Passport Co-Founder Khristian Gutierrez Appointed CEO to Lead Next Phase of Growth

Passport, the leader in curb management solutions, is announcing a strategic leadership transition aimed at steering the company into its next growth phase. Co-founders Khristian Gutierrez and Bob Youakim are stepping back into operational roles to navigate Passport through an era of significant transformation within the industry. Gutierrez, who served as CRO for a decade and led the business from its formation to market leadership, has taken the helm as CEO and former CEO and serving as Board Chair, Youakim transitioned to Executive Chairman, leveraging his extensive expertise in leading and scaling businesses to propel Passport towards capturing emerging market opportunities and continue innovating.

“This is a pivotal time of growth within our industry and company, and I’m thrilled to return to a day-to-day role to ensure we meet the growing demands of our client operations and maintain our position as an innovator at the forefront of curb management,” added Gutierrez. “Bob and I have a deep-rooted connection to Passport and extensive industry knowledge – together with the team; we’re dedicated to helping cities expand revenue opportunities and gain deeper insights about what’s happening at the curb so they can improve decision-making in the best interests of their communities.”

Cities have widely adopted mobile parking to enhance user experiences, yet enforcement remains a significant hurdle. Passport’s digital enforcement solution enables cities to efficiently gather evidence, issue warnings and citations, and bolster revenue recovery. Beyond enforcement, Passport integrates mobile payments and digital permitting into a unified, user-friendly platform, providing city planners with crucial data to tackle urban mobility challenges and discern parking trends. This reliable and transparent approach not only streamlines curb management but also boosts staff efficiency and revenue through enhanced payment compliance. Passport’s data reveals a compelling advantage for digital solutions, with nearly 86% of 2023 citations being settled online, underscoring the financial benefits of adopting digital parking payment methods.

“Our parking analytics offer a critical perspective on the impacts of innovation, trends, and congestion on urban environments,” added Youakim. “Looking forward, we are intensifying our focus on developing pioneering tools, such as our Performance Benchmarking solution, which equips cities with comparative data to evaluate their performance against peers. In an evolving industry landscape, our commitment is unwavering in enriching our suite of solutions and supporting cities to navigate the complexities they face.”

A Passport survey of parking & mobility managers and city planners found nearly every city polled said using a mobile parking application has reduced or removed their need for traditional parking meters. Moreover, 74% say they’ve noticed an improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of curb management in their community since partnering with Passport.

Passport is helping more than 800 cities and private operators across North America and has supported more than 5,000 locations. Its app is rated number one by users in the App Store. For more information about Passport’s unique approach, visit https://www.passportinc.com/.

About Passport 

Passport is a mobility software and payments company that builds solutions to centrally manage complexities at the curb. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Passport is trusted by more than 800 cities, universities and agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles and Miami. Passport’s mobility management platform helps cities manage parking and mobility infrastructure, creating more livable, equitable communities. One of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists, Passport was also the 2021 Fintech category winner for the NC Tech Association’s Industry Driven award.