa understands that people need to learn from their mistakes; she recognizes that failure is a part of innovation, and with it comes learning, adaptation, and the foundation of building new concepts. Transparency in her purpose and articulating the “why” behind each project or corporate initiative is a core strength of hers. Lisa holds her team to the same high standard that she carries herself and leads by example. Her ability to coach and mentor has helped her push individuals to move organizations forward effectively. She has genuine care and concern for people, and she is dedicated to the personal and professional growth of those she leads. ◆
This article has been written and/or compiled by the staff of Parking & Mobility magazine.
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