Stephen Levine, Fleet Manager, Pharmacia Crop.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Reading and books on tape. History, novels, and classics, all are great. Only unabridged. Listening to music and the radio. My wife and 1 have been New York Jets season ticket holders for almost 30 years.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? I need to do the best job that I can, and make a positive contribution to the task(s) at hand. Two years ago, recognized with the Automotive Fleet Professional Fleet Manager of the Year award, I was able to match my internal personal achievement with considerable external praise.
Who do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? The best fleet manager is not a single person but a concept. The best fleet manager does the best job that he or she can perform, based on his or her own company's goals and vision. They would be very knowledgeable about their "trade" and be very sharing of that knowledge.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? Understand that you are working in an industry within your own industry. Learn how to intermingle both to be a success. Understand that you are providing almost a retail service within your company.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? My son Sam has been involved in baseball for eight years. I've coached, umpired, and currently work with the local baseball association on the travel league. I also spend a lot of time at antique furniture auctions and estate sales.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? The growth and development of my sons, now 14 and 18.
What has been your most interesting experience in life? Several years ago, I went to the Caribbean to spend a week sailing on a tri-masted schooner. The week turned into a month after we pirated the boat from armed arrest, lost the engines during a storm at sea, and had unplanned adventures not typical in the 20th century.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? When I first got into the fleet business, I sold new cars. Had I realized the importance of the complete lifecycle equation at the end of the in-service time, I would have been successful earlier on.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Playing with our Dalmatian Mandy. The unconditional love and exuberance of a family pet can melt away the frustrations of rising fuel costs and technician recruiting efforts like nothing else. Also, taking my wife Kim and our teenagers Sarah and Bryan camping and rock climbing in the Ozark Mountains.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? Raising a loving family. I was fortunate to meet a wonderful partner in high school and to raise two bright and responsible children with her.
Who do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? I've met many talented fleet professionals while working with the National Association of Fleet Administrators in St. Louis and at the national level. Forced to pick one, I choose Linda Carlton. Tacoma Public Utilities.
What advice do you wish someone would haw given you before entering fleet? Be patient. After ten years in the regular Army where decisions are made quickly and implemented with a sense of urgency, it was difficult to adjust to the measured pace of local government organizations.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Cycling and sailing in the summer and skiing and running in the winter. My family enjoys skiing in western New York and taking a winter vacation to either the Rockies or the Alps.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? Tops on my list of personal achievements is a seven-day, 500-mile cycling adventure in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The trip included cycling the highly rated mountain pass called the "Highway to the Sun" in Glacier National Park.
Who do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? The fleet manager I have respected and sought counsel from during my time at Eaton has been the recently retired Dave Hall, fleet manager of Sherwin Williams.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? Keep your immediate supervisor informed of your activities and seek his/her counsel even if he/she doesn't have fleet experience. You need his/her support.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? I am an avid reader who collects, repairs, and binds books. A large passion outside of work, however, is Disney. When you work for them, for 8 years, it gets in your blood.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? An achievement that ranks high on my list is my graduation last year, summa cum laude, with a masters in developmental management.
Who do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? There are so many fleet professionals who far outclass me in skills and knowledge that it is close to impossible to choose just one. Forced to choose though, Jim McCarthy of Siemens is one skilled professional who readily comes to mind.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? Never miss manufacturers' night at the NAFA FMI.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Golf, and I enjoy boating, but there is never enough time for it. I bought my first motorcycle at age 13 and have been riding ever since. I currently have six motorcycles in my garage.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? My two granddaughters.
What has been your most interesting experience in life? Being an owner/partner in a major auto auction company. Having been an employee all of my career and all of a sudden becoming an owner certainly puts a different perspective on things. Luckily I have some very bright partners.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? If someone had advised me of the great career path that I was embarking on I probably would not have believed them.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Dancing, fast or slow. The best dance music is of the '40s and '50s, ballroom and the "big bands" of years past, and the rock & roll of the '50s. Also horseback riding and swimming with the dolphins, what an experience.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? Chartering of the fleet department in the Town of Greenwich as a fully autonomous department, headed by the fleet director.
Who do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? John McCorkhill, with the City of Lynchburg, VA.
What advice do you wish someone would have given you before entering fleet? Know your arena, and what the organization you will be entering is about. If you are entering the public sector, familiarize yourself with the political issues that can affect your operation.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? We live on a lake and I have always enjoyed all the water activities. From swimming, to boating, to kayaking, to just floating by with a good book, water is my favorite relaxation. I also contribute to our church choir.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? This summer I'll have 25 years with Chrysler, now DaimlerChrysler. I take quite a bit of pride in the things we've been able to do together over that time period. Mentoring is another activity that I have particularly enjoyed. It's a good challenge to help someone think through their skills and their goals.
What is your favorite book and/or movie? The books I'm reading now include The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell, and Cokie Roberts' book We are Our Mothers' Daughters. I will also admit to having read a couple of Harry Potter books recently.
What is your most interesting experience in life? When in Kenya a few years back, I was able to converse through an interpreter with a Swahili woman who was about 25 years old with eight kids and several sister wives. We were mutually amazed at the differences in each other's lifestyles.
What advice do you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? I really had no idea what a close "family" the fleet industry is. Whereas I had known our fleet team over several years, I'd had no exposure to our customer base or how much relationship there is between our representatives and customers, as well as between customers.
