Now in its fourth year, Automotive Fleet's annual Professional Fleet Manager Award was created in 1985 to honor an experienced fleet manager who has demonstrated exemplary professional ability and leadership qualities in developing and implementing effective fleet policies and programs.

Areas of review for judging nominees include operating costs, replacement cycling and used-vehicle disposal, vehicle selection, preventive maintenance and repair, driver eligibility and safety, financial analysis, and other areas that demand the expertise and leadership skills of a dedicated fleet professional.

The winner this year will join the ranks of the Award's three previous winners: Jack Lamb of Exxon in 1985, Pierce Walsh of IC Industries in 1986, and Richard Catino of Digital Equipment Corp. in 1987.

Judges for this year's event include the three previous winners and: George Frink, Chevrolet; Don Langefeld, Lincoln-Mercury; Hal Barton, Chrysler; Frank Churchill, GE Capital Fleet Services; Mike Laporta, ARI; Jim Culotta, McCullagh; Don Fenton, Paul Fleet Group; Larry Benner, Nally Chevrolet; Joe David, Pacifico Ford; Warren Young, Manheim Auctions, and Ed Bobit, Automotive Fleet.

This year's winner will be awarded a personal trophy and have his or her name inscribed on a larger, permanent trophy. Additionally, a $2,000 scholarship will be given in the winner's name to an accredited university business school. The presentation will take place at a special function in San Francisco on Sunday, May 1, 1988 hosted by Automotive Fleet.

 

William Jones

Jones is the purchaser of all motor vehicles at Sears, Roebuck and Co. and oversees a fleet in excess of 18,000 vehicles with a replacement value exceeding $250 million. He also provides consulting services to fleets operated by other Sears corporate business groups including Allstate Insurance, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, and Dean Witter Financial Services.

Jones joined Sears in 1965 as a Big Ticket Salesman in Buffalo, NY and graduated through a number of sales assignments before being transferred to the company's Chicago headquarters in 1972. For the next seven years, his duties centered around the building operations of the Sears Tower. In 1983, Jones was appointed buyer of motor vehicles and related services.

Among his numerous accomplishments include the consolidation of vehicle acquisition, specifications, and services to a central location. Jones initiated the formation of a central location vehicle information desk which is responsible for handling all data on specifications, ordering procedures, delivery, titles, warranties, problem repairs, and invoice processing. Previously, Sears had ordered vehicles through four territorial offices.

With the changes in the information channel structure at Sears, Jones was able to improve the ordering process and the overall communications system with the automakers and other major suppliers, enabling the fleet administration to troubleshoot problems before they occurred. In 1987, he introduced to the fleet operations a personal computer data base ordering system developed by PH&H. This has helped allow Jones to work more closely with manufacturers, dealers, and upfitters. Consequently, 1,500 vehicles can be ordered, manufactured, interiors installed, decals applied, and delivered within only a four-month time frame.

Jones is also an elected alderman in the city of Elmhurst, IL.

 

Gordon West

After joining Pfizer Inc. in 1971, West became corporate fleet manager in December 1980 and now administers a fleet of 2,750 vehicles assigned to Pfizer's 12 operating units.

West is responsible for developing fleet policy and procedures for vehicle and equipment selection, maintenance control, used-vehicle marketing, personal use chargeback, and all financial planning data, in addition to evaluating lease, purchase, and repair proposals. He manages $26 million in corporate assets and authorizes $15 million of annual expenses.

It is estimated that West's department has saved the pharmaceutical company $5 million over the last four years alone through redeveloping contractual relationships with lessors and service vendors based on an evaluation of major expenditures.

Additionally, through Wheels, Inc., West's department was one of the first fleet administrations in the U.S. to adapt the W.I.N, system, a data management system providing Pfizer fleet personnel instant order status on any given vehicle, all vehicle specs, sales information, current book value, months in service, division expense code, and a volume of other pertinent data. Consequently, despite initial predictions to the contrary, Pfizer now employs less people in the fleet department than it did prior to 1980, although the fleet is 750 vehicles, or nearly 38-percent, larger.

