Road to Success

Duty Calls

In 2005, the two companies officially merged to become EmpireCLS. They subsequently opened several new locations throughout the U.S., expanded their global network to more than 650 cities worldwide, and continued to add more luxury cars to their impressive fleet, which now consists of Mercedes-Benz, Mazeratis, Escalades, Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom, the Mayboch 62, stretch limos, tour vans, and more. In time, EmpireCLS has grown to become the premier transportation company in the nation, responsible for getting the who’s who of America where they need to go. This is a major feat considering that the brand does very little advertising. Instead, business comes primarily through word of mouth. “As large as people think the entertainment industry is, it really isn’t,” Seelinger explains. “Word gets around really quickly when you do the right thing (and when you do the wrong thing), so we try very hard to stay on top of our game.” While 50 percent of their business comes from within the entertainment industry, the other half deals with servicing 14 five-diamond hotels in LA and NY such as the Four Seasons, The Palace Hotel, and The Beverly Hills Hotel. They also work in the private aviation sector with the owners of Net Jets, the world’s largest private aircraft company.

The Show Must Go On

With Awards Season in full swing, things are even more hectic for Seelinger. In fact, at the time of our conversation, he is scheduled to hop on a plane the very next day from New York to LA to prepare for the upcoming Golden Globes. “It’s absolutely insane!” Seelinger exclaims, “You go from one awards show to the next–Critic’s Choice, People’s Choice, Golden Globes, Grammys, to the big grand finale of course which is Oscars. It’s non stop; I can’t even really describe it.” He lists some of the requests his staff faces on a daily basis, which includes anything from special route planning and security detail, to specific food and beverage requests all the while maintaining the upmost professionalism and confidentiality. Because of Empire’s impressive roster of high net worth individuals, his clients require a certain level of perfection—and EmpireCLS delivers. “Not only are we making sure that everybody is being accommodated, but that it’s the way they want to be accommodated,” he explains. Seelinger goes into detail about the intricacies of award show days: “We could have two SUVs and three security people attached for one A-list celebrity. We do the route planning, making sure that we know where all the police facilities and hospitals are on that route, just in case.” EmpireCLS is also the official transportation company of the Vanity Fair party, notably one of the hottest ticketed Hollywood parties of the year.

In order to facilitate such comprehensive undertakings, Seelinger has assembled a first-class team, without which he says he would be nothing. It is clear his staff recipricates these sentiments, as Seelinger has received dozens of heartfelt letters and other tokens of appreciation from his employees over the years.

What The Future Holds

“It’s really interesting how we got here. Some of it wasn’t by design, it was by default,” Seelinger admits. “Unfortunately, a lot of companies in our industry haven’t survived, but we’ve done really well.” In 2010 alone, EmpireCLS brought in approximately $140 million in revenue. “I think the business will continue to grow in the entertainment industry in the United States and abroad,” he predicts. And if last year is any indication of how the company will fare in 2011, then there’s even more rewards to come. Seelinger already boasts his own personal collection of luxury vehicles, including three motorcycles and a couple of racecars, which are parked outside his New York and Manhattan Beach homes. And while he’s certainly living a life of luxury, he always finds time to give back. EmpireCLS supports several non-profit organizations like Music Cares, Table to Table for Northern New Jersey, the Make-a-Wish Foundatio, and countless others.

Seelinger is also quick to mention that he makes sure his daughters, who are 5 and 9, stay very grounded. “Nothing is more important than your children and your family. I’m fortunate that I’m able to go to these events, spend time with celebrities, and eat at the finest restaurants in the country! But I don’t want my children to think this is a normal way of life, because it’s really not. I make sure they understand they’re able to participate in certain things because the work we do.” He plans to take his oldest daughter to the Oscars this year, who he says has taken an interest in his work. “I told her after she gets a college education and a Masters degree, then maybe I’ll let her come work with me. I never got an education, so that’s priority one for me.” The tender words of a loving father, who despite his struggles has truly persevered and come out on top. “Some days are better than others,” he admits. “But I always have my best friend, my dog Raika, who keeps me on my game every day,” he says affectionately. “And of course, my wife, my rock of 18 years. I could have never done this without her.” He pauses for a moment to relfect on his life’s journey, then adds, “I really do have the best life in the world and I thank God for that every day. I got a second chance at life, and regardless of what happens, I never take any of it for granted.”