LAcarGUY Wins Sustainable Quality Awards Grand Prize
LAcarGUY is proud to announce that they will be honored with the grand prize at the 2011 Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA) at the Sheraton Santa Monica from 11am – 2pm on Wednesday, April 27th. The SQAs, a partnership between the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Works and the City of Santa Monica, celebrates local business achievement in economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the environment.
LAcarGUY is the first automotive dealership to win an SQA grand prize reinforcing the company’s leadership in an industry not known for its earth friendly practices. The grand prize was based on a number of factors including:
• LAcarGUY is #1 Hybrid dealer in the world, and Toyota Santa Monica is the #1 Prius dealership in the world.
• LAcarGUY offers vehicles at varied price points that utilize different energy sources (gasoline, hybrid, electric) lending itself to all economic conditions and customer choice.
• Toyota Santa Monica won the coveted Environmental Sustainability Award presented by Senator Pavley’s office.
• LAcarGUY was the first automotive dealership in the country to install the “Level 2” SAE J-1772 EV chargers for the new plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
• LAcarGUY is providing open access to the chargers at no cost in order to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles.
• Lexus Santa Monica is the #1 Lexus Hybrid Dealer in the U.S.
• LAcarGUY spent close to $15 million renovating the Lexus Santa Monica dealership instead of tearing it down.
• In January 2011, a major LED retrofit was executed at Lexus Santa Monica.
• LAcarGUY created the position of Manager of the Environment, a Green Team and a Green Newsletter that includes tips for employees on how to conserve energy in the office and at home.
• LAcarGUY has a long history of giving back to the community, and in 2010 employees volunteered at 15 events for a total of 650+ pro-bono hours.
• In 2010 LAcarGUY donated $200k to a side range of environmental charities including Heal the Bay, Environmental Media Association, Global Green, Tree People and Sustainable Works.
The 16th Annual Sustainable Quality Awards are Santa Monica’s most prestigious environmental event, and will be presented by LACarGUY and Morley Builders at the Sheraton Santa Monica on April 27th, 2011. Sarah Backhouse, host of Discovery’s “Planet 100″ show is the emcee, and Evan Kleiman, host of Good Food on KCRW will give the luncheon keynote.
Please take a few minutes and enjoy some of the photos from a few of our events:
Lexus CT200H Launch Event
Heal The Bay Coast Cleanup
Toyota Santa Monica celebrates unveiling of EV Charging Stations
Arbor Day 2011
LAcarGUY’s Mike Sullivan Finishes Third At Toyota Long Beach Pro/Am Race
In a field fill with celebrities and racing stars, LAcarGUY‘s Mike Sullivan battled hard to a podium finish of third in the Celebrity Class and a very solid fifth place overall in the 2011 Toyota Pro/Celebrity race during the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend. Mike finished just behind former “Malcolm In The Middle” star Frankie Munoz, who is a highly skilled driver and competed in the Pro category!
By participating in the race Toyota donated $5,000 in Mike’s name to the Racing for Kids foundation. Racing for Kids is a national nonprofit program benefiting children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated $1.9 million on behalf of the race and its participants to various children’s hospitals since 1991.
The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is scheduled to be broadcast on the Speed Channel on Sunday, May 1, at Noon PDT and will be rebroadcast after that. (See local listings or www.speedtv.com for times.)
You can see the overall results below and a few pictures from the event and the LAcarGUY team cheering Mike on.
Lakers 20th Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament presented by LAcarGuy
On Monday, March 22, the Los Angeles Lakers held their 20th Annual Celebrity Golf Invitational and Dinner presented by LAcarGUY at the Riviera Country Club. With strong support from corporate sponsors, the team raised over $175,000 for the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.
Approximately 140 Golfers enjoyed a sunny Southern California afternoon at the world renowned Riviera Country Club, which was in terrific condition as it recently hosted the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust Open in February. Sponsors had the opportunity to play golf alongside Lakers Legends Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, James Worthy and Mitch Kupchak.
After golf, Phil Jackson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the entire Lakers team attended the cocktail reception and awards dinner. Lakers players Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol joined host Joel Meyers in addressing the audience and answering questions.
Much of the $175,000 was raised during the live auction, which featured: Lakers floor seats and trips to Europe and Hawaii, and the silent auction, which featured: memorabilia jewelry and vacation packages.
