30 Years of Giving Back: A Glance into Park Place’s Commitment to the Community

In 1987, Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Motorcars on Oak Lawn Avenue in Dallas, Texas, on the philosophy that excellence is a mission, and not a destination. 30 years have passed, and Park Place Dealerships has not only expanded to 16 full service dealerships, but we have successfully maintained a ceaseless commitment to client service excellence by providing the first-class treatment that is uniquely associated with the Park Place experience.

As the organization grew, so did the connection to the community in which it lived, and as a result, Park Place Dealerships also expanded their dedicated time and resources for the continuous betterment of their neighbors.

This vision of a thriving community has evolved over the past three decades to now include hundreds of meaningful partnerships and millions of dollars raised to create a positive impact on the local community. Park Place advocates a culture of philanthropy instilled in each member from our top leadership of Ken Schnitzer, Neil Grossman, Jordan Case, and Sherry Miller; to Anam Ali and Liz Shafton who execute all dealer sponsorship and community events, and finally, touching all of our individual members who raise awareness for various efforts around the DFW area each month.

Park Place focuses community efforts on the arts, children’s advocacy, education, and medical research because of the various passions of our leadership team. Most will find that many of the organizations and causes we support, actually touch on more than one of community focal points in an effort to create a more impactful partnership.

Preserving Community Arts and History

Park Place spreads the love to preserve the rich community history and the various traditional and non-traditional artistic initiatives in the DFW area. In the past 30 years, we have had the privilege of sponsoring the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and various community art festivals- like Southlake’s Art in the Square. On a regional level, Park Place and Lexus continue to team up to contribute to the ATT Performing Arts Center in Dallas, Texas. For over 10 years this regional alliance has served to bring notable performances to the DFW community.

In 2013, Park Place Lexus and Park Place Motorcars donated $25,000 to the Grapevine Historical Society, to move their collection to a new facility, nearly quadrupling the museum’s space. Grapevine, a city in which three of our dealerships, and one more set to open next year, call home- provides a rich history in which Ken Schnitzer is adamant to support: “There is a great history in Grapevine and we are pleased to be a part of preserving it through this donation for the new building.” Park Place’s connection with Grapevine began in 2000 with the opening of the first two dealerships in city.

Touching various musical and visual arts organizations over the years, Park Place is also a major advocate of one of Dallas’ more home-grown ‘natural’ attractions. For close to 10 years, Park Place has supported the renowned Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens through various outlets including concerts and seasonal displays.

Most recently, we have been the exclusive automotive partner of the grand botanic displays found at the Annual Dallas Blooms Festival. Since 1985, Dallas Blooms has been dubbed a spring “must see” in the DFW area, and corporate giving plays an integral role in bringing this world-class explosion of color to life. Park Place places their exceptional vehicles to showcase our continued support of the artistic spring display of one of DFW’s greatest community gems.

Advocating for Action- Supporting the Future Generations

Park Place dealerships is not one to simply say they support a cause, but are advocates of affirmative action and taking a stand to promote the well-being of our community’s most vulnerable and most promising members. From supporting women’s heart health by going Red at supporting dealerships to hosting grand galas and events, Park Place is firm on their stance to improve the lives of those around them.

“We are motivated to pursue change and our community partners have an incredible ability to bring about that positive change,” comments Anam Ali, Community and Events Marketing Strategist. “Supporting causes that directly advocate for action and that effect the most change within our community, is near and dear to the Park Place philanthropic mission.”

The Park Place Dealerships Texas Rangers Triple Play event began in 2002 to advocate for at risk youth supported by the Texas Rangers Foundation. Park Place has been the presenting sponsor of this spectacular show of support since its inception, raising funds for our community where it is most needed. The combined effort of our Community Events team and the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, paired with the mutual unwavering commitment to the youth has successfully raised well over $5 million dollars in just 15 years. Dave Evans, Director of Marketing, recounts “It’s been 15 years since Park Place Dealerships and the Texas Rangers developed this fun event to connect fans with players and coaches while raising money to share the love of baseball with area kids.”

Taking a look back at some of the very first events, we cannot help but recognize the staggering increase in community engagement this event, and importantly this cause, has received. In 2003, the night raised more than $100,000- fast forward to 2017, and the community came together to raise an astounding $700,000, which will contribute to the completion of the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy, a safe space for area children to develop a passion for the game. The Foundation itself has given back more than $15 million to children in need, and Park Place is honored to play a part in their mission.

Supporting DFW Educators and Students

We stand behind the DFW education community, ensuring that the future of Dallas, and their exceptional educators, is continually supported and recognized for the commitment to educational excellence. Park Place’s support ranges from direct monetary support and mentorship programs, to gifting a summer in a luxury vehicles and rallying our community around the local football team for the home games.

