International Parking Institute Announces 2012 Parking Professional Recognition Awards
(PHOENIX, Ariz. -- June 12, 2012) - The International Parking Institute (IPI) has announced the 2012 recipients of its Professional Recognition Program, created to honor parking industry professionals who exemplify excellence in the industry and who are changing the perception of parking through their actions and organizational programs.
The Parking Professional
of the Year is Rachel Yoka, LEED, AP BD+C, CNU+A, CPSM,
TimHaahs & Associates, Inc. Yoka is Vice President of Strategic
Business Planning & Sustainability for TimHaahs. She previously
headed the company's marketing department, where she transformed
the TimHaahs brand. She also guides the company's efforts in
sustainability, leading an in-house educational program on
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) that has
resulted in more than 25 percent of the firm's employees
becoming LEED-Accredited Professionals.
Yoka serves as co-chair of IPI's Sustainability Committee and works with IPI and other organizations to help promote the idea of sustainability through parking planning, design, construction, and operations. She serves as editor of an upcoming publication on sustainability; treasurer of the Pennsylvania Parking Association; a member of the advisory board for the Philadelphia Chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), where in 2010 she served as co-chair of its Urban Marketplace forum and is currently programming co-chair for the inaugural Philadelphia ULI Global Marketplace event; and president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Yoka has proven her compassion and dedication to a number of charitable and community organizations. She consistently leads TimHaahs' efforts in advancing the firm's mission of "We exist to help those in need," working with such efforts as the American Heart Association's Heart Walk and Go Red for Women; Philabundance "CANstruction" competition, a charity committed to collecting food for those in need; and Norristown Ministries Hospitality Center, a local organization serving the poor and homeless.
2012 Supervisor of the Year is June
Broughton, communications & marketing manager at Texas A&M
University's Transportation Services Department. Broughton was
recognized for her commitment to service excellence. Known for
going above and beyond merely producing marketing materials, she
searches out and learns university guidelines and then works with
groups to ensure alignment between them.
In addition to managing the website and externally delivered materials, Broughton identified and secured creative sources of revenue to help offset her team's costs. Facing opposition from administrators, she led an advertising program for the racks in the department's bus fleet, convincing them to try a pilot program using ads from other on-campus departments. The successful pilot garnered approval to extend the bus advertising program to non-affiliated companies as well, growing the program's revenue stream from $25,000 to $150,000 per year. Broughton consistently assists others in the parking industry in developing their own marketing and communications programs and shares her knowledge in alignment with IPI's mission of providing leadership, training, and professional development.
2012 Staff Member of the Year was awarded
to Heather Medley of Texas Tech University. After joining its
University Parking Services in 2006, she created the marketing
department with innovative marketing plans, creative
communications, and a stellar social media presence. She has
continually pursued excellence for herself and the department,
participating in organizations such as University Women's Club,
Mentor Tech, and Staff Senate. Most recently, she volunteered to be
a judge for the athletics department's talent show, which benefits
local charities. Medley recently served on a team to help the
division create a website for sustainability, helping to create an
interactive, user-friendly site that highlighted campus-wide
efforts to go green. She is known for putting in extra effort to
provide outstanding customer service.
"One by one, these individuals are positively shaping the public's view of parking as a profession, and making a major impact on their organizations and communities through their innovative efforts, hard work, and dedication," says Shawn Conrad, CAE, IPI's executive director.
Nominations are accepted on an annual basis and judged by a select committee of industry peers appointed by IPI Board of Directors Chair Casey Jones, CAPP. Recipients, selected by the Professional Recognition Committee, were announced at its 2012 Conference and Expo in Phoenix, AZ.
The International Parking Institute is the world's largest association representing parking professionals and the parking industry. Learn more at www.parking.org.
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