Latest news with #DavidSimmons
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Marquis Who's Who Honors David Simmons as a Top Business Owner
UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 8, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors David Simmons as a Top Business Owner. Mr. Simmons is the owner and chief executive officer of My Automotive Refinishing Specialist Corp. He is also the owner and creator of ForcedG.R.I.T., a magnetic sanding device and the owner of SOURCE Refinishing Specialist LLC, an automotive repair and paint company. About Mr. Simmons Mr. Simmons began his 45-year career in automotive body and paint repair, working at his father's collision repair center since its opening in 1974. He joined the service when he was a young age of twelve. His father dedicated his life to automotive paint and body repair and created a product that Mr. Simmons later patented. Mr. Simmons considered this his most notable achievement because he was able to patent his father's innovative product before he passed away in 2018. Inspired by his father's invention, Mr. Simmons has also developed a product that aims to enhance the quality of the auto-body paint and repair process and hopes to revolutionize practices within the industry. Mr. Simmons, alongside managing the family business with his 10 siblings, previously worked at Hendrick Automotive Group for 20 years as their master painter. He now works in the paint department of Mercedes-Benz and helps in the paint process of the company's vans. A Notable Career in the Automotive Industry As a master painter, Mr. Simmons holds numerous credentials, such as a Master Certification in Axalta Paint Solutions, a Master Certification as a Rick Hendrick Painter, a Master Standox-Dupont, an ASE Master in Paint and Refinished Vehicles, a Standox-Dupont Advanced Certification, a Standox Meister Certification, an ASE Professional Collision Recertification and an I-CAR Platinum Certification. Mr. Simmons founded My Automotive Refinishing Specialist Corp and owns the trademark ForcedG.R.I.T. to represent his invention, which features an automotive industrial sander powered by magnetic technology. He is currently working with a manufacturing company based in New York City to finalize the product. He hopes that this innovation will benefit aspiring professional body and paint technicians by helping them achieve their goals. As the founder and chief executive officer of his company, Mr. Simmons has numerous duties, including handling product development and finance, advertising and social media, managing daily operations, setting up training courses for the product he created, preparing for market launch and more. He is also in the process of assembling a board of directors and identifying potential stockholders. Mr. Simmons plans to promote his new product at trade shows and other events to garner interest and expand the company. Looking to the Future In the future, Mr. Simmons plans to establish his own training center for young people. The school will teach those aspiring to enter the field the tools and skills needed to succeed. Recognizing the gap in his training when he first embarked on his professional journey, he hopes to build a bridge for students to achieve a successful career by engaging with high school trade programs. Mr. Simmons' goal is to create a more efficient and supportive path by providing the resources he lacked when he was just starting in the industry. Constantly innovating and engaged in the process of invention, Mr. Simmons looks forward to spearheading new projects as the years go on. In his free time, Mr. Simmons is a volunteer at Pet Helpers and donates to various orphanages. He is also dedicating his time and effort to reopening his father's church, The Redeemed Church of Christ of Charleston. The church was founded in 1992. Mr. Simmons is the church's overseer and is assisting in establishing a committee to reopen the church. About Marquis Who's Who®: Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, Contact: Marquis Who's Who Uniondale, NY (844) 394 - 6946 [email protected] SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who press release
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business Times
New Zealand joins growing trend to charge foreign tourists more