Prior to becoming corporate fleet manager, West was manager of financial operations for the Agricultural Division at Pfizer, budget manager/budget analyst for that division, and a marketing analyst for the Coty Division. He currently serves as second vice president and is a member of the board of trustees for the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA). Additionally, he has served as treasurer of NAFA and as its New York Chapter chairman.

West was involved in the development of two courses for the Wharton CFM program as well as the accounting and finance courses for the NAFA CFM program. He has been interviewed for and featured in numerous publications including the Washington Business Journal, Fleet Financials, and Dun's Business Month.

 

Susan Stupak

Stupak joined McDonalds as domestic fleet supervisor in 1986 after a two-year stint as auto fleet manager for Keebler Co. It was a time when the fleet size at McDonalds was rapidly expanding to enable more store managers to utilize company-provided vehicles. During Stupak's tenure, the number of company-assigned vehicles has risen from 2,100 in 1986 to more than 2,450 today.

Stupak's career interest in fleet began in 1978 when she served as administrative secretary to the assistant treasurer for ServiceMaster Industries, Inc. Shortly thereafter, she assumed the new position of fleet coordinator, being instrumental in the reworking of company-car policy and the purchasing centralization for the nationwide fleet. In 1980, Stupak joined A.B. Dick Co. in Chicago as fleet administrator, managing 1,400

vehicles and producing the company's first Fleet Policy Manual and Driver Handbook. She also administered the preventive maintenance program, insurance accident repair program, and was responsible for the audit of all invoices and monthly operating costs.

 

Stupak joined Keebler in 1984, assuming responsibility for the company's 1,950-vehicle fleet. At Keebler, she implemented state-of-the-art reporting capabilities and innovative new fleet programs that resulted in the stabilization and capping of total operating costs as the fleet continued to grow by six percent a year.

At McDonalds, Stupak has organized a Fleet Contact Meeting, a three-day training seminar for the 39 field fleet coordinators nationwide. Additionally, she has directed a rewrite of the company's Fleet Policy and Procedures manual. Through her direct efforts and her involvement with the field fleet coordinators, average fleet operating costs at McDonalds rose only $1 per vehicle between 1986 and 1987, despite a depressed used-car market.

Stupak has been an active participant in NAFA since 1979. She was elected secretary of the Chicago chapter in 1983 and chairwoman in 1985. In the latter capacity, she helped produce the highly-successful national meeting held in Chicago in 1986.

 

Warren Feirer

Feirer is manager, fleet administration for Nabisco Brands, Inc., where he oversees a fleet of 5,000 automobiles and 1,700 delivery trucks. His responsibilities include negotiating with vehicle manufacturers, coordinating leasing programs with lessors, developing and managing all national account programs for Nabisco, and developing and recommending vehicle policies to Nabisco Brands divisions to achieve consistency and uniformity.

Prior to the company's decision to convert to leasing, Feirer managed the purchase of approximately 1,600 automobiles and 200 trucks annually. He was a key member of parent company RJR/Nabisco's task force on leasing evaluation and subsequently coordinated the implementation of a new lease program for RJR/Nabisco involving more than 9,000 vehicles.

In conjunction with these efforts, Feirer administered the development and installation of a brand-new computer program designed to monitor Nabisco Brands' fleet acquisitions and disposals. Through these developments, Feirer has reduced annual new automobile costs at Nabisco by more than $800,000.

Feirer is an integral member of NAFA, having served as the association's president from 1979 to 1981. Additionally, he acted as conference chairman for the 1974 New York conference and was chairman of NAFA's New York chapter from 1969 through 1971. He has also served as third, second, and first vice president of the association, as well as trustee. Currently, Feirer is a trustee in both the NAFA Foundation and the NAFA Employees' Pension Plan. He spearheaded the development of NAFA's Reference Manual and wrote a chapter on leasing for the NAFA Fleet Manager's Manual.