“This year we were able to raise more money for the Foundation than in any of our past nineteen golf tournaments,” said Janie Drexel, Director of Charitable Services. “Especially in such a difficult economic time, we are pleased and thankful for the support of our corporate sponsors, who enjoyed interacting with the Lakers players and legends throughout the event.”
The Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation’s goal is to assist nonprofit community organizations based on need. With the Foundation’s focus on the use of sports to promote education, teamwork and self-esteem among Los Angeles area youth, the fundraising directly supports these initiatives by providing financial assistance to children and local youth programs.
Mike Sullivan and LAcarGUY have sponsored the Laker Youth Foundation event for the last three years and plan to continue this new, exciting tradition. Mike is not only a huge Laker basketball fan for many years, but continues to support underprivileged youth throughout the Los Angeles.
LAcarGUY’s Mike Sullivan Participates in Electric Vehicle Roundtable
The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA), a non-profit organization which provides a professional networking and education forum for Southern California businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services, and processes, hosted “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon.” The panel featured six key players in this fast-emerging and competitive industry who guided the audience through a topic that is especially integral to the fabric and future of Los Angeles.
The event took place on Thursday, September 30, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Valcucine’s showroom in Beverly Hills. The distinctive presentation reinforced SBCLA’s commitment to showcasing environmentally-conscious businesses, and spotlighted cutting-edge sustainability trends and best practices across a broad range of industry sectors.
Moderated by Plug In America’s (http://www.pluginamerica.org) VP, Paul Scott, who is also President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California, “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” presented: Laura Marion, CFO, Aptera; K. Forest Beanum, VP of Public Affairs & Communications, CODA Automotive; Richard Steinberg, Manager, Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America, LLC; Eric Shieh, Account Executive, Coulomb Technologies and Mike Sullivan, Owner and President, LAcarGUY
This distinguished group of professionals—representing the cycle of invention to delivery and consumer use—addressed the value proposition of these businesses and California’s leading role in the sector’s growth.
Topics included:
-Why is the timing for electric vehicles more ideal now than when “Who Killed the Electric Car” was released in 2006? What has changed? Or has it?
-What are the sustainable aspects of the vehicle industry vs. other forms of mobility, especially in Los Angeles?
-What are the economic implications of millions of Californians switching from 60% foreign oil to 100% domestic renewable electricity?
-What plug-in vehicles are available today and what will be available in the near future? What are the predictions for the future of electric vehicle adoption?
The event was sponsored by Stonefield Josephson, Inc., LAcarGUY, Valcucine, “Dom,” Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss, Summa Marketing Communications, New Belgium Brewing, Evenson Design Group and dubroWorks Public Relations/Marketing/ Project Management.
LAcarGUY’s Mike Sullivan to participate in Electric Vehicle Roundtable
We are excited to announce that LAcarGUY’s Mike Sullivan will be participating in the Sustainable Business Council’s Electric Vehicle roundtable this Thursday, September 30th. The roundtable is open to the public and is only $25. Click here to rsvp.
We have posted the press release with more info about the event and other panelists below.
SBCLA MIXER AND PANEL PRESENTS ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROUNDTABLE AND DRIVE-A-THON WITH KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS
ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th AT VALCUCINE IN BEVERLY HILLS
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — September 23, 2010 — The Sustainable Business Council of Los Angeles (SBCLA), a non-profit organization which provides a professional networking and education forum for Southern California businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services, and processes, will host “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon.”
The panel features six key players in this fast-emerging and competitive industry who will help guide the audience through a topic that is especially integral to the fabric and future of Los Angeles. The event will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Valcucine’s showroom in Beverly Hills. The distinctive presentation reinforces SBCLA’s commitment to showcasing environmentally-conscious businesses, and spotlighting cutting-edge sustainability trends and best practices across a broad range of industry sectors.
Moderated by Plug In America’s (http://www.pluginamerica.org) VP, Paul Scott, who is also President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California, “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” presents:
* Laura Marion, CFO, Aptera (http://www.aptera.com)
* K. Forest Beanum, VP of Public Affairs & Communications, CODA Automotive (http://www.codaautomotive.com)
* Richard Steinberg, Manager, Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW of North America, LLC (http://www.bmwusa.com/ActiveE)
* Eric Shieh, Account Executive, Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com)
* Mike Sullivan, Owner and President, LAcarGUY (http://www.lacarguy.com/green)
This distinguished group of professionals—representing the cycle of invention to delivery and consumer use—will address the value proposition of these businesses and California’s leading role in the sector’s growth. “We will explain why this technology will improve our environment, strengthen our economy and increase our national security,” states Paul Scott, VP, Plug In America. “With the new era of electric vehicles mere months away, this is information vital to anyone who cares about these issues,” Scott added. Specific topics may include:
* Why is the timing for electric vehicles more ideal now than when “Who Killed the Electric Car” was released in 2006? What has changed? Or has it?
