We're thrilled to announce George Baker Sr., has been named NPA's Innovator of the Year. The award, a top honor in the parking industry, recognizes George's achievements driving innovation as JustPark's founder and Chief Executive Officer.
“The NPA Innovation Awards recognize companies and individuals who demonstrate the highest professionalism and parking best practices while using leadership and state-of-the-art technology to improve safety, sustainability and bottom line results.“ – Christine Banning, NPA president
Building on his background, and the challenges he witnessed on both the operational and consumer side of parking, George founded JustPark to optimize parking operations with innovative, cutting-edge technology.
The subscription-based model George created set the company apart, offering clients a secure, scalable solution that is continually optimized to best meet their business needs. JustPark serves premier entertainment venues, professional sport teams, universities, and state parks across the US, and has been the parking technology provider for the last 4 Super Bowl games.
2019 has ushered in significant success for JustPark. In January, JustPark acquired the mobile point-of-sale business division of SpotHero, effectively turning a competitor into a collaborator. In February, JustPark secured a $13 million Series B round of funding. In March, the JustPark team won Parking Today’s Customer Service Excellence Award.
As a leader, entrepreneur, and influencer, George participates in numerous events – recently speaking at IPMI’s Leadership Summit 2019, SMA 2019, SportTechie Next 2018, and Verifone Retail Payments Conference 2018. He contributes articles and interviews around leadership, culture, parking and mobility that have been published by Forbes, Parking Today, DCEO, D Magazine, SportTechie and more.
George champions an ethical approach to business and the integrity of the company he built was recognized when JustPark won the Greater Dallas Business Ethics Award in 2017. He ensures things don’t just get done, but that they get done the right way. George guides the team with core values which shape the overall culture of the company.
As JustPark grows as a service and company, a wealth of data is being unlocked that can help provide a better experience for consumers, make businesses more fruitful, and build more efficient, cleaner, smarter cities of tomorrow. Never ready to rest on laurels, George and his team continue innovating - “never in park, always in drive.”