In the year 2000, Park Place Dealerships piloted a mentorship program for local high school students. This particular program allowed high school students the opportunity to experience an internship that was anything but answering phones and filing papers. In its inaugural year, the “Park Place Mentor Program,” included four area students working in the services department at Park Place Motorcars. The purpose of this program was to break stereotypes surrounding technicians, and further encourage and assist high school seniors who may be considering a career in automotive services.

While this program has evolved, Park Place’s focus on educating our up-and-comers is revitalized through an extensive dealer-wide internship program that continues to offer professional learning opportunities for 25-35 interns each year. Providing not just verbal and monetary support, but ample application-based learning opportunities is part of Park Place’s commitment to sharing our knowledge and making a difference in the surrounding communities.

For the past seven years, Park Place Lexus Grapevine and Park Place Motorcars Grapevine have sponsored the Southlake-Carroll Dragons as just one piece of our school district support efforts. Matt Woolsey, General Manager of the Park Place Jaguar Land Rover DFW store is Dragon alum and football fan, so each year the Park Place team joins Dragon fans to tailgate before a home game to ensure the Dragon’s spirit cannot be missed in the Southlake-Carroll community.

We join Carroll ISD on a multitude of other noble missions to promote educational excellence, including 14 years with the Carroll Education Foundation, which creates and distributes resources, such as scholarships, for the students of Carroll ISD. In just 2016, Park Place Lexus Grapevine raffled off a prize valued at $18,000, giving a lucky community member the opportunity to drive a new Lexus, every month for a year.

For years, Park Place expanded their educational giving to support the exceptional teachers of the Carroll, Allen, Grapevine-Colleyville, Plano, and now Mansfield school districts, by awarding annual Teacher of the Year winners with a summer in a Park Place vehicle. Over the years, teachers have been given the opportunity to drive in-style for a summer, a small reward for the years of dedication and passionate service to our community’s families.

In 2012, Matt Woolsey spoke at the Teacher of the Year award ceremony, commenting on his close connection (and now Park Place’s tight-knit relationship) to Carroll ISD and the annual Teacher of the Year program itself: “I looked around the room and saw a few of my son’s teachers, several current teachers that are Park Place clients, my former principal Mr. Willingham, Mr. Lowery (former superintendent), and my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Anders. I let them know how proud I was to be a Dragon, how proud I was to be the parent of a couple of Dragons….” These words ring clearly today as the tradition of educational giving continues, and the 2017 Teacher of the Year winners are winding down their summer in a new Lexus or Mercedes.

In August 2017, Park Place Motorcars Arlington proudly kicked off a new exclusive partnership with Mansfield ISD, gifting two deserving teachers with the opportunity to sport a luxury vehicle for an entire year. Anam Ali spoke to this particular partnership saying, “When we opened the dealership in Arlington, it was clear that we had to extend our support to the surrounding community that welcomed us so warmly back in 2015. We are elated to begin a new partnership with Mansfield ISD as they embark on a new school year, and we are eager to see what we can accomplish together.”

Medical Research and the Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Park Place devotes an exceptional amount of time, money, and support to medical research in the hopes of fighting cancer and other life threatening illnesses that affect our community.

For 25 years, Park Place has fervently supported the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children resulting in more than $185,000 in monetary donations. We believe in Scottish Rite Hospital’s mission- they are the best at what they do, and we are proud to partner each year and support their efforts to provide quality care to over 20,000 active patients regardless of the family’s ability to pay. For nine years, Park Place Premier Collection has hosted the Accessible Luxury Event to raise support for a singular purpose, the health and well-being of children. High fashion, luxury products, and the Park Place community come together each year to make the unique event, a success. “Scottish Rite Hospital is a national treasure,” said Neil Grossman, President of Park Place Dealerships. “We are proud to be associated with an organization that gives back so much to our community. Their care for children is unrivaled. We look forward to many more years of working together to serve these children and their families.”

In 40 years, the Cattle Barons Ball has raised more than $60 million towards the pursuit for a cure for cancer. For 20 of those years, Park Place Dealerships has supported these efforts by donating a luxury vehicle to their auction to help increase the evening’s grand total, and supporting the American Cancer society to give cancer the ultimate “the boot.”

While these two causes have garnered our long term support, it is no question that Park Place Dealerships provides the means to spark change in the community, no matter the size (or age) of the cause. Michael Hollis dreamed Bugatti during his fight with Leukemia- and with the leadership of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Park Place Dealerships was able to turn dreams into reality. The seven year- old wanted to experience the Bugatti Veyron for himself and with Butch Leitzinger, a 3x winner of the Rolex 24, by his side this wish is one Michael, his family, and the team at Park Place would never forget.

