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Vice President of Customer Initiatives Clark Gross
I joined VPSI in 1985 and hit the ground running! After training in the MichiVan Customer Service Center – commonly referred to as "The Body Shop" because it was VPSI's training ground for new hires – I found myself in Los Angeles managing VPSI's largest office. In retrospect, I knew nothing about vanpooling or the TDM industry, but was lucky enough to surround myself with great people who did. Because of them, we went from caring for 400 vanpool groups to over 1,500 vanpool groups in a few short years. Several of the folks I hired "back in the day" still occupy key positions in the company and I feel like such a proud "Papa"!
As a result of their hard work I was promoted, and as VPSI's Western Area Manager learned about different TDM initiatives in the Western third of the country. During my tenure we opened Customer Service Centers in Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, and Las Vegas. We established great partnerships and continually pushed the envelope. One of those partnerships resulted in one of the first successful car sharing demonstration programs in the US.
During those "early" years I had several personal epiphanies. As a result, I learned how important each and every customer is to our success. I watched as "my" employees did things like postpone opening presents on Christmas morning so that they could deliver a vanpool vehicle to a group in need. Our employees and our customers became my passion.
Today, as Vice President of Customer Initiatives, I'm able to focus on that passion. Jeff says I'm in charge of "fun and technology" – and the description is apt. It's all about bringing value added to the people who participate in the programs and services we provide. Working to make their quality of life better through their interaction with us. There's no better feeling then when we're able to do that!
