SAN FRANCISCO—iCARS, a new web and mobile app technology platform that instantly connects travelers with licensed, thoroughly-screened executive car service operators and chauffeurs, today announced that Edward Silver has been hired as company president, effective immediately. In his new role, Silver will lead all company operations for iCARS, including technology strategy and business development.
An accomplished veteran in the travel, technology and transportation industries, Silver was most recently the senior vice president of global operations, and chief marketing officer of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), headquartered in Washington, D.C. GBTA is the world's premier business travel and meetings organization with over 7,000 members and operations on six continents. At GBTA, Silver oversaw sales and marketing, technology, product development, and the organization’s growing media interests. Silver implemented and transitioned GBTA’s technology platform to enable the former National Business Travel Association (NBTA) to scale and grow globally into GBTA.
“Ed’s impressive background and thorough understanding of the business travel landscape make him the perfect choice to take iCARS to the next level,” said Gary Bauer, founder of iCARS. “iCARS has a particular focus on streamlining every aspect of corporate ground transportation, and Ed’s insight and understanding of that ecosystem makes him an invaluable asset. He’s already shown he can successfully scale a company and drive geographic and revenue growth, which perfectly aligns with our goals at iCARS.”
Prior to his time at GBTA, Silver founded the travel technology consulting firm, Hudson Crossing, where he led multiple consulting projects for clients as diverse as AAA, Guliver Travels, Travelport's Galileo, and Where Traveler. Silver was also a co-founder of Lodging.com, and as the chief operating officer and primary technologist, he designed the site’s online booking systems, and managed the product development team and technology infrastructure. After Lodging.com was acquired by Cendant, Silver remained on as vice president of technology and operations for Cendant’s Hospitality and Leisure Division.
In his new role as president of iCARS, Silver will work with company founder Gary Bauer to aggressively grow the platform. Currently operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, iCARS plans to open six additional U.S. markets this summer, leading up to GBTA’s ‘Convention 2016’ gathering in Denver. In addition to immediate and future booking capabilities, iCARS enables concierges, travel agents and corporate administrators to book rides on behalf of any number of travelers, and entirely manage ground transportation itineraries as part of their duty of care obligations, making it ideal for usage within the hospitality industry. In turn, iCARS has recently partnered with Bay Area hotels including the Fairmont San Francisco, Hotel Nikko, Handlery Union Square Hotel, Inn at the Presidio and W San Francisco, with many more coming online over the next few months.
iCARS is available for download in Apple’s App Store and in Google Play. To learn more about iCARS, please visit http://www.icars.cc/.
About iCARS:
Founded by 27-year transportation industry veteran Gary Bauer, iCARS is a web and mobile application platform that enables turn-key “executive-level” black car sedan service bookings. Offering both on-demand and future booking capabilities with licensed operators that meet, or exceed, all of the requirements of the limousine industry including commercial insurance limits, chauffeur drug and background screening, vehicle maintenance and safety requirements, iCARS provides reliable and safe point-to-point transport in the form of high-end, professional, on-demand luxury car service, with no surge pricing.
Additionally, iCARS enables concierges, travel agents and corporate administrators to book rides on behalf of any number of travelers, and entirely manage their ground transportation itineraries as part of their duty of care obligations, with the ability to build and participate in a referral fee network. Clients may also create their own private service networks on the iCARS Platform that will direct services to their preferred ground transportation operators.
Contacts
Glodow Nead Communications
Lauren Jennings, Lani Free, Erin
Wickman and Christine Lin, 415-394-6500
icarspr@glodownead.com