Looking forward, Park Place Dealerships shows no signs of slowing down, but rather continuing to honor its commitment to giving back to its loyal community for the 30 years to come.

To celebrate 30 years of success, the inaugural Park Place Luxury & and Supercar Showcase will work hand-in-hand with the Four Seasons Club and Resort Dallas Las Colinas to put some of the world’s most exceptional vehicles on display for a purpose- to benefit the children of the Momentous Institute, a 97 year old not-for-profit owned and operated by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. This footprint of this long-standing organization is expansive, touching the lives of more than 6,000 families and children through their therapeutic services team alone. According to Michelle Kinder, Executive Director of the Momentous Institute, “the Momentous School is our furthest upstream effort. 248 kids who are growing up in poverty are receiving an education where social and emotional health is just as prioritized as academics.” Truly far reaching, the Momentous Institute shares their knowledge and their children’s voices with professionals across the country. The future of our community is bright- where hope has been taken away, our newest charitable partner creates a space for families and children to discover that hope once again. “We say around here,” says Kinder, “We hold hope until you can hold hope for yourselves.” Park Place Dealerships is honored to celebrate 30 years of business and giving, by doing our part to further the education and emotional health efforts of the Momentous Institute.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships 30 years ago with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 16 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, McLaren, and Maserati. As we look to the future of Park Place Dealerships, we are honored to serve the communities that have supported our mission for excellence these past 30 years.

For more information on our community events, please visit us at www.parkplace.com/commnunity.

August 17, 2017October 2, 2018

10 Do’s, Don’ts, and Friendly Suggestions for the Luxury & Supercar Showcase

Rev your engines and prepare your palette – the Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase is just around the corner.

Click For Tickets And Event Information

Some of the world’s most extraordinary and exotic vehicles will be on display, accented with luxurious fashion displays, high performance entertainment, refreshing beverages and delicious bites sure to satisfy the taste buds. With all of the excitement, Park Place and our friends at Hagerty and NorthPark Center want to ensure all our attendees are armed with the Supercar Showcase “dos, don’ts, and friendly suggestions” that are sure to create an enjoyable atmosphere for attendees, volunteers, and Collectors alike.

This list offers insight into car show etiquette, fashion tips to help you find your perfect ‘Concours Casual’ style outfit, and finally, some unique offerings that you can’t miss on the day of the showcase.

1. “Look, But Don’t Touch”

This platinum rule of car shows must be followed out of respect and admiration for the heritage of the vehicles on display, but also to preserve the months (or even years) of hard work the Collectors have put into their amazing show case cars. Our friends at Hagerty inform that no Collector wants their pride and joy to be smudged, scratched, or dinged no matter how well intentioned the show-goer may be. So, unless instructed otherwise, please remember to respect and admire the Collector’s hard work by looking and not touching the showcase entries.

2. Choose Your Accessories Wisely

We understand how important it is for our show-goers to look just a fabulous as the exceptional vehicles on the Concours, but please choose your accessories wisely. Hagerty recommends avoiding wearing lots of jewelry on your hands and arms. Rings, watches, bracelets, and purses are some of the more obvious culprits for accidentally scratches on the cars, so please be aware of any other buttons, zippers, and belt buckles that could incur more subtle damages. Be sure to check out our fashion and style tips from NorthPark Center for some style inspiration so you can pick out the perfect accessories for your day on the Concours.

3. Women’s Fashion Do’s Courtesy of NorthPark Center: Stay on Trend with Dusty Pinks and Feminine Floral Prints.

Dressing for the fall season doesn’t have to mean dark colors and heavy fabrics, especially in Texas. Stay on-trend with dusty pinks and feminine floral prints. Featured items are available at the NorthPark Center.

Featured Pieces:

Demetria Dress, Elie Tahari

Starburst Earrings, David Yurman

Byrdie Handbag, Kate Spade

Loretta Platform Sandal, Tory Burch

4. Keep a Close Eye on Your Children

Of course we encourage you to share your hobby with your super car lovers in training, but Hagerty reminds all parents to please teach your young ones to be careful as they enjoy the thrill of the car show experience.

5. Stop by the ‘Kids Concours’

The Kid’s Concours Presented by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children will include a variety of activities your young car enthusiast is sure to enjoy. This fun and engaging experience for the younger enthusiasts will feature a Hot Wheels interactive exhibit and access to refreshing beverages from Pecos Pete’s All Natural Tea and Soda Shop.

6. Men’s Fashion Do’s Courtesy of NorthPark Center: Upgrade Your Basic Blues

Upgrade your basic blues with a sharp jacket and lightweight shirt. Textured calfskin loafers provide high style and all-day comfort. Like what you see? The featured fashion pieces are available at the NorthPark Center.