At Nabisco, Feirer has also been key in adapting a program designed to utilize minority- and women-owned vendors.

 

Clifford Hayden

Hayden is director-energy management for GTE Service Corp., telephone operations. He is responsible for energy management, building maintenance and operations, and fleet management. He is also chairman of the GTE Vehicle Steering Committee.

In the area of fleet operations, he is responsible for the purchase and operation of more than 40,000 vehicles, as well as 6,000 mobile tools. Through a complete computerized system, his staff monitors the operation of more than 170 garages, 900 mechanics and staff in 35 states, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. He oversees all aspects of the fleet operation, including life cycle cost analysis, economic justification for replacement, ownership versus leasing, and recordkeeping of all maintenance activities. GTE's annual lease and purchase dollars exceed $78 million for vehicles.

Prior to joining GTE, Hayden was president of Mainstem, Inc., where he was responsible for all external operations, marketing and consulting services, and reviewing fleet operational practices for major accounts - including United Airlines, Exxon, and Interstate Brands Corp.- to assist them in obtaining maximum benefits from vendor services rendered.

From 1966 through 1969, Hayden was managing director of Stevenson, Jordan, and Harrison. He headed a team of engineers in Venezuela assigned to design, implement, and operate a modern management system - including all aspects of fleet management - within the Ministry of Public Works for the Republic of Venezuela.

Hayden has also acted as manager-Mobil fleet for Mobil Oil in New York City where he was responsible for the entire U.S.-based fleet. Working with more than 6,000 units, he reduced the fleet size 10 percent over two years, yet increased payload by more than 100,000,000 gallons of product transported with a cost-per-mile savings reduction of $.02.

Hayden is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy's Research and Advisory Board responsible to the Energy Secretary and, in 1986, was honored as the outstanding leader in the development of electric vehicles internationally. He is a member of NAFA, the Private Truck Council of America, and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

 

Vic Miska

Miska began his General Electric Co. career with Consumer Service in 1950 and was promoted to assistant consumer service manager three years later. He made his first commercial vehicle purchase in 1953 - Ford Couriers - and, in 1959, made his first acquisition of Ford Econoline vans.

By 1967, Miska had been elevated to district manager Consumer Service and responsible for specification, acquisition, and purchase of all service vehicles in Milwaukee and Pittsburgh. In 1971, he was picked to administer national fleet activities for Consumer Service which included approximately 2,000 vehicles. Miska's first major contribution was in developing the Policy and Procedure Manual for company-owned vehicles.

During the same year, he participated in a key study to evaluate the purchase of new vans equipped with factory air conditioning. The plan was given a green light by General Electric's upper management and Miska reportedly made the first fleet purchase of service vans equipped with factory air conditioning.

In 1986, General Electric acquired RCA and, by January 1987, the Consumer Service fleet had acquired an additional 2,200 RCA vehicles, increasing the fleet size to 4,700 vehicles.

Today, Miska, as manager fleet administration, Consumer Service, manages a fleet in excess of 4,700 vehicles. He supervised the transition from ownership to leasing in 1985.

He has been honored in the industry - in 1984 with a managerial award for a new-van graphic concept, and in 1987 with an appointment to a three-year term on the Ford Fleet Advisory Council. In 1979, he presented a centralized purchase plan to management which resulted in significant cost savings and won wide praise.

Miska's success in the industry has been attributed to the excellent relationships he maintains with the automakers, upfitters, and other vendors, as well as his involvement with NAFA.

Miska has been an active participant in NAFA, having been a member since 1973. He will retire from his position with General Electric in May.

 

Sal Giacchi

Giacchi's involvement with automobiles began when he was 16 years old at a service station pumping gas and performing auto repairs. That interest ultimately led to his successful completion of the Wharton School's Certified Fleet Managers Program and to his being among the first 10 people in the fleet management field to be designated as a Certified Fleet Manager. Today, Giacchi administers 1,600 automobiles and light trucks as fleet manager for Lorillard, Inc.

