Olga Genseal, Lot Manager at Park’N Fly’s Houston location, is celebrating 37 wonderful years with the company… Here, she shares her story and how Park ‘N Fly has changed her life.

The words I live by are from Jay Danzie: “Your smile is your logo. Your personality is your business card. How you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.”

In April 1985, three months after having my first child, I decided to get a job since my husband was going back to college and I wanted to help. I had some prior experience in the parking industry because I had helped open a few competitors’ facilities in the past. I made a phone call to one of my former employers and they immediately offered me a job.

I was on my way to meet with them when I thought, if they are so eager to bring me back onboard, why not reach out to Park ‘N Fly? As the company that revolutionized off-site airport parking and set the standard for customer service, my previous employers were always playing catch-up (without success). I scheduled a meeting with the Park ‘N Fly manager and was hired that day. I officially started on April 20, 1985—and as they say, the rest is history.

“Your smile is your logo. Your personality is your business card. How you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.”

I started out as a “chaufeurette,” driving our customers to and from the airport terminals. I later trained to become a cashier and dispatcher as well. I loved that the company was essentially run by women, aside from the owners Marty Bloom and Ted Desloge. Park ‘N Fly was already the most popular parking facility at that time, and it seemed like a great idea to have ladies wearing shorts and high heels while driving the cleanest shuttles at the airport. (The Park ‘N Fly culture changed a bit when the company was acquired by BCD Holdings in 1988, including a new uniform dress code and hiring more male drivers.)

Throughout this time, I was always content with my duties. I especially enjoyed interacting with our customers and striving to provide the best service possible. Park ‘N Fly became more than just a job for me and our family, as we built wonderful relationships with many of my coworkers, their families and even some of our frequent parkers.

In October 2004 I was promoted to Lot Manager. I knew it would bring tremendous responsibility, but it turned out to be a tremendous blessing at a very difficult time in my life. In 2002, our second child Megan passed away after a battle with heart disease, and life became a real struggle. My Park’ N Fly family stood by us, showing their love and offering support at every turn. This new promotion kept me very busy, which helped me work through the grief of losing a child.

I was raised in a big family with three brothers and three sisters. My parents always told us that if you worked hard and applied yourself, people would notice. I will be forever grateful that Park ‘N Fly has always noticed and appreciated my hard work. We’ve had people come and go within the company over the years, but I have to say that today’s Park ‘N Fly has the most amazing corporate team and the best CEO, Mr. Tony Paalz. I really identify with Tony’s unwavering belief in the “folks” that make our company so incredible. When I think of him, I think of Zig Ziglar who famously said, “You don’t build a business. You build people, and people build the business.”