Featured Pieces:

DUDSONJ Sport Coat, Ted Baker

Cotton Casual Shirt, Canali

Cotton Chinos, BOSS Hugo Boss

Penny Loafer, Salvatore Ferragamo

Engineer Belt, Frye

7. Step into our Climate Controlled Pavilion

Park Place will be hosting industry experts, lifestyle segments, and live entertainment throughout the day on the main stage in the Porsche Pavilion. The agenda will be available onsite and in our commemorative program.

8. Pack Your Purse with Super Car Showcase Essentials- Courtesy of NorthPark Center’s Style Experts

The clandestine items a woman keeps in her handbag is known only to her- but a pair of chic sunglasses, hydrating hand cream, a neutral card case , and a bright pop of lipstick should top her list.

Featured Items:

Darley Handbag, Mulberry

Artist Rouge Lipstick in Plum Violet, MAKE UP FOR EVER

Tea Sunglasses, Coach

Intrecciato Leather Card Case, Bottega Veneta

Shea Butter Hand Cream, L’Occitane

9. Have Your Program Autographed by Notable Motorsports Stars

We will be hosting a meet and greet with some famous faces from the world of Motorsports. Bring your one-of-kind event program signed and make it a keepsake to remember meeting some of foremost experts on the track face to face.

10. Don’t Forget toTag @ParkPlaceTexas

We’d love to hear and see how you enjoyed the event. Use our tag @ParkPlaceTexas and #YourParkPlace so we can re-live Park Place’s 30^th Anniversary Super Car and Luxury Showcase long after the event is over.

Bonus Tip: Pair your concours casual outfit with a stand out hat to snap the perfect Instagram-worthy photo next to one our luxury vehicles. Love your photo? Post to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the tag #YourParkPlace and we may share your photo!

Special thanks to NorthPark Center and Hagerty for their expert advice as we prepare for a day spent in luxury.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Champions Way entrance on the rolling hills adjacent to the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas on September 9th! To purchase tickets click here.

July 6, 2017October 13, 2017

Park Place Dealerships and Children’s Health Celebrate 17-Year Relationship

Park Place Dealerships has teamed up with Children’s Health^SM for the past 17 years to serve children and their families. During this time, Park Place has supported Children’s through the Red Balloon Run & Ride and numerous events throughout the years.

Most recently, Park Place Volvo was the presenting sponsor of the Children’s Trust Membership Drive, and hosted the annual reception. Inclusive of their support, a $90,000 check was presented to Children’s Health that evening. Park Place has contributed more than $418,000 to Children’s Health over the years.

“As the population continues to grow in North Texas and more families with children move to this region, the scope of our mission and depth of need will increase exponentially,”” said Brent Christopher, president of Children’s Medical Center Foundation. “The health care industry is also changing at a rapid pace, placing many demands on our limited resources. Support from Park Place not only helps us fund critical programs, but also introduces us to new friends and potential supporters.”

For more than 100 years, the mission of Children’s Health has been to make life better for children. In 1913, a group of nurses organized the Dallas Baby Camp, an open-air clinic on the lawn of Parkland Hospital. Today Children’s Health is the eighth-largest pediatric health care provider in the country, and the only academically affiliated pediatric hospital in the area.

“Children’s Health is vital to the well-being of North Texas families,” said Ken Schnitzer, founder and chairman of Park Place Dealerships. “They provide the gold standard of health care while being mindful to support the entire family during the process. We have enjoyed this long relationship with Children’s and look forward to working together for many more years to promote better health and healing for children and their families.”

Children’s Health is the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas, providing a full spectrum of health care services—from daily wellness and primary care to specialty visits and critical care. Holding multiple disease-specific care certifications from The Joint Commission, Children’s Health has been consistently named one of the nation’s top pediatric providers by U.S. News & World Report. The Children’s Health system includes the flagship hospital Children’s Medical Center Dallas, as well as Children’s Medical Center Plano, multiple specialty centers, Children’s Health Pediatric Group primary care practices, Our Children’s House rehabilitation facilities, home health, physician services, the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern, and Children’s Medical Center Foundation. For more information, visit give.childrens.com.

“What’s more important than making a difference in the health and life of a child?” asked Christopher. “The support of companies like Park Place can have a ripple effect on our region’s children and families for generations to come. Our mission of making life better for children is a worthy cause, encompassing three C’s: Care, Cures and Community. We provide world-class care for our patients while supporting and educating the family. We actively pursue improved treatments and cures through research conducted in our hospitals and in scientific labs in collaboration with our academic partners at UT Southwestern. And finally, we work with community leaders and other non-profits throughout the region to improve the lives of children where they live, learn and play.”