Giacchi joined Lorillard in 1981 and has brought to the company up-to-date fleet management techniques that have resulted in cost savings over the past six years in excess of $5 million. These savings have accrued in such areas as fuel, maintenance, tires, auto sales, special rebate programs, and the refinancing of leased vehicles.

Giacchi was instrumental in saving Lorillard substantial amounts of money through his development of a lease-versus-buy formula that ultimately resulted in the company's present policy of leasing vehicle acquisitions.

Wheels in Motion, the popular Lorillard automotive newsletter, was developed by Giacchi and has been attributed to reducing the number of collisions involving company vehicles by 14 percent over the last two years alone. Translated into dollars, the Wheels in Motion campaign has reduced accident repair costs at Lorillard by $100,000.

In 1984, Giacchi was given the added responsibility of acquiring the company's rolling stock needs. He soon established a national account program through one lessor that has reduced maintenance costs in this area by more than $250,000. And in 1987, he was given the responsibility of negotiating and administering the daily corporate rental program at Lorillard.

Previous positions that Giacchi has held include a number of fleet assignments at GAF: assistant fleet manager in 1971; head-used ear operations in 1974, and, finally, manager automobile-fleet administration in 1977.

Giacchi is active in NAFA, having served as nominating chairman for the New Jersey chapter and also chairman of the Audit Committee. Having been treasurer of the New York chapter, he is presently serving a two-year term as its chairman. NAFA has appointed Giacchi as its 1989 general conference chairman for the annual conference to be held in New York City. Currently, he is also serving as president of the Automotive Fleet Leasing Association.

 

Jim Reeves

Reeves joined United Telephone Co. of Texas, Inc. as vehicle/equipment administrator in 1979 to manage its fleet of more than 300 cars and trucks, 70 pieces of construction equipment, and 65 trailers spread out over nearly 8,000 square miles in Texas. United Telephone lacked solid expertise in the fleet administration field, so Reeves instituted a number of programs designed to upgrade the fleet, reduce costs, and eliminate downtime.

In the area of preventive maintenance, one of Reeves' innovations was to upfit a cube van to act as a "garage on wheels," giving the administrator the ability to implement and adhere to a strict preventive maintenance policy, where little PM was being performed previously.

The system also gave the limited fleet staff the means by which to monitor the overall condition of the fleet, safety hazards, and the ability to appraise the services of outside vendors.

Reeves also initiated the use of auctions for United Telephone vehicles, whereas previously, vehicles were disposed of through sealed bids or sold to employees. Implementation of auctions has quadrupled salvage dollars for the company.

In 1985, Reeves proposed converting, through its lessor, to a gas card verifying self-serve prices for fuel and ensuring a sound audit trail. United has consistently been the lowest price-per-gallon fleet on the lessor's system, making Reeves the recipient of a special award from the lessor. His success with the program prompted participation by both United Telephone Midwest Group and United Telephone of Indiana.

Reeves has gotten more than 100,000 miles from most of his service trucks through proper specing and the unique practice of restoring the vehicles and placing them back into service rather than disposing of them. The restoration process might include a new engine, new paint, and other reconditioning work. This has reduced United's capital expense budget. Reeves has also provided training to drivers on a variety of subjects and on a variety of equipment, from trencher and digger derrick safety to aerial bucket truck safety.

 

Don LePard

LePard is manager, corporate transportation, planning and systems, for Combustion Engineering, Inc. and responsible for developing policies and methods for controlling fleet costs in the U.S. and Canada. The company fleet consists of 1,800 automobiles and light trucks.

He joined Combustion Engineering in 1968 as a senior systems analyst and moved into corporate transportation in 1974. In 1984, LePard organized a Fleet Financing Committee of the New England chapter of NAFA for the purpose of helping members obtain a better understanding of financing as it applies to fleets. The committee developed a seminar which was presented at the New England, Inter-County, and New York chapters, in addition to being offered as an all-day symposium at the 1984 NAFA Conference in Los Angeles.

