The finalists for the 2015 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year Award, share a combined total of 54 years in the industry and manage over 21,000 vehicles. The finalists will be judged by a panel of 38 professionals representing past winners, dealers, auctions, manufacturers, fleet management companies and media. 

The winner will be named at the AFLA Conference in September.

Brenda Davis

Fleet Commodity Manager, Baker Hughes, Inc.

• Total vehicles: 16,500

• Staff supervised: 2

• Years with current fleet: 18

• Years in industry: 26

• Replacement policy: 125,000 miles (gasoline); 5 years/200,000 miles diesel)

Primary responsibilities: Davis is responsible for the management of the center of expertise that supports all aspects of Baker Hughes’ vehicle management from acquisition to disposal for North America. This includes such programs as vehicle selection, maintenance and fuel programs, IRP, registration, load permits, resale programs, and upfitting coordination.

Davis is also responsible for contract development and cost impact analysis, as well as measuring, monitoring, and ensuring supplier performance.

Notable achievements: In 2015, in conjunction with operations, Davis helped manage the downturn in the industry and the utilization of vehicles, and worked to look “out-of-the-box” for solutions to optimize usage and lower operating costs, including reallocation and disposal. Along with other functional groups, such as HR and operations, business process norms and policies were reviewed, achieving in excess of $5 million in cost avoidance and savings in the first quarter of 2015.

Additionally, from 2013 to 2014, the company achieved reductions in excess of $12 million by the continual review of TCO, contracts, best practices, and program technology enhancements. Additionally, Davis was a finalist for the AF Professional Fleet Manager of the Year Award in 2004 and 2014 and was recognized as one of the top women fleet managers in 2012 by Automotive Fleet.

John Dmochowsky, CAFM

Senior Sales Fleet Manager, Mondelez International

• Total vehicles: 3,225

• Staff supervised: 2

• Years with current fleet: 14

• Years in industry: 14

• Replacement policy: Varies

Primary responsibilities: Dmochowsky is responsible for the strategic development of Mondelez International’s U.S. fleet, including policy management, partner relationships, budgeting, vehicle acquisition/remarketing, driver safety, greenhouse gas (GHG) initiatives, and all fleet cost-avoidance projects. He is a member of the Mondelez International Global Fleet Team responsible for supporting the global cost package and coordinating best practice activities within global regions.

Notable achievements: In 2014, on a cost-per-unit basis vs. a fleet management company benchmark of similar size and type of fleet, Mondelez International delivered an 18-percent improvement and achieved best-in-class results in all major categories (fuel, maintenance, depreciation, and accidents).

In 2014, Dmochowsky demonstrated continuous leadership focus on safety by conducting the second “Annual Safety Summit,” which resulted in a synergistic meeting of cross-functional leaders to drive rigor around training, accident reduction, and cost savings. As a result, preventable accidents decreased by 10 percent and CO2 emissions decreased by 12 percent in 2014. Two additional programs were developed by the Safety Summit: The Manager Safety Engagement Initiative and Learning Link Proactive Driver Safety Initiative. Both initiatives bring safe driving to the forefront to company employees.

Additionally, Dmochowsky currently serves on the AFLA Board of Directors and GM Commercial Sounding Board. He served as AFLA president from 2013 to 2014. Since 2011, Dmochowsky has been a Fleet Management Seminar Instructor for the NAFA Fleet Management Association and was a finalist for the 2012 AF Professional Fleet Manager of the Year award.

Jann Panzer

Manager of Corporate Fleet, Albertsons Safeway

• Total vehicles: 1,300

• Staff supervised: 1

• Years with current fleet: 7

• Years in industry: 14

• Replacement policy: Varies

Primary responsibilities: Panzer manages and directs all aspects of Albertsons Safeway’s light-duty vehicle fleet — from acquisition to disposal — including initiating, enforcing, and adjusting fleet policy to maximize efficiencies and safety as well as reduce liability exposure and overall expense. She is also responsible for managing FMC and OEM relationships and contracts as well as internal department relationships to ensure that driver safety and productivity is kept at the highest priority.

Notable achievements: Panzer has developed and implemented a new Fleet Policy and Guidebook, which was distributed to 12 divisions and more than 1,600 drivers, to include enhanced driving record profiles and safety training programs. She implemented online driver tools — including new-vehicle ordering, policy understanding, compliance sign-off, monthly mileage reporting, and an end-of-year true-up program — as well as implemented a monthly personal-use charge that resulted in savings of $4.3 million since 2011. In 2013-2014, fleet reduced overall depreciation by 8.3 percent due to taking advantage of strong resale numbers and strategically shortcycling some vehicles. The resulting reduction in cost per vehicle, per month, resulted in savings of $550,000 in 2014, in part due to the negotiation of increased manufacturer incentives averaging $1,000 per vehicle and the addition of higher mpg vehicles to the fleet. Panzer was elected to the Director of Fleet position on the AFLA Board and served on the planning committee for the 2014 and 2015 AFLA annual conferences.