* What are the sustainable aspects of the vehicle industry vs. other forms of mobility, especially in Los Angeles?
* What are the economic implications of millions of Californians switching from 60% foreign oil to 100% domestic renewable electricity?
* What do national security experts say about the need to switch from oil to electricity as the energy source for our transportation fleet?
* What plug-in vehicles are available today and what will be available in the near future?
* How many charging stations are there, and how many are really needed?
* What companies are opening electric vehicle showrooms in L.A.?
* How important is the L.A. market as a model for electric vehicle adoption?
* What are the predictions for the future of electric vehicle adoption? What will be future trends?
“On behalf of the SBCLA board, I am thrilled to welcome such a strong representation of this vibrant, rapidly-expanding industry to the Valcucine showroom,” said Laura Berland-Shane, member of the SBCLA board of directors, and business development manager of Alternative Energy at SIEMENS Industry. “We anticipate a lively discourse that will inform and hopefully inspire creative thinking and planning in light of the current electric vehicle renaissance. We are particularly excited to note that many of the companies we will hear from are California-based.”
Event Registration
Advance registration is required to attend SBCLA’s “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” panel discussion and drive-a-thon. To RSVP, please visit http://www.sustainablebc.org.
General admission price of $25 includes:
* Admission to “Electric Vehicle Roundtable and Drive-a-thon” mixer and panel discussion.
* Electric Vehicle displays.
* Tour of Valcucine’s showroom featuring sustainable kitchen furnishings.
* Light refreshments
Event Sponsors:
The event is sponsored by Stonefield Josephson, Inc. LAcarGUY, Valcucine, “Dom,” Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss, Summa Marketing Communications, New Belgium Brewing, Evenson Design Group and dubroWorks Public Relations/Marketing/ Project Management.
# # #
LAcarGUY offers automotive products and services to our greater Los Angeles area customers. The company carries a comprehensive line of vehicles by Volkswagen, Toyota, Scion, Audi, Lexus and Porsche, providing new and used cars featuring hybrids, TDI clean diesel and other industry-leading alternatives. LAcarGUY counts the nation’s top selling Toyota and Lexus Hybrid destinations as part of its family of dealerships. They also offer trusted car repair, original car parts, and financing as well two dedicated body shops.
LAcarGUY to sponsor 2010 Richstone Family Center Gala
Mike Sullivan’s LAcarGUY.com Family of Dealers is proud to sponsor Richstone Family Center “Affair of the Heart” Gala Event honoring Roger Van Remmen.
The Richstone Family Center is dedicated to preventing and treating child abuse, strengthening families, and preventing violence in families, schools and communities.
This year’s event, “AN EVENING IN NEW ORLEANS”, takes place this Saturday May 22nd 6:30pm This is our 4th year in a row to sponsor this event (Mike Sullivan was honored at last year’s event!)
Taste Premier Cal wines, auction, food and drinks and a complete New Orleans style dinner complete with Strawberry Beignets
Cocktail attire
Free parking
RSVP by May 14th Allison Tanaka atanaka@richstonefamily.org or register online at www.richstonefamily.org
Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Drive
LA, CA
Earth Day Green Lounge Event At Lexus Santa Monica a Success!
With nearly one thousand people celebrating Earth Day at our own Lexus Santa Monica, the Green Lounge event struck a chord in the luxury-green Los Angeles beach-side community. The evening brought together celebrities, thought leaders, top media, entertainers and decor with a hyper-focus on green/sustainability and the environment. Our Lexus showroom was converted into a “Buddha Bar” style lounge with green decor and surrounded by wonderful sights and sounds, not to mention cuisine.