Tom Gorman, Executive Director, North American Fleet, Lease and Remarketing Operations, Ford Motor Co.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? My children and family. I have two boys, ages 8 and 5, that are both heavily involved in ice hockey. I help coach both then teams and also skate in an "old man's" league once a week. I bring my running gear when I travel and try to run 3-4 times a week. I enjoy golf.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? My wife, my children, and I manage a very hectic life while at the same time creating a very loving, open, and fun environment. Professionally, I have tried to do the same.
What is your most favorite book and/or movie? I recently completed Francis Fukuyama's The Great Disruption and Man and Boy by Tony Parsons.
What is your most interesting experience in life? Twenty years ago, I went to live and work for a Catholic mission in Bolivia during the summer of 1980. It was a great time of introspection for me, brought me into contact with some of the most dedicated people I have ever met, taught me much about how lesser-developed countries struggle, and the role public and private institutions play in that part of the world.
What advice you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? The advice I would give someone entering fleet is no different from the advice I would give anyone entering Ford Motor Company, the auto industry or, for that matter, any business. First, focus on the customer. I think many times we forget that without the customer we would not be here. Everything we do should be focused on driving higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Secondly, I tell all people to define their jobs broadly. Don't see any task as "beneath you" and be very careful of responding "It's not my job."[PAGEBREAK]
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Whether riding 250 miles across Colorado or taking a ride above 12,000 ft., motorcycling is my passion outside of fleet management.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? Family. My two sons becoming accomplished in their own careers makes me trust that I may have been a positive influence on their lives.
What is your favorite book and/or movie? The Lion King and Flubber, because they generally have an underlying theme related to life's values and making positive choices.
Who is the best fleet manager, other than yourself? John Hilton, whom I've known since the early '80s when he had fleet management responsibilities at a local media organization in Denver. I have admired John for his dedication to his family, the industry and his employer, and his ability to balance all of these.
What advice you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? Never accept situations just as they are, or because they have always been, but constantly strive to achieve improvement.
Livia Whisenhunt, President/CEO, PS Energy Group Inc., Atlanta, GA
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Visiting my island house, fishing, and planting a vegetable garden each year.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? Building a $100 million-a-year business and managing to keep my sense of humor in the process.
What is your favorite recent book and/or movie? My favorite book: Atlas Shrugged. My favorite recent movie was The Story of Us.
What has been your most interesting experience in life? Living in Colombia, South America, at my aunt's coffee farm. The swimming pools were made of river rock and fed by mountain streams (melting snow). My cousins and I would ride on the same train as the natives and most of their livestock to go to the nearest "town."
Dave Hansen, General Manager, General Motors Fleet & Commercial Operations
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? I collect old and new cars and trucks, plus I like to scuba dive.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? A successful marriage and two wonderful kids.
What is your favorite book? I recommend any book by W. Edwards Deming because he provides an exceptional philosophy on life and business.
What would you consider as your most interesting experience in life? Since my first job as an hourly worker with GM in 1965, I've met a variety of people all over the world, worked on many automobile programs, and had so many experiences it's hard to name just one.
What advice do you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? Be prepared to work hard, meet a lot of great people and to run your operation as if you owned it yourself.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? Cars and golf. I have a 1967 Camaro that I enjoy working on and showing. I have been gradually rebuilding every part of this car. I also enjoy racing and have attended a few high-performance driving courses. My wife is my passion and we enjoy traveling to warm places to relax and play golf.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? My two children. My daughter is a senior at the Ohio State University in Columbus and is engaged to be married this fall. My son is a freshman at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. They are both pursuing careers in fields that they chose. It is rewarding to watch them mature into responsible adults who know what they want and work hard.
What is your most favorite book and/or movie? I enjoy reading Tom Clancy and John Grisham novels and watching classic movies like Grand Prix and Bullitt.
Whom do you consider to be the best fleet manager, other than yourself? There are several very good fleet managers. The varied duties of fleet managers make it difficult to pick one who is the best. There are many ways to operate our fleets based upon the structure of the various companies, the size of the fleet, the types of vehicles operated, and the way in which vehicles are acquired.
What advice you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? I think the things that I did not comprehend before coming to fleet were the different aspects of the profession. These include: the interaction with people and organizations that are necessary to be successful; working with vendors associated with directing a fleet, such as the providers of service and supplies; and last, but not least, how to manage the varies personalities of drivers and the company's political climate.
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? We live in the eastern plains of Colorado, and love going to farm auctions. I like to ride motorcycles and I love to swim - my passion, my exercise, my stress release, my relaxation, and my time.
What do you consider to be your top personal achievement? First, becoming a CAFM. And, today, I am proud to be a member of the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) CAFM Certification Board. Second, and most recently, my invitation to join the Ford North American Fleet, Lease and Remarketing Operations Fleet Advisory Board.
What is your favorite book and/or movie? I read lots of books but don't really have a favorite. I drive many miles to work and love to listen to books on CD/tape. My favorite movies are Peter Pan, Hook, and Blade Runner - because I still believe!
Whom do you consider as the best fleet manager, other than yourself? Linda Kaysen of Excel Energy in Denver. Although Linda is now the director of supply chain management at Excel, she is the former director of fleet for Public Service Company of Colorado.
What advice you wish somebody gave you before entering fleet? You will never work an eight-hour day. You can't fix it overnight, although you think you can. There is no such thing as "normal." Actually, I got plenty of advice and I think most of it was good. Thanks to my NAFA pals, I had no idea how much I would love, and become passionate about, this business. If someone had said, "It is all consuming, it will become your passion, it will be your life," I'm not sure I would have been convinced. But, here I am loving it!
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