Bill Lerner – President of iPark, Founder of Billy4Kids Charity

Bill Lerner is an American businessman and philanthropist best known for his successes as President and CEO of iPark, New York’s largest privately owned parking garage operator, as well as for the work of his charity, Billy4Kids, which provides shoes for children in developing countries.

Over 60 years ago, iPark was founded by Lerner’s father with a single 25-car lot, then called Imperial Parking Systems. With a keen vision, attention to detail, and a dedication to “go the extra mile” for customers, he was able to build a successful business and support a growing family. From a young age, Bill Lerner worked in the garages, and was able to learn from his father’s accomplishments. Soon after graduating from the University of Colorado, he entered the family business with the goal to aggressively redevelop and modernize all operational functions, from financials and bookkeeping to complete technological overhauls.

In 1997, Lerner took over as President and CEO of Imperial Parking Systems and quickly began expanding the business through the acquisition of sought after properties throughout Manhattan. A forward thinker and industry visionary, he rebranded the company as iPark and made adjustments for a digital age kind of consumers while retaining his father’s high dedication to customer service and employee satisfaction. Currently with nearly 150 facilities, Lerner’s business expertise has placed iPark at the forefront of the parking industry’s technological evolution. Partnerships with Tesla Motors, Inc. and Beam Charging, a subsidiary of CarCharging, have allowed for over 25 garages to be integrated with charging stations for hybrid and electric vehicles, pioneering eco-friendly parking in New York City.

In addition to his business acumen, Lerner’s father also instilled in him a passion for family and a desire to help those less fortunate. As a result, he has been actively involved in charity work for over 20 years, and in 2013 co-founded his own non-profit, Billy4Kids. After reading an article detailing children who were developing life-threatening diseases from parasites that were entering their body through their unprotected feet, Lerner felt impelled to utilize his resources to provide shoes for these kids. With over 4,000 pairs of shoes delivered to youth in developing countries, Lerner’s work earned him the Humanitarian Award at the Annual Edeyo Gives Hope Gala and recognition from St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children for three consecutive years.
While his time is often consumed with iPark and Billy4Kids, Bill Lerner’s ultimate passions in life are his wife and three children. As a recognized thought-leader in his field, he frequently appears on television programs to share his expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs and industry professionals. Lerner’s accomplishments have been featured in The Atlantic, Leaders Magazine, on Radio America, WABC-TV, and 33Voices.