A graduate of Florida Southern College, Chuck began working with Mears Transportation Group in 1988 as our Chief Financial Officer. In 1995 he was named President and in 1998 he began his current role of CEO. A dynamic and articulate leader, Chuck’s commitment to integrity sets the tone for how we operate at every level in the company. He is responsible for communicating the Mears corporate vision on a day-to-day basis and is directly responsible for the overall operational, sales and financial direction of all divisions. Chuck is on the Executive Committee for both the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce and the American Bus Association, he serves on the Board of the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and he is a member of the Taxi, Limousine and Paratransit Association. A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant, he contributes his leadership talents to various civic organizations, including the Pine Castle Christian Academy School Board and the Beacon Foundation. He also enjoys golfing, playing tennis and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Paul grew up in Orlando, FL and as a teenager he washed taxis and worked as a mechanic’s assistant in his family’s business, Mears Transportation Group (MTG). After high school he attended Georgia Tech, where he played Division I baseball and graduated with a degree in Industrial Management. Unwilling to part with his baseball dream, Paul served as Assistant Coach at Georgia Tech for three years. He then returned to Orlando and MTG, where, after starting as a Checker Cab driver, he gained experience in all aspects of the transportation business. He brings a unique combination of sales and operational expertise to his position because he has been trained in risk management, dispatch, reservations, taxi operations, event management and sales. Paul was the top producing Sales Manager in 1996 before he was promoted to Director of Convention Sales in 1997. Then in November of 1998 he took on additional responsibilities as President of Mears and Hello USA! (which now includes Hello Florida!, Hello Arizona! and Hello Las Vegas!). Highly regarded as a leader in his field, Paul is currently serving his third term on the Board of the Orlando Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, was appointed by the President of the Florida Senate to a Statewide Transportation Appropriations Committee, and he serves on the Rosen College of Hospitality Management’s Advisory Board. In his spare time, Paul coaches Little League baseball and enjoys spending time with his wife and their four children.

Jimmy started full-time with Mears Transportation Group in 1990 as a Shuttle Van Driver, and has since worked in virtually every aspect of our operation. His early experiences included serving as a Cashier, Dispatcher, Airport Starter, Scheduler, Manager on Duty, Driver Manager and Sales Manager. With the breadth and depth of his expertise, Jimmy was a natural choice for his subsequent responsibilities as Director of Operations, General Manager, and his current role of Executive Vice President of Operations. Jimmy has a keen eye for detail, an innate talent for identifying future stars, and he maintains a great rapport with frontline employees. He also clearly understands our customers’ expectations, and makes sure our people have the tools they need to deliver the highest level of service. Jimmy also serves as an owner and officer of Hello USA!. Away from work, he enjoys hunting, golfing and reading anything by Malcolm Gladwell. He and his wife share their home with a Golden Retriever and Miniature Pinscher.

Tim came to Mears in 1995 after 10 years as Manager of Audit and Business Services with Coopers and Lybrand. A graduate of the University of Central Florida and a Certified Public Accountant, Tim is responsible for all financial management within the Mears companies. He is passionate about the importance of demonstrating integrity in all business dealings, and one of his favorite quotes is by Ronald Regan: “Trust, but Verify.” Outside of work, Tim serves as a volunteer with Orlando’s Second Harvest Food Bank and he enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife, children and grandson.

Joseph earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stony Brook University and has held various technology management positions within Fortune 500 companies. He came to Mears in 1999, bringing insightful leadership to our Information Technology department. He and his team of 15 technology experts are responsible for the development, implementation and continuous improvement of company-wide computer software, hardware and telephone systems, as well as our website and online reservation applications. A true “Renaissance Man,” Joseph especially enjoys the works of composers Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven. In fact, he has visited Mozart’s birthplace a total of nine times! He is also an avid reader of scientific non-fiction.

Douglas is a Florida native with a BA in History from the University of Central Florida. In the mid-1980s he served in the U.S. Army in the Berlin Brigade before moving back to Florida to pursue his education. He began on the creative side of the business with Freeman Decorating’s Creative Services Division, and then transitioned to designing and installing large-scale themed events.  Douglas founded our Creative Services department when he joined Hello Florida! in 2000. Since then he has performed virtually every sales-related role in the company, and now serves as a liaison with key clients and as General Manager in Fort Lauderdale. He is passionate about “The bond of trust that is created when customers know that our concern for their welfare goes beyond the profitability of the program. When they know that we are focused first and foremost on their success, their gratitude and regard is very rewarding.” Douglas also serves as a Board Member for the Florida Chapter of SITE.  He and his wife have two children.

