Yared Tesfaye (left) and Henok Tesfaye (right). Their company, U Street Parking, has been awarded contracts worth millions to oversee Dulles & National airports. - (Photo by Dayna Smith)
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: Monday, August 16, 2010
New York (Tadias) – The Washington Post features Henok Tesfaye, an Ethiopian American parking mogul who started in valet-parking to become one of the biggest players in Washington, D.C.’s parking industry. Tesfaye’s company, U Street Parking, has been “awarded a lucrative contract to oversee 37,000 public parking spaces at Dulles International and Reagan National airports, including four garages, three surface lots and a valet service.”
Tesfaye, whom Tadias highlighted last year when he hosted a fundraiser for the reelection bid of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty at Etete, said winning the business was an emotional experience. “When I got the call that we had got the contract, I cried,” Henok told the paper, from his office in a rowhouse on Rhode Island Avenue NE. “We were a long shot. We’ve always been a long shot.”
But those who know him in the community consider him to be a trailblazer.
“He’s the leading young entrepreneur in our community. . . . I know him from when he was a parking attendant, and it’s great to see these types of businesses grow,” said Dereje Desta, the publisher of Zethiopia, an Ethiopian newspaper in the District.
Read the story at Washingtonpost.com:
Young parking lot czar is the face of Ethiopian success in the D.C. area.
Related from Tadias Archives
Photos from Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s Fundraiser at Etete
Well done Henok! Very inspiring story….
I have known Henok for a very long time…good to see our brothers doing so well, not through short cuts, but hard work. Gobez. Now it is time to look inward and to give back.
I raise my glass again to your latest accomplishment!
Ben
Congratulations to Henok, Yared and the whole family!!!
Great to hear success stories of Ethiopians like Henock.
Good job. congratulations!
Congratulations, Henok. it encourages all to work hard for success. All the best for you and yor team.
Well-done Henok. Continue the hard work and more success in the future.
I landed on this page from Google, while doing a research for seminar paper regarding the Ethiopian community in the United States. Just wanted to leave comment to say what a great story. It is an American success story. A great Washington, D.C. story. This is a sign of the maturity of the new Ethiopian Diaspora and particularly Ethiopian-Americans. Just like many successful immigrant communities, the Ethiopian Diaspora is ringing its bell of arrival, which can only be achieved through longevity, time and perseverance. This country is made for and made by immigrants like Henok Tesfaye.
Congratulations and a great sucess story. This is a positive story that I can share with my children about the friut of hard work and perseverance. Please do an outreach to other Ethiopians to mentor. Good luck.
Congratulations! You did it again! I’m proud of you Henok and Yared!
We Ethiopians are proud of you.
We need more people like Henok.
God Bless Ethiopia!
i am happy to you Congratulations Henok and Yared and benny I’m proud of you ,BETAM GOBEZ SERATENOCH SILEHONACHIHU EIGIZIABIHER YIREDACHIHUWAL AHUNIM BERITU LEBIZU ETHIOPIAWIYAN WETATOCH MISALE HONACHIHUWAL god bless you
I am proud of you.
i am very proud to see an Ethiopian to achieve this goal. words can not express what i am feeling inside. good work nd we will expect more form u. u r a good role models for all Ethiopians.