In 1985, LePard worked with the Fleet Financing Committee to develop a user-friendly fleet financing software package for finance analysis on a personal computer. He served as a consultant on NAFA's behalf to develop a Lotus 1-2-3-based fleet financing software package capable of evaluating, among other things, lease-versus-buy, closed-end-versus-open-end, and front-end-versus-back-end loading of fees comparisons.

In 1987, LePard served as an instructor in finance during the final session of the NAFA CFM Program at the Wharton School of Finance. During the same year, he organized a NAFA New England Systems Committee for the purpose of helping members develop methods for improving productivity through computer systems.

 

Craig Kundrotas

Kundrotas has been region fleet manager for Hewlett-Packard Co. for the last four years based at the company's facility in North Hollywood, CA. He has been connected with the automobile business for 17 years.

He manages 2,000 cars and light trucks and a network of eight in-house service garages spread across 11 Western states. Kundrotas' primary responsibility is to provide strategic direction to the region for functions relative to acquiring, maintaining, and liquidating the region's fleet vehicles.

Among his numerous accomplishments at Hewlett-Packard, Kundrotas increased in-house warranty repairs by 54 percent in fiscal-year 1987. He implemented a fleet training task force to upgrade the expertise and dedication of fleet personnel, installed a comprehensive fleet maintenance management software package, spearheaded the drive for a universal fuel card and national account program, and sought and gained management support to initiate a driver misuse/abuse program.

Kundrotas takes special pride in his dedication to fleet safety, having developed and implemented a stringent fleet safety program as well as establishing a fleet/mechanic newsletter. The intensive driver training program has even been completed by H-P upper management, who have given the program its blessings.

To improve the safety orientation of the fleet, Kundrotas has also implemented a thorough check of a potential employee's DMV record before hiring, as well as a regular review of it after hiring. He has initiated an aggressive campaign promoting the use of seat belts, a recognition and incentive program for good drivers, and a periodic driver's training refresher course.

Prior to joining Hewlett-Packard, Kundrotas was corporate fleet manager for Western Security, Inc. for two years, administering 200 cars and light trucks. He has also published the H-P White Paper on fleet management and is an active member of NAFA.

 

George Weimer

An industry participant and leader since 1957, Weimer served with Hertz Corp.'s leasing operations, leaving as vice president - sales in 1973 to become vice president of U.S. Fleet Leasing. In 1974 he joined Contel Service Corp of Atlanta, GA, as director of transportation services, a position he has held to the present. In that capacity, Weimer is responsible for Contel's national fleet of 7,500 cars and light trucks.

At Contel, Weimer initiated the concept, fully implemented in 1982, of replacing vans with mini-pickup trucks with caps, which resulted in fuel savings of 6 million gallons annually. The installation of standardized cab/chassis for aerial trucks resulted in an additional annual fuel savings of 1.5 million gallons. Weimer is also responsible for the installation of a database computer program used to track operating costs of equipment separate from chassis, allowing Contel to provide the manufacturers with information on problem components.

Weimer's development of innovative financing arrangements with major vehicle lessors brought savings to his company of $1.5 million over a five-year period, and his development of a used-vehicle marketing program results in an annual refund of $2 million over the book value of sold used units. A past president of AFLA and present chairman of the association's Audit Committee, Weimer has also been a NAFA member since 1961, has served as chairman of the Atlanta Chapter, and has been a seminar leader at various NAFA functions. He presently serves on the Fleet Advisory Panel sponsored by Ford Motor Company.

 

Ron Pink

For the past 23 years, Pink has been responsible for Xerox Corp.'s U.S. fleet of more than 10,000 vehicles. He also acts as consultant to the Rochester, NY-based firm's Canadian, European and South American operations. Pink entered the fleet management field in its infancy in 1964.

