Mary Sticha, a veteran fleet management company executive who held leadership roles with two prominent industry associations, retired earlier this year.

"I have loved every minute of my 32-year career in fleet, especially partnering with so many to advance both the profession and the industry," Sticha said. "The progress and challenge over the decades has been awe inspiring."

After her retirement from Element Fleet Management in January, Sticha earned an honorary lifetime membership to the NAFA Fleet Management Association.

Her career in fleet management began in 1987 as an operations manager for GE Capital Fleet Services, which was acquired by Element in 2015.

Following the acquisition, Sticha was tapped to lead the integration of the fleet business of GE Capital and PHH Corp. into Element. She retired as a senior vice president of operational excellence.

Prior to her time with Element, Sticha served in various roles with GE Capital Fleet Services, including SVP and general manager of commercial programs, VP of service excellence, and VP of sales.

Sticha played active roles in several industry associations, including NAFA Fleet Management, the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association, and the American Automobile Leasing Association. She served as president of AFLA and chair of NAFA's Affiliates Committee.

She became a Certified Automotive Fleet Manager in 2013 and renewed the certification in 2018.