Leadership Team
Simon Chen, CEO
Simon is Australian and has lived in Colorado for ten years. Prior to moving to the US, Simon and his family were based in Singapore. He has spent the past 20-years consulting with technology companies across Asia Pacific and the US and has held several senior management positions for large multinationals.
He understands the demands that travel places on the busy executive and their families – given that during his career he logged in excess of 6 million miles in the air. He was a customer and user of many “black” car services and instinctively knows what clients want and what they need.
Simon has a passion for driving and all things car related. Simon taught part time for 15 years for Australia’s largest and most respected Advanced Driver Training company. His motto is “safety before schedule” and one look at the Eight Black fleet will tell you that safety is never compromised.
He also spent 8 years in the Australian military (Army) and leads the company’s Executive Protection division – and considers it a privilege to work with some of the most talented security professionals in the world.
Keeping the company’s clients and their families out of harm’s way keeps him awake at night.
Rusty Gardner, VP of Operations
Rusty has a 25-year career in the construction industry. Logistics are his thing. He is responsible for our operations across all business lines and brings a sense of calm to what can be a non-stop 24/7 environment.
Always willing to help, always bringing a high level of positive energy to the table, he leads a team of extremely capable people.
Rusty has been with the company for 3 years. His idea of retirement is driving across the US in his Jeep pulling his camper.
Nadia Pettignano, VP of Customer Service
Nadia is a native New Yorker. She has been in the Executive Ground Transportation industry for over 20-years. She is responsible for our customer service delivery across all our businesses and manages a complex team of people, based onshore and offshore.
Always positive, always committed to serving the needs of our clients no matter what time and ready to help her team – no matter what, sets her apart as one of the best CS people we have had the pleasure of working with.
Connor Magyar, VP of Digital
Connor built the company’s very first website 7 years ago. He owns a Colorado Marketing agency called DogCat Marketing. We consider ourselves an eCommerce business first and foremost.
Connor has been instrumental in creating a formidable digital presence for us. He is always calm, has experience and wisdom beyond his years and we would not have had the online success today if it wasn’t for his expertise and talent. Digital takes hard work and persistence – qualities that Connor has in spades.
LaRae Palo, Director of Shuttle Operations
LaRae is easily the best “driver” we have ever hired. She has 30 years of driving experience across all platforms (including CDL – large motorcoaches). There is nothing she can’t operate. She is responsible for driver recruitment, training and retention across all our transportation businesses.
Always smiling, always positive in her outlook, no matter what traffic or weather issues we are facing, LaRae is a breath of fresh air.
