Ford Transit Connect Van Strikes Sweet Note with Craig Scott Entertainment's Sound Crew

NEW YORK, March 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Getting to gigs on time and with all their gear is top priority for New York's Craig Scott Entertainment, and Ford's (NYSE:F) Transit Connect provides the right blend of ample interior space and compact overall footprint to get the job done.

Back in the 1980s, Scott Hornak was traveling the world as a vagabond drummer on cruise ships. When Hornak returned state side, he and his friend, trumpet player Nick Dellosa, assembled a band and began playing local weddings and small events. Day in and day out, they muscled to load and unload their instruments at each gig, slowly gaining local popularity.

Today, the band is a company. Craig Scott Entertainment specializes in professional entertainment and organizes close to 1,000 events a year in the New York area, ranging from weddings to special events for the likes of Bloomingdale's and the New York Stock Exchange.

Hornak and Dellosa no longer haul the equipment and instruments themselves, but the hauling hasn't stopped.

"Our guys make sure the equipment gets to the location. They often struggle finding parking spots in the city," said Scott Hornak, Craig Scott Entertainment's CEO and co-founder.

"Right now, the crew of sound engineers and technicians use pickup trucks to transport speakers, amps, mixing boards and instruments, and we always pay a surcharge fee for oversized vehicles," he said. "The Transit Connect should give us the loading capacity we need -- without the oversize fee."

Transit Connect's compact size and tall cargo area also make it the ideal shape to squeeze into the tight parking spots found in most major cities like New York. Combined with its maneuverability, the Transit Connect is ideal for congested city driving.

"Band members and DJs organize their own transportation, but we are responsible for the equipment. It's important to get there on time and as economically as possible -- otherwise it goes against our profit margins," Hornak said. "I think Transit Connect is the right vehicle for Craig Scott Entertainment and for musicians in general. I remember the days when I wished I had this kind of vehicle."

Fortunately for Scott and his team, Transit Connect has arrived.

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Source: Ford Motor Company

CONTACT: Becky Sanch, +1-313-594-4410, bsanch@ford.com, or Said Deep,
+1-313-594-0942, sdeep@ford.com, both of Ford Motor Company

Web site: http://www.ford.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Go to http://media.ford.com for news releases and high- resolution photographs.

2008-03-18 23:06:08 0315701 PRNEWSWIRE