About Children’s Medical Center Foundation

Children’s Medical Center Foundation serves as the fundraising arm for Children’s Health, the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas. The Foundation partners with individual donors, corporations and organizations to help the comprehensive team of physicians, scientists and medical professionals at Children’s Health fulfill its mission to make life better for children. Children’s Medical Center Foundation raises, manages and distributes funds to support Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Plano, multiple specialty centers, Our Children’s House rehabilitation facilities, a network of primary care pediatric practices throughout North Texas and the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern. For more information, visit give.childrens.com.

About Park Place Dealerships
Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships 30 years ago with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 16 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. Park Place is currently building a new Land Rover Jaguar dealership in Grapevine, scheduled to open July 2017, and a new Grapevine Porsche dealership opening in 2018. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

June 28, 2017July 3, 2017

Park Place Dealerships Luxury & Supercar Showcase Promises Some of the World’s Most Luxurious and Exotic Vehicles

Park Place Dealerships partners with Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas for Public Event benefiting Momentous Institute

The mere mention of luxury automobile brands Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Maserati, McLaren, Bentley, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Volvo, Lotus, Jaguar and Land Rover is enough to evoke excitement in car enthusiasts. When you combine rare and unique offerings from these prestigious brands with trendy fashion and lifestyle elements, live local and regional music, and delicious food and drink, spread across the rolling hills of the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, you have a unique single day festival that also raises money for a worthwhile charity: the Momentous Institute. For one day only, Park Place Dealerships will bring all of its luxury brands together in one venue for the Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, September 9.

“This year marks our 30^th year of business in North Texas,” said Park Place Dealerships founder and chairman Ken Schnitzer. “In 1987, we purchased a Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn and have been fortunate to grow our brand by offering unparalleled customer service and creating a comfortable environment for clients. For the first time in our history, the Supercar Showcase brings all of our brands together in one location for a rare opportunity for guests to enjoy and support kids in the community.”

The Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase event will be open to the public with tickets ranging from $25 – $50 for general admission up to $100 for VIP All Access, including the VIP Lounge with complimentary food and beverages. Tickets are available online at www.LuxurySupercarShowcase.com

“We are proud to partner with Park Place Dealerships on this truly remarkable event in September,” said Dirk Burghartz, Regional Vice President and General Manager at Four Seasons Resort Club Dallas at Las Colinas. “Four Seasons believes in giving back to the community, and we are honored to be the host venue for such an event that continues to provide charitable dollars to the well-deserving Momentous Institute – a 35-year friend of ours. I am personally excited about the future of this luxury and supercar showcase, and look forward to seeing it grow over the years.”

In addition to the incredible lineup of rare and exotic vehicles, guests purchasing VIP All Access passes will have the opportunity to sample culinary specialties from the Four Seasons’ LAW and OUTLAW Taproom, Dallas Chop House Burger, Dallas Fish Market, and selections from Cool River Café’s new menu featuring a collaboration of Chefs Kent Rathbun and Fernando Rodriquez, as well as other trending restaurants. VIP guests will also receive drink vouchers for celebratory sips from Absolut Elyx and Perrier Jouet along with other crafted cocktails from Pernod Ricard in the VIP Lounge. Several food trucks also will be on-site.

Within the family-friendly event will be a juried Concours Invitational Car Show featuring a diverse selection of rare supercars, luxury, sports, and classic cars from private collectors. Trophies designed by Dallas sculptor Brad Oldham, best known for the Traveling Man installation in Deep Ellum, will be awarded to Best of Show, Chairman’s Choice and People’s Choice winners. Bachendorf Crystal awards will be given to First Place winners in each of the four classes. To submit a vehicle for consideration, go to www.LuxurySupercarShowcase.com and click on Register Vehicle. The show is limited to 100 selected cars that register and are approved by the PPLSS Acceptance Committee. Registration forms must be received no later than Saturday, August 11, 2017. Once accepted, there will be a $50 entry fee per vehicle, which includes 1 VIP All Access Pass ($100 Value), Car Signage and Show Credentials. For more information on registration, email info.showcase@10.2.54.33.

The Luxury & Supercar Showcase will feature presentations and meet & greets with automobile and racing industry experts such as Park Place Motorsports driver Patrick Lindsey and his No. 73 Porsche 911 GT3R. There will also be specialty boutiques with stunning fashions and upscale offerings by retailers such as the Brad Oldham Studio Store, Bachendorf’s, Niven Morgan, Sovaro and others.

Partners include Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Absolut Elyx, Perrier Jouët, Brad Oldham Studio Store, Bachendorf’s, D Magazine, NBC 5, Celebrity Cruises, LAW, OUTLAW Taproom, Frost 321, Perks & Provisions Company, Dallas Chop House Burger, Dallas Fish Market, Cool River Café, and Lilium Florals.

