Speaking From Experience: From Law Enforcement to NuPark

Apr 29, 2017

Mark Freeman, Director of Support Services at NuPark, has enjoyed a career spanning from law enforcement to LPR technology. He began his career as a police officer at Indiana University, until he eventually moved to DePauw, a small university in Greencastle, Indiana, as Chief of Police. In this role, he explains, “I worked closely with the parking software company, and I was fascinated by the changes I saw.” Mark spent the next four years at the police department working with software full-time. He joined a parking systems provider and continued working with parking software for the next 15 years. “I was able to watch parking evolve from paper tickets, and no database, to now, when an LPR enforcement vehicle can get hits on repeat offenders and issue tickets,” Mark says. 

In 2014, Mark joined NuPark. “I loved working with LPR technology and NuPark was on the cutting edge,” Mark explains. In addition to the technology, he loved the customer-oriented attitude that NuPark offered. “They were the only ones who really wanted to solve customer problems,” he says. “They constantly seek feedback from customers and they change products based on customer request.”

Since NuPark adapts itself to each customer’s needs, Mark says, “Every day is different. Products are constantly evolving, so we often see different areas to focus on.” Mark works closely with customers, and he enjoys responding to their requests. “Since we’re a smaller company, customers know us on a first name basis. With other larger companies, you might just be a number.” 

Every day is different, Mark explains, because every customer is different. “Every customer has different rules and regulations and policies as they relate to parking. They’ve evolved in a specific way, and they are completely different from the others.” There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so Mark needs to go deeper into the problem before he can help them rectify it. “I try to understand why they need to do something a certain way. That’s better than just trying to solve the problem without understanding the goal.” When he understands the issue, he says, he can offer a practical solution. “Customers are always looking for a better way to do things,” he says. “If an idea pops to mind, they’re very receptive.”

Because of his experience with parking, Mark explains, he can even offer customers support for issues that are unrelated to NuPark. “Many of our employees – me for one – have worked in the parking industry in the front lines before we worked at NuPark,” Mark says. “We understand parking.”

Through his years of familiarity with the parking industry, his fascination with current technological advances, and his desire to create truly customized parking solutions, Mark brings a unique blend of experience and innovation to his customers. 

Further Reading

Chapman parking enforcement vehicle in front of university sign
white truck scanning license plates in a surface parking lot
man in white shirt and black pants speaking to two ladies in white and orange clothes with men in the background talking with NuPark sign in the. back