Sims Named 2010 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year
DETROIT – Michael Sims, fleet operations manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was awarded Automotive Fleet’s 2010 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year honor Sunday, April 25.
A very surprised Mike Sims (right) is introduced as 2010 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year by Jim Frank of Wheels, annual sponsor of the award.
DETROIT – Michael Sims, fleet operations manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was awarded Automotive Fleet’s 2010 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year honor Sunday, April 25, in a special ceremony at the NAFA Fleet Management Association’s (NAFA) Institute & Expo.
Sims was selected by a 32-member judging panel, including past winners, manufacturers, auctions, fleet management services, dealers, and the media. Instituted in 1985, the award is sponsored by Automotive Fleet magazine, Wheels Inc., and the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association (AFLA).
“I was totally surprised and honored,” said Sims upon accepting the award. “Not expecting this at all, but grateful for a dedicated team of fleet professionals who help us manage our fleet. I really cherish our relationship with Bobit Publishing and Bobit's team of professionals who really add so much to our industry. The other nominees were so deserving, and any of them would have been outstanding choices. I also want to thank those who voted.”
Louise Davis-Lopez, fleet manager for Johnson & Johnson, and Theresa Belding, senior manager, fleet services for Forest Pharmaceuticals, were also award finalists. 2010 award nominations totaled 11.
A 36-year industry veteran, Sims directs a global fleet of 12,800 vehicles, headquartered in Salt Lake City. His overall responsibilities include planning and sourcing vehicles. Among his notable achievements were creating an improved lifecycle cost tool for purchasing decisions, implementing a GPS-based accident reduction system, restructuring the fleet management organization, and standardizing global fleet processes.
Sims’ industry affiliations include membership in NAFA, Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association, and AFLA, serving on the organization’s Commercial Fleet Sounding Board. Other activities include chairing GM’s U.S. and global Fleet Sounding Boards and serving on the Ford Fleet Advisory Board.
Sims will be featured on the cover of the AF June issue. Click here to view the entire AF 2010 Fleet Manager of the Year nomination ballot.
By Grace Suizo
More Operations
Fleet Has a Talent Pipeline Problem. What Comes Next? | AF News Recap
Where will fleet’s next generation of leaders come from? This week, we’re looking at the industry’s talent pipeline, what certification can add to a fleet career, how to build an award-worthy track record, and the return of Automotive Fleet’s Personal Use Survey.
Read More →
Smith System Launches Driver Risk Management Program
Fleets have more driver data than ever, but identifying risky behavior doesn't necessarily correct it. Smith System's new Driver Risk Management program combines monitoring, training, and follow-up coaching to help fleets connect risk signals with driver intervention.
Read More →
Automotive Fleet Opens 2026 Personal Use Survey for Commercial Fleet Managers
Less than two weeks left! Commercial and corporate fleet managers are invited to share how their organizations handle company vehicle personal-use policies, charges, and driver eligibility.
Read More →
From AI Prompts to AI-Generated Safety Songs | AF News Recap
Can better prompts make AI more useful for fleet managers? This week, we’re breaking down smarter fleet analysis, an AI-assisted experiment that turned safety training into music, and what happened to fuel prices in August.
Read More →
How to Write Better AI Prompts for Fleet Analysis
Include these six elements in your fleet prompts to generate more relevant analysis and accurate answers.
Read More →
Fleet Meets: Eric Kilgore
This edition of the Fleet Meets series features one of the industry's best leaders driving multi-market and national operations.
Read More →
Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain
Research highlights a growing need for proactive management strategies to address rising costs in fleet operations effectively.
Read More →
What Your Fleet KPIs Aren’t Telling You
Tracking fleet metrics is only useful when the data leads to better decisions. This guide helps fleet leaders assess cost, utilization, and downtime more accurately, identify performance gaps, and prioritize the actions that can improve operational results.
Read More →
Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks
Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness
Read More →
Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights
Does data alone drive results in operations?
Read More →