Don Dailey, Former President of Carey International, Dies at 81
Frederick, MD., October 15, 2018 – Don R. Dailey, the former president of Carey International who was best known as a pioneer for modernizing chauffeured transportation services worldwide, died on Saturday October 13 in Stateline, Nevada. Mr. Dailey was 81.
Prior to the 1960s, Mr. Dailey started his business career as a customer service agent with United Airlines in San Francisco. During his tenure working in the airline industry, Mr. Dailey observed that chauffeured ground transportation providers were inconsistent in delivering a superior experience for travelers, while first-rate customer services were routinely offered by airlines and hotels.
In 1966, Mr. Dailey founded National Executive Services, a chauffeured transportation provider which specialized in limousine service. Although NES began by providing services in the bay area, Mr. Dailey conceptualized a chauffeured ground transportation franchise model which would expand operations coast-to-coast while offering exacting standards-based solutions in any city where his company would have a presence.
In 1969, Mr. Dailey merged his company with Carey International Chauffeur Services, which was based in New York City. By the early 1970’s, Vincent Wolfington, Chairman and CEO of CICS, offered the role of president to Mr. Dailey.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Dailey left a legacy of innovation that transformed chauffeured transportation worldwide. Mr. Dailey is long-credited with conceptualizing Carey’s global franchise network—the only one of its kind in the ground transportation industry. Where chauffeured service operations were fractured with numerous owners across countless cities and regions, Mr. Dailey advanced Carey in a direction that led to a new model of centralizing and consolidating operations; and to the application of identical service standards for domestic and international trips. This concept also included the structuring of international sales teams and the establishment of new and meaningful relationships between Carey and other travel industry partners.
In the 1980s, Mr. Dailey added his vision to modify and modernize the Lincoln Town Car that included adding more passenger leg room for travelers. Mr. Dailey played a critical role in the advancement of ground transportation technology by assisting in the creation of the industry’s first online reservations system in the 1990s. In 1999, Mr. Dailey’s achievements culminated with another industry first, by making Carey the first publicly traded company in chauffeured transportation.
“The entire Carey International family mourns Don’s passing,” said Sandy Miller, President and CEO of Carey International, “We are grateful for his tremendous impact on our company.”
About Carey International, Inc.
Carey International is the trusted leader in innovative chauffeured service solutions, customer-centric travel technology, and ground transportation logistics management; providing world-class service, unparalleled safety, and general peace of mind to the world’s most discerning travelers, since 1921. Spanning more than 1,000 cities worldwide, Carey’s award-winning global franchise network offers consistent standards of service and unmatched business control for both travelers and arrangers across two distinct brands.
Carey® features a world-class fleet of late-model executive and luxury vehicles, a corps of professional chauffeurs, and a full portfolio of specialized transportation logistics management services. www.carey.com
Embarque® offers smart, modern transportation utilizing a fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles and a team of professional drivers dedicated to offering a unique car service experience that raises the bar on efficiency and productivity for any class of traveler. www.embarque.com
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