In each of the lounges, guests could sample and buy products, meet with the companies’ brand ambassadors and be a part of the of the unique event in an eco-luxurious setting.” Part of the evening was set aside to honor leaders and advocates in the environmental, wellness and philanthropic arenas:
Mike Sullivan has been a tireless advocate and leader for green and environmental issues both in the Los Angeles community as well as the automotive industry. As the worldwide top-selling dealer for both Lexus and Toyota Hybrids and a focus on lowering the carbon footprint that businesses impact the earth with, the family of dealerships is part of a larger movement building today in proactive ways to minimize the impact the earth and this is the one day each year that the focus is magnified.
Award recipients included Josie Maran of Josie Maran Cosmetics (Green Business Wellness Award), Mary Murphy of So You Think You Can Dance (Effecting Change Award), and Rory Freedman, co-author of Skinny Bitch (Wellness Award). Global Green, the Southern California-based eco-company received donations at the front door from attendees. Two members of the LAcarGUY team are local board advisers to Global Green, which is part of Green Cross International (GCI), created by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev “to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.”
Going Green is for big and small!
Not your typical Lexus Santa Monica guests!
Lexus Santa Monica named #1 Lexus Hybrid dealer in the nation
We are very proud to announced that our Lexus Santa Monica sold more hybrids then any other dealer in the country in 2009. 1 out of every 5 cars we sold was a hybrid!
To celebrate this accomplishment, Lexus’ corporate staff catered a lunch for the entire sales staff in our beautiful showroom. They even did shots with us… Wheat grass shots that is. Before the award presentation from Steve Hearne, Mike Sullivan thanked his team and talked about the importance of continuing to be the leader in green sales and internal green initiatives.
Here are quotes from Steve Hearne and Mike:
“Lexus is proud to recognize Lexus Santa Monica as the world’s top Hybrid sales dealership in 2009. Lexus Santa Monica and the LAcarGUY organization lead the automobile industry by not only increasing the hybrid footprint on the road but also through their business choices motivated by their commitment to the environment. Partnering with organizations focused on sustainability, recycling, and reducing waste, the team at Lexus Santa Monica supports a long lasting positive impact on the world. Lexus appreciates the leadership, impact and social responsibility of Lexus Santa Monica.”
LAcarGUY owner, Mike Sullivan, on being the Hybrid leader, “We are pleased, and proud of our leadership position. Being engaged in helping the environment is a full, very real commitment. Whether it is training my team of employees, solar paneling my home, or active involvement with various local environmental groups we work with(I’d remove these blue words), we try to genuinely walk the walk. Being the hybrid and clean diesel leader, is a nice reward.”
Pictures and video are below. Be sure to check out our line of sexy hybrids and find out why we are #1 in the country.
Mike Sullivan discusses being on cutting edge of green technologies and the importance of being a good corporate citizen
Event Photos
LAcarGUY & Fisker Santa Monica preview the new Fisker Karma
On Wednesday, November 4th, Mike Sullivan's LAcarGUY.com and Fisker Santa Monica provided future Fisker owners, green enthusiasts and fans of great design with a rare opportunity to see the Fisker Karma in person.
Fisker VP of Global Sales & Marketing, Marti Eulberg and members of the vehicle's design team were on hand to answer questions from the audience. Over 200 people enjoyed music, drinks and food while waiting for their chance to sit in the Fisker Karma. The evening ended with a LAcarGUY.com raffle, giving away a Flip video recorder and iPod Nano.
All info can be found at www.FiskerSantaMonica.com
LAcarGUY.com sponsors 19th annual Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race Festival
LAcarGUY.com is returns as Presenting sponsor of the 19th annual Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race Festival.
The festival takes place on Sunday, October 25th and we aren't just sponsoring… Each of our dealerships will have entries in the race. We're car guys, what did you expect?
LAcarGUY will be also bring several of our 2010 vehicles to the race, so be sure to come by and say hi.
What is the World Famous Pumpkin Race?
A fun-spirited festival like no other! The highlight of the Pumpkin Race
is a unique side-by-side single elimination race featuring handcrafted,
decorated Pumpkin Race Cars in a funky, hilarious, suspenseful, and dramatic
display of American ingenuity. Excitement builds as Pumpkin Race Car teams
battle head-to-head for the coveted Pumpkin Race Championship Trophy. We
also award other prizes for Best Decoration, Most Innovative Design, and
Best Crash. Proceeds for this event go to the Beach Cities Education Foundation.
To get more info to enter your pumpkin race car go to http://www.pumpkinrace.com/
