GroundLink, the world's first global car service, hires Tony D'Astolfo as Chief Sales Officer, Completing Executive Team Overhaul
NEW YORK, February 16, 2012 —
GroundLink, the world’s first global car service, today announced the appointment of Tony D’Astolfo as chief sales officer. Mr. D’Astolfo joins the company as a 32-year travel industry veteran with an extensive background in B2B eCommerce Sales. Mr. D’Astolfo was most recently at Rearden Commerce as senior vice president, Travel Services, where over the past 7 plus years he assembled and led a team that built a distribution network of more than 50 travel management companies, added 7,000 customers, and built a business that processed more than 14 million transactions annually. Prior to joining Rearden, Mr. D’Astolfo also worked at Sabre-Holdings’ business-to-business e-commerce unit, GetThere, and prior to GetThere enjoyed a successful 19-year career at United Airlines. Mr. D’Astolfo will oversee all of GroundLink’s corporate sales and travel partner activities.
“We are thrilled to have Tony join the GroundLink executive team. His proven background and wealth of experience will bring new life to our sales efforts and enhance our presence in the industry,” said GroundLink Chief Executive Officer Charles Fraas. “He is the final piece of a world class executive team that will not only transform our company, but will help GroundLink overhaul the entire ground transportation industry.”
Put in place by private equity firm The ComVest Group after their acquisition of GroundLink last year, CEO Charles Fraas set out to assemble a team of executives with the experience to completely revamp the ground transportation industry. Mr. D’Astolfo joins an impressive roster of proven executives that have joined GroundLink over the past 6 months including, Evan Wexler, EVP Operations (formerly of ZipCar and Office Depot), Bill Keneally, CFO (formerly of Travelport), Seth Lasser, Chief Marketing Officer (formerly of 1800Flowers.com), and Mark Hooper, CIO (formerly of Iron Mountain, Sabre, and Travelocity)
“Our award winning technology will help us change the entire paradigm of the car service industry,” said Fraas. “The days of being anxious about where your car is, not knowing what to expect of the car itself, or of being overcharged are over. Our technology changes everything: ability to book a car in every city in the US and 5000 cities across the globe, on-demand ordering of cars, and at prices that are only marginally more expensive than a cab. These changes benefit both the users and our partner network of providers as well.”
“I’m very excited to be a part of the team that will fundamentally change the way the ground transportation industry operates,” said Mr. D’Astolfo. “As someone who has seen first-hand how disruptive and transformative technology can be, I’m really looking forward to jumping in and shaking up the whole category.”
About GroundLink
GroundLink (www.groundlink.com) is the first global car service, providing transportation in all 50 states and 110 countries via a network of 100,000 private cars, limos, and SUVs. GroundLink is the most reliable provider in the industry, and guarantees on-time arrivals. With their mobile apps, you can order a car on-demand or schedule in advance, see your car coming, and access the world’s most reliable fleet of cars for a price that is often cheaper than using a taxi. Reserve a ride with GroundLink at GroundLink.com, by phone at 212-787-7777 , or through their iPhone or Android mobile apps. GroundLink was voted the most innovative travel company at the PhocusWright Travel Innovation Conference of 2011. GroundLink has reinvented the car service; we’re nearby, wherever you are.
