California Parking Company, A Family History

December, 2021

In 1954, Fred Puccinelli founded the California Parking Company in San Francisco with one location. Fred’s passing in 1955 found Richard, his son, taking over the company during his senior year of high school. After 67 years of success, the California Parking Company has evolved into one of the leading experts in the parking business. 

Throughout the many challenges that the Puccinelli family has faced, they remain loyal to their commitment to preserving and protecting the business of parking.

San Francisco family owned and operated, the company prides itself on its ability to innovate and evolve the parking industry. Throughout the many challenges that the Puccinelli family has faced, they remain loyal to their commitment to preserving and protecting the business of parking. 

Under the care of the Puccinelli family and their associates, the California Parking Company has used its history and status as a family business to deliver a parking experience that is affordable and convenient in one of the most densely packed cities in California. 

Within a few years of taking over the operation, Richard leased a second location in San Francisco, officially expanding the company to include multiple locations throughout the city. Realizing that the company’s expansion required additional talent to help it succeed, Richard’s brother-in-law, Ron Britz joined the company in 1971, while he was still in college, and worked as a parking lot attendant. 

After completing college, Ron was quickly elevated to a management position. Ron succeeded Richard as president of the California Parking Company in 2014. 

After nearly 50 years with the company and decades of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to the parking industry, Ron retired in March 2020.

One of Ron’s “students,” Tony, now the company’s general manager, learned almost everything he knows about the parking business from him. Tony joined the California Parking Company when he was in high school; it was his first real paying job. Tony graduated college in 2010 and worked hard to get a spot in the office at the company as soon as he could. Finally rising to the role of General Manager, Tony carries on traditions that he experienced when he was working in the garages. 

In 1987, Robert Puccinelli, Richard’s oldest son joined the company on a full-time basis. Having worked in every aspect of the family business, Rob leveraged his experience to start the valet parking branch of the company and successfully ran this service until his untimely passing in 2017. 

In 2014, the family business came full circle when Richard’s youngest son, Dante re-engaged with the company. Capitalizing on his experience in c-suite positions in finance, Dante assumed the role of the company’s Chief Financial Officer and member of the board of directors.

 In 2019, Dante was appointed Chairman and CEO of the company.

Until he graduated from college, Dante was very involved in all facets of the business, dividing his time between the office and as a parking lot attendant. In Dante’s own words: “the business is a family, and the family is our business. Working with my father, brother, uncles, cousins, and people who have been involved with the company since I was a small child cultivated deep and exceptional relationships. The affection and respect of these relationships required learning how to disagree, give, and receive feedback/criticism, in a way toward achieving common goals while maintaining and growing the special relationships.” 

Through his father and Ron, Dante had great examples to follow to navigate through the COVID environment. Dante says, “Standing on the shoulders of giants, I am proud that together, with the leadership team of the company, we navigated through the pandemic innovating new ways of operating and doing business.” 

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Parking Company has had to use its illustrious family history and its many years in business to reaffirm its commitment to protecting the health and safety of its clients while remaining steadfast in their efforts to provide the best parking experience possible for their customers and community. 

First and foremost, COVID-19 heightened concern for physical health and safety of California Parking’s team, their customers, and their partners. More than 90 percent of employees were furloughed within a week of the government shut down. Landlords and partners who depend upon operations for their rent and profit shares relied on the California Parking Company for their services and expertise. Carefully ensuring adherence to CDC protocols and procedures, the company has had to learn to adapt to the ever-changing regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues to impact the lives of everyone on the planet. 

Thanks to years of family history and knowledge of the ins and outs of the parking industry, the Puccinelli family has been successful in maintaining their steadfast commitment to providing San Francisco with the safest and most convenient parking experience possible. Working through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the family valuable lessons about working together and finding creative solutions to unprecedented problems. 

The family and the entire California Parking Company team has banded together to innovate and create new solutions that maintain the company’s commitment to providing a quality experience for members of the business, as well as all of their customers throughout San Francisco. 

Jean A. Santos is Vice President of Business Consulting Resources, inc. She can be reached at Jean@bcrhawaii.ComBusiness