Among his accomplishments are the creation of a preventative maintenance coupon process, universally used today; the utilization of Xerox's computer system to provide manufacturers data on product performance, which has helped them respond to fleet users' needs; the implementation of a safety program, which has resulted in a five-year record of no fatalities for the company in more than a billion miles of driving, and the enhancement of the image of driving a van, which has brought Xerox increased ROI at resale.

Of special significance to Pink is his work with manufacturers on a mass buy concept, which was based on trading vehicles only once a year. The concept increased control of the administration process, allowed the negotiation of favorable finance rates in advance, and provided manufacturers the opportunity to plan scheduling and production of vehicles.

An industry leader and innovator, Pink is a member of NAFA and has conducted many presentations at the local and national levels.

 

Tim Hoffmann

Coming up through the ranks at 3M, based in St. Paul, MN, Hoffmann rose from mechanic to manager employee transportation and training to his current position, in a 10-year period.

Hoffmann manages 3M's worldwide vehicle fleet, with responsibilities for policy development and administration, vehicle procurement and marketing, and operations.

Under Hoffmann's direction, several successful programs have been implemented, including 3M's Safe Driving Program, a corporate fleet management system, which allows immediate information storage and retrieval contributing to effective vehicle procurement and marketing, and the negotiation of contractual agreements with a major car-rental company and a large airline, which will return to 3M. more than $1.5 million annually, the latter under Hoffmann's additional responsibilities for the company's travel function.

Hoffmann, according to the report of an outside consulting firm, has earned recognition as 3M's "automobile expert." The consulting firm noted that Hoffmann's operations produce savings against budget or against past performance.

Last year it was estimated that 3M's employee transportation and travel functions would return to the corporation about $7.3 million in savings.

Hoffmann has been a NAFA member since 1978. He has served as North Central Chapter treasurer and vice chairman, becoming chairman in 1986.

 

Jane Crabbe

When Crabbe joined her company in 1974 as fleet manager, the company was small and new, with a fleet of 125 cars. She began the development of all existing programs and policies at that time and wrote the Driver Manual and Fleet Procedures Manual, still in use. Rewarded through promotions in the fleet management function at Roche Biomedical Laboratories, Inc., Crabbe is credited with accomplishments important to the company's growth.

Beginning 1986 as national fleet and safety manager with responsibilities for a fleet of 1,140 cars and trucks, Crabbe achieved a reduction in fleet costs from 3.48 percent of sales in 1985 to 2.71 percent in 1986, reduced gas costs and increased miles per gallon, met factory order deadlines for free options, reduced accidents from 9.4 per million miles driven in 1985 to 9.0 in 1986, updated and input various computer programs, developed an inventory of fleet safety training materials and an audio on fleet costs and safety, and sponsored a company-wide seat belt contest, among others. In December 1986, she was promoted to assistant vice president, national fleet and safety services.

An industry spokesperson, Crabbe travels to promote fleet safety and teach safety training programs. She is a charter member of NAFA's Carolinas' Chapter, formed in 1979, and has served every year as an officer.

 

Henry Paetzel

Entering General Mills, Inc. in 1968 as a management trainee, Paetzel rose through GMI's transportation function to his present post as manager automotive fleet services for the Minneapolis, MN-based company.

Among Paetzel's responsibilities managing the 1,800 company-owned units are developing programs to deal with acquisition, administration, operation and disposal of company vehicles; accomplishing cost control objectives through a vehicle selection program; implementing an economical and effective car rental program for GMI business travelers and guidelines for the company's auto service facility and executive garage, and maintaining management information systems to provide data concerning these activities.

Paetzel's accomplishments in his position include the establishment of an original dealer network and purchase order system to acquire cars, and implementation of a vehicle-selection policy based on net-holding cost and fuel efficiency. He also created a management information system for acquisition purchase orders and asset management. That system, complete and on-line, saves GMI $50,000 annually.

A NAFA member since 1971, Paetzel has served as North Central Chapter chairman. He is also a former member of the board of AFLA.

 

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