CITY OF HOUSTON PARKING MANAGEMENT DIVISION RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE'S "PARKING ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR" AWARD

May 29, 2007 -- The International Parking Institute (IPI) awarded last week the “2007 Parking Organization of the Year” to the City of Houston Parking Management division. The award was presented during the Awards of Excellence luncheon at the annual International Parking Conference and Exposition in Tampa, Fla., the largest, most comprehensive meeting of parking and transportation professionals held in the United States.

Established in 1962, the IPI puts the international stamp of superiority on a winning parking organization, parking administration and brand. The City of Houston Parking Management division competed with numerous parking organizations to receive the designation, considered one of the “Oscars” of the parking industry. Nominees were selected by a select committee of regular members appointed by the chairman of the board of IPI.

Nominees were selected based on a selection of criteria, including the organization’s contribution to the parking industry, creative solutions and innovations, standards of customer service, professional reputation, reliability and breadth of programs and services, among others.

The award comes as a direct result of Houston Mayor Bill White’s commitment to customer service and ensuring a smooth flow of traffic on city streets.

“Here in Houston, we’ve created a parking organization that manages a valuable public asset with efficiency and quality customer service, as well as with an eye on improving overall mobility,” said Mayor White. “These are among our main goals at City Hall.”

New endeavors under Mayor White’s administration include appointing the first citizen-led Parking Commission in the State of Texas, initiating a technologically-advanced meter project that positions Houston at the forefront of the parking industry, relocating the Parking Management division to the Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department to consolidate on- and off-street parking services and programs into one group and reinforcing Parking Management to ensure the highest level of customer service.

“One of the first steps in improving our relationship with customers was to develop and conduct an educational community outreach program,” said Dawn Ullrich, director of the Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department. “The goal was achieved by an integrated approach through a number of outlets, including our dedicated staff. We take enormous pride in our product and the employees who carry out the initiatives, and it means a lot to know such a prestigious group also thinks highly of our organization.”

Among those outlets was the establishment of a customer-friendly Web site where customers can get parking tips and pay citations online, developing an informative brochure providing pertinent parking information to residents and visitors, expanding the Disabled Parking Volunteer Program to include more than 400 citizen volunteers and the formation of the Parking Ambassador program, a partnership with the Houston Police Department and Parking Management, where Parking Enforcement Officers undergo an additional curriculum-based training schedule supplementary to standard training procedures.

“Houston’s really a maverick when it comes to being innovative and improving Parking operations on City streets,” said Kim Jackson, CAPP (Certified Administrator of Public Parking), executive director and chief executive officer for the International Parking Institute. “Under the leadership of Liliana Rambo, the Parking Management staff has made tremendous headway not only in improving their customer service to a level unsurpassed, but also bridging the gap between neighborhoods and Parking enforcement. Gaining the trust and alliance of resident neighborhoods is not an easy thing to do, but Houston has a path, and it’s come a long way.”

Parking Management is a division of the City of Houston Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department. By servicing and maintaining almost 6,000 on-street parking spaces and numerous garages across the Greater Houston area, Parking Management creates sound regulations for all commercial and residential areas enhancing pedestrian safety, ensuring a smooth flow of traffic and allowing emergency vehicles to reach their destinations. Parking Management also encourages parking awareness while supporting public transit initiatives.

For more information about Parking Management, please call 713.837.0311 or visit www.houstonparking.org.