Momentous Institute, owned and operated by Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920, has been committed to building and repairing social emotional health for all children so they can achieve their full potential. Each year, the organization directly serves more than 6,000 children and family members through its nationally acclaimed Momentous School and innovative Therapeutic Services. Additionally, Momentous Institute invests in research and professional training, including the annual Changing the Odds conference, to reach far more children than they could ever serve directly with trauma-informed strategies that strengthen social emotional health. More info at http://momentousinstitute.org/

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships 30 years ago with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 16 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. Park Place’s new Land Rover Jaguar dealership opens July 1 in Grapevine. A new Park Place Porsche dealership debuts in Grapevine next year. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

About Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas

Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas is a 400-acre resort property conveniently located in Irving in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth area and just minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field regional airport. It features a 431 room hotel with golf villas, two championship 18-hole golf courses, 41,000 square feet of meeting space, expansive recreational facilities including indoor and outdoor tennis, jogging tracks, racquetball, fitness center, restaurants, three swimming pools and child care center. It is also home to the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club, a private club inviting memberships for those interested in fitness, tennis and golf. For more information, visit us online at www.fourseasons.com/dallas and www.thesportsclubfourseasons.com. For press releases, image requests, hotel facts and more, visit our online press room at http://press.fourseasons.com/dallas/.

June 20, 2017June 20, 2017

Volvo Cars Celebrates the Human Side of Safety Technology in New XC60 Film

“Sometimes the moments that never happen matter the most.” This is the beguiling thought that lies behind Volvo Cars’ new XC60 film. But what does it mean?

Taking a typically human approach, Volvo has captured the essence of how advanced safety technology has the power to change the lives of people both in and around the car.

The film follows a young girl’s journey to her first day at a new school and shows a glimpse of what life holds for her in the coming years – growing up, travelling the world, settling down and raising a family. All of this comes to an abrupt stop as the girl steps out in front of an oncoming Volvo car. The Volvo’s safety system detects the girl and applies its autonomous emergency brake, preventing what could have been a life-changing collision. The film ends with a conclusion: “Sometimes the moments that never happen matter the most.”

Over 1.2 million people die in traffic accidents around the globe each year, but Volvo believes its vision of an injury and fatality-free future can soon be a reality.

Volvo Cars presented several new safety features with the launch of the new XC60. A steer support functionality has been added to Volvo’s City Safety autonomous emergency braking system, while a new system, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, uses steer assist to help mitigate head-on collisions. Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) has also been updated with a steer assist function to reduce the risk of lane-changing collisions.

The new XC60 replaces Volvo’s highly successful original XC60, which was the bestselling premium mid-sized SUV in Europe with more than a million units sold globally since its debut in 2008.

“This film featuring the new XC60 highlights how important active safety systems have become and reflects Volvo’s leadership in this area. We launched our City Safety autonomous emergency braking system as standard equipment in all new Volvos back in 2008, starting with the first generation XC60. Today, these systems are finally becoming an industry standard,” said Anders Gustafsson, Senior Vice President, Region EMEA at Volvo Car Group.

Ninety-four per cent of all accidents are caused by human factors. By using advanced safety technology Volvo believes it can help to reduce the human factor in traffic accidents.

“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Volvo Cars. It always has been and it always will be. With this film we hope to remind people why we continue to focus on car safety, and how important it is for us all,” said Björn Annwall Senior Vice President Global Consumer Experience at Volvo Car Group.

In Sweden alone, Volvo has seen a decline of around 45 per cent in rear-end frontal crashes thanks to its collision warning with autobrake system.

“We have been working with collision avoidance systems for many years and we can see how effective they are. With the XC60 we are determined to take the next step in reducing avoidable collisions with the addition of steering support and assistance systems. At Volvo we take that extra step – we protect people inside and outside the car whenever possible,” said Malin Ekholm, Vice President, Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

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Volvo Car Group in 2016

For the 2016 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 11,014 MSEK (6,620 MSEK in 2015). Revenue over the period amounted to 180,672 MSEK (164,043 MSEK). For the full year 2016, global sales reached a record 534,332 cars, an increase of 6.2 per cent versus 2015. The record sales and operating profit cleared the way for Volvo Car Group to continue investing in its global transformation plan.

About Volvo Car Group

Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 534,332 cars in 2016 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.

As of December 2016, Volvo Cars had over 31,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), Chengdu and Daqing (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).

May 17, 2017May 23, 2017

Meet the High Performance People of Park Place Dealerships- May 2017

Park Place Dealership’s commitment to provide client service excellence is not just a “catch phrase”…it is a pledge to deliver extraordinary ownership experiences to each and everyone one of our clients. To consistently uphold a standard as high as ours is no easy task- but, Park Place is proud to have a team full of high performance people who go above and beyond to provide our clients with an authentic and unmatched client experience- 100% of the time.

