ALAN WAXLER; President and chief executive officer of Alan Waxler Group High-end transport service takes corporate leaders for a ride

Hubble Smith   

By HUBBLE SMITH

REVIEW-JOURNAL

From the destination management business that Alan Waxler started in 1990, he realized there was a niche in Las Vegas for a transportation company that catered to high-level corporate executives.

They're presidents and vice presidents, chief executive officers and chief financial officers, top salesmen and managers. They're the kind of people who expect to be treated with an air of importance and respect, and often demand a great deal of personal service and attention.

That's why Waxler, president and chief executive officer of Alan Waxler Group, branched off in 1997 to form AWG Charter Services. He spent $ 100,000 to buy his first midsize luxury coach that carries about 15 people in plush, leather seats, complete with a wet bar, television, stereo system and reader board welcoming the group to Las Vegas.

He bought the second of the German-made Krystal coaches in early 1998, and has since increased his fleet to 17. He also has a Lincoln Town Car, two Ford Excursions and six Mercedes Benz S-class sedans that cost $ 90,000 each.

Transportation now accounts for about 40 percent of Waxler's business. In December, he moved his corporate headquarters to 3285 W. Tompkins Ave. to accommodate his expanding transportation division, taking 8,700 square feet of office space. AWG has about 20 full-time employees.

Question: Define destination management.

Answer: It's a professional management company specializing in the design and delivery of events, activities, tours, staffing and transportation, utilizing extensive local knowledge, expertise and resources.

Question: How did the transportation division evolve?

Answer: People would hire us to get hotel rooms, meals, show tickets, tours, themed events. With all these things put together, we have to provide transportation. In the past, we would subcontract out for the vehicle and we would provide the staff.

We saw the need for transportation management. What corporate people want is not to deal with 10 different people. They want one person to put it all together.

I got a lot of requests for what we could do differently to move our people from the airport to the hotel. Well, we can't get covered wagons. I bought the first coach with the thought it would be a novelty.

Question: What distinguishes your transportation service from the other limousines, taxis and shuttle buses available to Las Vegas tourists?

Answer: We do a lot of corporate stuff, so when a corporation comes to town, they want to know there's a service here with a focus on transportation, with the corporation in mind.

When you have a group of people coming in for an eight-hour stretch, you need to have the staff to meet them. It takes on a different climate. To meet their needs, it takes different requirements.

Question: How much does it cost to use your coaches?

Answer: It's $ 125 an hour and 20 percent gratuity, with a two-hour minimum.

Question: How can you justify those rates?

Answer: The biggest benefit is the comfort and convenience. If you get a limo, the only people who are comfortable are sitting in the back next to the doors. The ceilings are high enough in the coach that most people can stand up.

Question: How many people can you transport?

Answer: I can do 5,000 to 6,000 people from the airport in 12 hours. Because the distance is so short, I get a lot of (vehicle) utilization. I couldn't do that in Los Angeles or New York.

VITAL STATISTICS

Name: Alan Waxler.

Position: President and chief executive officer of Alan Waxler Group.

Age: 47.

Family: Parents, Richard and Shirlee Waxler; sisters, Alene and Judie.

Education: Cleveland Heights High School; Ohio State University, bachelor's degree in education.

Work history: Promoted pop music concerts at Ohio State University; manufacturers' representative in the ladies apparel industry, 1977-90, mostly in Dallas; partner in Creative Concepts, a Las Vegas destination management company, 1990-96; formed Alan Waxler Group, destination management company, then branched into AWG Charter Services in 1997.

Favorite movie: 'The Godfather.'

Hometown: Cleveland.

In Las Vegas since: 1990.