Having lived in Florida for over 44 years, Dan joined the Mears and Hello USA! team in November of 2007. He previously served in Public Safety for over 15 years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as an Attorney and Executive. He has practiced law for over 20 years, initially litigating 5 years with an established Orlando Law firm. With a BA in Criminal Justice/Public Administration from UCF, and a JD from Cumberland School of Law, Dan has an extensive background in safety, dispute resolution, labor and employment law, worker’s compensation, insurance/risk management, law enforcement and litigation. A member of the American Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, the Society of Human Resources and the Florida and National Sheriff’s Associations, Dan also serves on the YMCA Metro Board of Directors, the Central Florida Council Boy Scouts of America Executive Board, as President of the Sheriff’s Executive Assistance Trust and Committee Chair for Orlando BSA Troop 40. He also volunteers his time with the Orange County Legal Aid Teen Court Program. In his free time, Dan enjoys fishing, hunting, other outdoor activities and time with his family. He and his wife have three children.

Born in Atlanta, Vic earned his degree in Business Administration and Finance from Troy University. His professional experience includes a highly successful career in pharmaceutical sales, serving the southeastern U.S. and northern California markets. He started his DMC career with Premier Convention Services in 1995 as the Director of Sales. In 1999, he and three other business partners purchased Premier, and Vic served as its president until the company was purchased by Hello Florida! in 2005. He currently manages Hello Florida!’s incentive and territory sales teams based in Orlando, and he also serves as General Manager of the Orlando office. Vic leads with enthusiasm and integrity, and he believes that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” His business ethics are based on his commitment to “doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences.” Away from the office, Vic enjoys exercising and spending time with his wife and three children.

In 1991 Darlene joined Hello Florida!'s Orlando team, and in 1992 she moved to south Florida to open our Ft. Lauderdale office. Darlene is an expert in the field of Destination Management with more than 23 years of industry experience on her resume; all of our Account Executives in south Florida report directly to her. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she earned her Bachelor's degree in Quantitative Business Analysis at Penn State University. An active member of MPI, Darlene currently serves on the Educational Committee of MPI's South Florida chapter. She believes that a positive attitude is the key to success in our business because, "Clients like working with people that they enjoy being with. We are professionals who sell service, creativity and fun. As long as we're having fun doing it, it will become contagious." Darlene is also a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan who says, "Football season is the best time of the year!" During the other months she enjoys cooking, traveling and attending live concerts, especially rock 'n roll.

Born in the Bahamas, Mark attended the California Institute of the Arts and has been involved in the entertainment and events industry for more than 20 years. Before joining Hello Florida! in 2003, Mark spent eight years performing and managing entertainment for corporate nightclubs in California, plus nine years designing and producing various events and shows. His varied professional experiences give him a clear understanding of the resources available to meet each client’s needs. Mark recently served as President of the Orlando Chapter of the International Special Events Society and he is a member of the National Association of Catering Executives. He also enjoys reading, tennis, biking, swimming and spending time with his wife and children.

Nikki joined the Hello Florida! Ft. Lauderdale team in 2000 after serving as Director of Recreation for The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach. Her career also includes more than three years as Recreation Supervisor at The Breakers Hotel, a five-diamond luxury hotel. With Hello Florida!, Nikki served as Account Manager, Account Executive and Director of Operations before moving into her current role of Vice President. A member of MPI, she has a Bachelor's degree in Leisure Studies/Recreation from the University of Florida, and she brings more than 14 years of industry experience to our team. She believes that people "rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing," which is why she strives to be the best at what she does, live life to the fullest and laugh often. When she's not hard at work, Nikki likes to read, follow college sports and go to the beach with her husband and two children.

Born in Ft. Collins, Colorado and raised in Wyoming, Melissa has a Bachelor of Science degree in Tourism from Black Hills State University. She joined Hello Las Vegas! in 2006 after nine years of DMC experience. Melissa is an active member of MPI and she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Hospitality Association. Known for her flexibility and resourcefulness, Melissa’s favorite quote reflects her life philosophy: “When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.” (Alexander Graham Bell) Away from work, Melissa enjoys hiking, camping, watching pro football (Go Broncos!) and pampering her dog and two cats.