Automotive Fleet has announced the nominees for the 2025 Edward J. Bobit Fleet Manager of the Year Award. This prestigious honor, first presented in 1985 and sponsored exclusively by Wheels, recognizes fleet managers who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, cost-saving achievements, and strategic program execution. 

The winner will be revealed on Tuesday, Sept. 16, during the 2025 AFLA Conference, which will be held at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida. 

Nominees are selected and judged based on several key criteria, including policy development, innovation, operational effectiveness, sustainability efforts, and ability to lead teams through complex fleet challenges.

Introducing the 2025 Fleet Manager of the Year Nominees

The 2025 nominees are:

Joe Lukacs, The Sherwin-Williams Company: Manages nearly 12,000 vehicles worldwide, combining innovation, safety, and sustainability. Led initiatives to increase fuel economy by 4.7 mpg, reduced CO2 emissions by 4.1%, and generated multi-million-dollar remarketing gains. Served on advisory boards for GM and Wheels.

Mario Moses, Bayer U.S. LLC: Oversees 6,500 vehicles in North America. Expanded selector options to support electrification, leading to reduced emissions and $2.6M projected cost savings. Modernized personal use policies and collaborated deeply with suppliers to drive value.

Mikhaila Baldwin, CoolSys Commercial & Industrial Solutions: Achieved over $1.5M in combined savings through fleet service consolidation, telematics deployment, and vendor negotiations. Was instrumental in ERP integration and the launching of national safety programs with dashcams and policy overhauls.

Jeffry Sechler, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Oversees 7,000 vehicles in 143 countries. Manages all aspects of missionary fleet operations. Combines military discipline from 21 years in the Marines with global fleet leadership and association engagement.

Lisa Kneggs, Farmer Brothers Coffee: With over 29 years of fleet leadership, Lisa has held roles across multiple companies. Known for using data to improve productivity, ensuring driver safety, and mentoring emerging fleet professionals.

Elizabeth Tucker, Monarch Landscape Companies: New to Monarch but a veteran of Enterprise, BrightView, and Tesla. Leads with collaboration, communication, and stakeholder alignment. Built a people-first, operationally efficient culture across diverse business units.

Charles Schott, Rollins, Inc.: Transformed a decentralized 18,000-vehicle fleet by developing a structured department from scratch. Reduced delivery times by 32% by expanding upfitting locations and realigning supply chains. Brings global and security-sensitive fleet experience.

Mary La Punta, Novo Nordisk: Leads a 3,200-vehicle fleet at NNI. Delivered vehicle allocation wins during shortages and champions safety, sustainability, and financial stewardship. Known for data-driven decision-making and aligning fleet with company goals.

Edwin Paredes, Johnson & Johnson: Oversees a 14,000-vehicle North American fleet. Launched leasing model with $100M savings potential, improved driver satisfaction to 4.7/5, reduced emissions, and modernized fleet tech. Widely recognized for inclusive leadership.

Linda Ellis, UCB: Manages a $24M fleet budget with 1,400 vehicles. Achieved 88% alt-fuel adoption, $7.2M in savings, and 46% accident reduction. Combines fleet and procurement expertise across Fortune 500 firms with advanced certification and awards.

Billy Wassmer, TruGreen: Leads a 9,000+ vehicle fleet. Optimized lifecycle management, reduced costs via in-house maintenance (50% of fleet), and introduced advanced analytics. Developed centralized playbooks to standardize operations and improve safety.

Ashley Lucia, Impact Fire: Scaled fleet from 250 to 1,200 vehicles since 2018. Secured $875K in OEM rebates, $1.5M in maintenance savings, and nearly $500K in remarketing gains. Spearheaded safety and fuel initiatives with measurable ROI.

Amy McAdams, Diebold Nixdorf: Oversees a 2,500-unit fleet. Implemented targeted replacement strategy and standardized upfits. Brings experience from ABM and MORSCO, and holds a CAFM certification. Known for strategic, safety-focused leadership.

Marvin McClain, Pye-Barker: Led 185% fleet growth to 5,590 vehicles with nearly 200 acquisitions since 2023. Oversaw 2,000 new orders. Applies public and private fleet expertise to manage explosive expansion and integration efficiently.

Ted Chan, Schindler Elevator: Champions sustainability, safety, and culture with innovations like hybrid rollout and 'Fleet Friday.' Oversees nationwide fleet operations and is praised for responsiveness, data-driven improvements, and leadership.

David Hayward, ABM Industries: Digitally transformed a 6,000+ asset fleet with a centralized database. Automated driver onboarding, repair approvals, and system integration—reducing admin time by 80+ hours/month. Respected thought leader with CAFM and board service.

Rob Webb, Webbs Auto & Truck Services: Manages 100+ fleet vehicles as a Master Technician. Introduced data-driven maintenance to reduce downtime. Revered for mentoring young techs and leading with hands-on, technical excellence.

SuYvonne Bell, Gilead: Steered ICE to green transition in U.S. Longstanding NAFA and AFLA contributor and mentor. Known for sustainability focus and best-practice development.

Sandy Wexler, WSP USA: Reduced costs through strategic remarketing and implemented advanced telematics. Created robust policy infrastructure, improving accountability and billing accuracy.

Jordan Herring, Elevated Facility Services: Modernized fleet strategy and led rollout of motor vehicle monitoring on 475 units. Recognized for driver accountability and safety leadership in a male-dominated field.

Sean Vansickle, Graham Healthcare: Scaled fleet from 100 to 800 vehicles while reducing cost-per-mile and enhancing safety. Known for precise planning and a commitment to operational excellence.

2025 Fleet Manager of the Year Judges

• Bob Martines, Corporate Claims Management (CCM)

• Jerry Zielenski, Nissan

• Kevin Curran, Toyota 

• Greg Wood, Ford 

• Shlomo Crandus, Wheels

• Bob White, Holman

• Eric Stanley, Element Fleet Management

• Marty Kuhn, Mike Albert Fleet Solutions

• Michael Ferreiria, Stellantis

• Cody Collins, General Motors

• Matt Dyer, Merchants Fleet

• Chris Brown, Automotive Fleet

• Gage Wagoner, past winner

• Sharon Etherington, past winner

• Jim Petrillo, past winner

• Jonathan Kammans, past winner

• Kimberly Fisher, past winner

• Erin Gilchrist-Rugg, past winner

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