Featured Park Place High Performance People- May 2017:

Mariette Picca. Sales Experience Manager at Park Place Volvo
Ken Erwin, Sales Experience Manager at Park Place Motorcars Arlington
Christopher Fine, Sales Experience Manager at the Park Place Premier Collection

April 18, 2017April 19, 2017

High Performance People at Park Place Volvo Dallas-April 2017

Germaine Ambres, New Car Sales Director, is our High Performance Member of Month for Park Volvo- because of his commitment to ensuring his team delivers a unique high performance ownership experience to all clients.

Germaine is a native Texan, born in Houston to loving, hard working parents from the rich-in-culture southern Louisiana. Over 10 years ago, he moved to Dallas in search of new opportunity with his wife.

“Typically Houstonians don’t like Dallas, but North Texas felt like home.”

He was highly encouraged by clients and colleagues to join the Park Place team and this month, April 2017, marks his 10 year anniversary at Park Place Dealerships. Initially, Germaine accepted a position as a Sales Consultant but later filled other roles such as Finance Manager, Business Manager, and now currently serves Park Place Volvo as the New Car Sales Director.

He employs the Platinum rule when helping clients through the purchasing process- treating people the way they wish to be treated. An integral part of his approach is to remember his client’s names- it’s not uncommon for Germaine to remember a client’s name from many years later.

“Everyone loves to be remembered. Creating the “Cheers” experience is priceless.”

When Germaine is not at Park Place Volvo, he enjoys landscaping to defend his ‘yard of the month’ status and spending time with his lovely wife. He can also be found serving in various areas of his church, including deacon and his passion, marriage ministry. His deeply rooted values are a result of the “village” of men and women, and his amazing family, who poured into him.

Germaine Ambres of Park Place Volvo lives out the culture of Park Place to the highest degree- providing clients with nothing less than exceptional experiences. He believes that what you give out will come back to you- a belief reinforced by a go-to mantra “Goodness and mercy will follow me all my days.”

So why is Park Place, Germaine’s Place?

“Every time there is an opportunity to serve a client, it is also an opportunity to impact the person in positive way for a lifetime.”

If you’re keen on a new Volvo, be sure to stop by Park Place Volvo and meet with Germaine, and his high performance team, for a memorable ownership experience!

April 11, 2017November 1, 2019

Designed in Sweden and built in Italy – the Volvo 262C turns 40

Forty years ago, Volvo turned perceptions of what its brand stood for upside down. The Volvo 262 Coupé left no one unmoved and sold significantly better than expected, despite costing more than twice as much as the basic model in the 200 series.

The Volvo 264 was presented in the autumn of 1974, and two years later it was time for Volvo’s first six-cylinder estate: the 265. But that was far from the end of it – at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, perhaps the most unexpected model version saw the light of day: a two-door coupé with heavily slanting windscreen pillars and the roof lowered by 60 mm. To get the car to be perceived as sleeker, the rear spare wheel pods had been removed – the remainder of the body was identical.

What really made the 262C into what it was could be found in the passenger compartment. This offered an extravagance of leather and hardwood. The seats, headrests, door sides – even the curve handles had been upholstered in leather.

When the Volvo 1800ES was discontinued in 1973, there was no natural successor to the role of top range sports model. Volvo’s CEO Pehr G Gyllenhammar saw this as a problem. It was especially important that there was a model of this kind in Volvo’s biggest export market in the USA and a luxury coupé seemed more right at the time than another sports car.

Volvo’s chief designer Jan Wilsgaard did sketches for the shapes of the prestige car, but no clay model was ever built. Instead, he used a Volvo 164 that had been used to test new interiors. It was taken to the Italian designer Sergio Coggiola’s company in the Italian city of Turin, where the four-door body was rebuilt into a two-door body with a lower roof. The roof was clad with vinyl and the wide C-pillar adorned with three crowns – Sweden’s heraldic national symbol. The three crowns were replaced with one larger one on the production car, which is one of the very few differences between it and the prototype – except the obvious one that it was based on a 164.

The engine in the 262C was initially a 2.7 litre, 140 hp V6. It was shared with all the other body versions in the 260 series and had been developed together with Peugeot and Renault. Manufacturing took place in Douvrin in France under the auspices of the Société Franco-Suédoise de Moteurs-PRV company. Volvo’s engine designation was B27E and thanks to engine blocks and cylinder heads made from aluminium, it weighed less than 150 kg.

Such a niche product, built in small numbers, didn’t fit into the Volvo plant in Gothenburg. Instead, final assembly took place at the Italian Carozzeria Bertone, who also built the 264TE limo. Kits were sent to Turin where the bodies were modified, painted and assembled into finished cars. A small badge on the lower part of the front fenders showed that Bertone had built the car.

