On September 1, 2020, we welcomed Michael Murray to the Paladin Group of Companies as the new President of Concord Parking.
Michael Murray, President of Concord Parking
Michael comes to Concord Parking with 26 years of management experience and 15 years specifically focused on the parking industry. His background, however, was originally in the hospitality industry. It was there that Michael discovered an opportunity to leverage his experience in customer service from hotel management and apply it to parking management, an industry not typically known for exceptional service. It was this skillset that enabled him to thrive in the parking management industry and grow as a leader, paving the way for businesses to have streamlined parking operations that are customer service oriented.
Achieving Success in the Parking Industry
One of Michael Murray’s biggest challenges while working in the hospitality industry was perishable products. However, after joining the parking industry, he soon discovered that parking is even more perishable than food.
Michael elaborated on this by explaining, “If you are unable to sell a steak in your restaurant one day, you can very often sell it the next day without a loss. But if you do not sell a parking space one day, you cannot sell it twice the next day to make up for it. Seeing the industry this way allowed me to recognize that we need to have good systems, strong business acumen, and most importantly, a great team. We have all of these at Concord Parking and we are getting stronger every day.”
Throughout his career, Michael has developed a proven track record of growth and success, and he has consistently improved operational quality and efficiencies by implementing sustainable methods. His leadership skills and strategic planning capabilities will provide us with the ability to take Concord Parking to the next level across the Lower Mainland, Canada, and the United States.
An Entrepreneur at Heart
While working for Diamond Parking for over 10 years, Michael quickly enhanced his knowledge about the parking industry, as well as the entrepreneurial nature of it. He discovered that every parking facility he managed was as if it was its own business, since each facility had different challenges and opportunities. This made working in the parking industry a much more diverse and dynamic work environment than one might expect.
When asked what drew him to joining the Paladin Group of Companies, Michael Murray answered, “I was intrigued by the tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the synergy between parking and security. Many of our Clients need both services, and I believe that my experience in parking will be helpful to the team. Paladin also has a great corporate culture, which encourages growth through collaboration and entrepreneurial drive.”
A Passion to Enhance Customer Service
Additionally, Michael is an empathetic leader who values listening, collaborating, and working in a supporting environment. He is passionate and hardworking when it comes to his role, and he has an incredible sense of humour, which will fit right in with Paladin’s welcoming corporate culture.
On announcing Michael’s addition to the Paladin Group of Companies, Ashley Cooper, Paladin’s CEO, stated, “I am truly excited to have Michael Murray join our team. We searched for a new President for Concord Parking to help us navigate the industry and help us grow the company across North America, and I am confident that Michael possesses the skills it will take.”
Michael Murray also noted, “I see a great opportunity to apply new technology to improve the customer experience and the efficiency of the business. The parking industry is normally fairly slow to adopt new technology, and I want to be a part of changing that.”
About Concord Parking
Concord Parking offers a range of pay parking and parking management services to Class A shopping centers, office complexes, educational facilities, and local governments. Managing over 25,000 parking stalls for clients throughout Canada, Paladin’s parking division has grown rapidly as a result of delivering technology and innovation not previously offered by traditional parking companies. Concord is the largest provider of mobile LPR enforcement and permitting services in Western Canada, and we operate the region’s largest fleet of Genetec AutoVu enforcement vehicles. We are also an industry leader in the supply and installation of virtual permit systems, currently managing over 30,000 virtual permits. Learn more at concordparking.com.
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