[WELLINGTON] New Zealand is joining a growing list of countries that charge foreigners more to visit popular tourist sites. The government plans to levy a fee of as much as NZ$40 (S$30.49) on foreign visitors to key natural attractions such as Milford Sound, the majestic fjord reputedly described by the writer Rudyard Kipling as the eighth wonder of the world. The charge, which could be introduced in 2027, will not apply to New Zealand residents. 'New Zealanders have already contributed under broad taxation to run the Department of Conservation,' said David Simmons, emeritus professor in the Department of Tourism at Lincoln University. 'International visitors have not.' Dual-pricing systems, where foreigners pay more than locals to visit national parks, museums and heritage sites, are becoming more popular globally as a means to raise revenue for infrastructure or to control overtourism. US President Donald Trump last month instructed the Secretary of the Interior to consider increasing charges for non-residents at those national parks that already have entrance fees, while some sites in Japan have recently begun introducing higher prices for foreigners, for example, at the newly opened Junglia theme park in Okinawa. Overseas visitors routinely pay more to visit India's Taj Mahal, the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Peru's Machu Picchu citadel. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Some countries use the proceeds to fund conservation, waste management and infrastructure upkeep. Others employ the strategy to reduce stress on urban environments, such as the Italian city of Venice, which is trialling an entrance fee for day-trippers to control crowds during the peak tourist season. In New Zealand's case, creaking infrastructure is the main issue. At the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a track through a World Heritage Area on the central North Island volcanic plateau, thousands of tourists often overwhelm facilities designed to be used by a few hundred people a day. Such overloading has fuelled concern that a bad tourist experience will harm New Zealand's clean, green image and dent an industry that is the country's biggest export earner after dairy products and a key driver of economic growth. The government estimates it will raise NZ$62 million a year from the charge on foreigners, which it will reinvest in the sites to improve the visitor experience. Initially, four sites will be subject to the charge – Milford Sound, the Tongariro Crossing, Aoraki Mount Cook and Cathedral Cove, which is recognised as one of the world's best beaches – but the government has said it will investigate additional locations. All the destinations are on public land administered by the Department of Conservation. Milford Sound attracts 1.1 million visitors a year, 90 per cent of whom are from overseas. The risk is that over-charging foreigners might put them off. New Zealand already charges non-residents more to use the huts on its Great Walks, which are multi-day hiking trails through some of its most scenic areas. Most international visitors also face a NZ$100 levy when they arrive in the country, which is designed to help cover the costs of providing tourist services. 'It is important to understand the cumulative cost for visitors, and any new charges need to be carefully considered alongside those already paid,' said Greg Thomas, general manager of Tourism Industry Aotearoa. He supports the move to dual-pricing as long as the funds are put back into the attractions. There are other unanswered questions, not least how New Zealand will levy the charge on visitors to wilderness areas. 'Further work is required to decide the actual implementation and cost,' a spokesperson for Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said. 'As part of this, we will consider approaches taken overseas, such as the use of online booking systems, ticket booths and park passes.' BLOOMBERG
Travel Weekly
23-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
M Plus Global Events
2024 sales: $174.3 million Previous ranking: 61 Employees: 134 full-time, 15 part-time 101 S. 200 East, Suite 100 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Phone: (801) 487-9731 Website $174.3 million61134 full-time, 15 part-time101 S. 200 East, Suite 100Salt Lake City, Utah 84111Phone: (801) 487-9731 Executives CO-CHAIR: David Simmons CO-CHAIR: Brian Hollien PRESIDENT, MORRIS COLUMBUS TRAVEL: Brent Jenson PRESIDENT, MORRIS MEETINGS & INCENTIVES: Corey Crowell COO, A PLUS MEETINGS & INCENTIVES; CEO, M PLUS: Jay Klein PRESIDENT, IME CONNECT: Steve Some COMPANY FACTS * Privately owned company. * David Simmons and Brian Hollien are majority shareholders. * Sells directly to consumers and companies. * Works with 30 independent contractors. * 5% of sales completed by hosted advisors. * Sales: 60% meetings and incentives, 40% leisure. * A member of Signature Travel Network. DEVELOPMENTS * Increased its group and escorted tour offerings. * Expanded direct-to-consumer travel shows, drawing more than 9,000 over three days in two locations. * Expanded relationships through minority holdings in other travel-related companies. * Finished consolidation of three prior mergers/acquisitions. LOOKING AHEAD * Adding a third show with anticipated attendance of 2,500. * Planning the return of Holy Land tours in the fall as conditions permit. * Anticipating pending acquisitions to close late this year. * Looking to implement AI-enabled support for advisors. * Anticipating double-digit growth based on its future bookings. Since most programs and clients' travel entail destinations outside of the U.S., a lot will depend on the political and economic outlook and potential related challenges.