For the first few years, the 262 was only available in silver metallic with a black vinyl roof. From 1979, it was also available in gold metallic without a vinyl roof. That year, all saloon models in the 200 series also received a new rear with a boot that went down at the rear edge. The tail lights were also new and went around the body corners. In 1980, black and light blue metallic and silver metallic with vinyl roof was phased out. In the USA, the model was sold under the name of the Volvo Coupé from 1980.

The model year that stands out the most was also its last. In 1981, the 200 series underwent a major update with new, more slender bumpers and a new headlight set up. The B27E became a B28E as the engine gained in terms of cylinder volume and had another 14 horsepower added to it. The new colour combination was a two-tone paint job in gold and nougat.

The aim was to manufacture 800 units per year, but expectations for demand had been set far too low. Apart from in 1977 when production started late in the year, and the final model year, production figures were more than double the forecast. When the final cars were sold in 1981, they were already considered to be collectibles. In total, 6,622 cars were built between 1977 and 1981.

It was only in 1985 that the successor to the 262C was presented, Volvo 780. The collaboration with Bertone continued, but the 780 was both designed and built in Italy.

Five things you should know about the Volvo 262C

1. The 262C was not the first two-door model in the 260 series. In 1976-77, 3,329 262 GLs were manufactured exclusively for the North American market. They had a standard two-door body like a 242, but with a V6 engine and the far more exclusive front from the 260 series.

2. The 262C is the only Volvo to be delivered from the factory with vinyl over the steel roof.

3. The unique prototype built by Coggiola is now part of the Volvo Museum collection in Gothenburg.

4. The independent firm Solaire built a cabriolet edition of the 262C on behalf of Volvo Cars of North America. Only five units were ever manufactured.

5. Volvo’s CEO Pehr G Gyllenhammar had a specially made 262C as his company car. It was painted red and its entire interior was also red – even the headrests! It did not feature the usual V6 engine, which was replaced by the four-cylinder B21ET turbo engine. The body frames and grill were in matte black, which heralded the high black grill that the GLT and Turbo would feature in 1984.

January 12, 2017January 12, 2017

The Drive Me Project: Volvo’s Real-life Autonomous Drive Research Program

The Drive Me project is a large scale autonomous driving project that puts real people behind the wheel of a Volvo XC90 in real traffic. In total, the project will see about 100 autonomous cars on the roads in Sweden- the home of Volvo Cars. During the 2017 Detroit Motor Show, Volvo introduced the Hain Family from Gothenburg, Sweden, as the first people chosen to take part in a real-life autonomous drive research program.

Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, of the Volvo Car Group says that “Technology should improve the consumer experience making mobility safer, sustainable, and more convenient.” This program emphasizes that technology should make people’s lives easier, allowing a user to potentially drive in a vehicle that performs all the driving without human input. But, it all starts with the person using the technology; Volvo’s unique, human centric approach defines the technology based on the role of the driver.

The extensive research should yield a safer journey, save fuel, provide a smoother ride, and even help every driver find and successfully park in any available space. This a collaborative process; Volvo Cars recently partnered with the ride sharing company, Uber, that will incorporate the latest autonomous driving (AD) features, as well as launching a joint venture with Autoliv, termed Zenuity, to develop bench-marking autonomous drive software and safety solutions for OEM’s.

The future cars will be able to navigate without human input, sense its surroundings and adapt to changing traffic conditions. “We want to learn more around how people feel when they engage and disengage autonomous drive, what the handover should be like, and what sort of things they would do in the car when it’s driving them to their destination” according the Henrik Green, Senior Vice President, Research and Development at Volvo Car Group.

Volvo aims to have its first fully autonomous car on the market by 2021.

January 12, 2017

The Volvo V90 Luxury Wagon to Make its North American Debut in 2017

The new Volvo V90 will make its North American Debut at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and will be available as a model 2018 later this year. This beautiful, new expression of luxury builds on over 60 years of wagon heritage that started with the Volvo Duett. The V90 wagon will complete the Volvo 90 range, which includes the V90 Cross Country, XC90 SUV, and the S90 Sedan.

The V90 engages the senses, transporting passengers to a light and spacious Scandinavian sanctuary. Its interior is designed with nappa leather, natural wood, a full length panoramic roof, and the 12” Sensus Connect Touchscreen also found in the award winning XC90. Maximilian Missoni, Vice President- Exterior Design, describes the luxury wagon as “powerful and confident, but also calming. It’s a car you will drive with pride.”

Light and elegant, the Volvo V90 is a fantastic vehicle for the true wagon enthusiast. Its luxury defies standards, allowing customers to oversee every detail through Volvo concierge or Overseas Delivery.The stunning Scandinavian design combines with intuitive technology to give the rider an experience truly made for a new world.

Stay up-to-date with the new Volvo V90.