There is a definite need for communication - com­munication between fleet manager and driver, between driver and dealer, between dealer and factory representative.

This was the predominant theme at the 11th annual conference of the National Association of Fleet Admin­istrators held March 19-21 at the Palmer House in Chicago.

The conference, which officially opened at 8:45 a.m. on March 19 with the association's annual business meeting, was the largest attended conference in NAFA's history. According to Bob Berke, executive-secretary, 392 registered for the three-day meeting.

One of the most valuable portions of the conference was the morning members' workshops. The workshops and their chairmen were; drug and cosmetic, John E. Delano, Abbott Laboratories; food and beverage, A. Warren Feirer, Standard Brands, Inc.; government, J. Wallace Warden, State of Michigan; insurance, Wil­liam E. Kilgus, Country Mutual Insurance Co.; law enforcement, Frederick W. Butler, New York State Police; manufacturing, Robert E. Hawley, The Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co.; petroleum and petro-chemical, Richard F. Routson, Marathon Oil Company; public utility, Warren W. Eddy, Southern California Gas Co.

At the business meeting, the following officers and trustees were elected: C. G. O'Dell, Proctor & Gamble Distributing Co., was re-elected president; A. J. Cavalli, G.I.T. Financial Corp., first vice president; J. W. Seemuth, Griffith Laboratories, second vice president; J. A. Latimer, Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., third vice pres­ident; II. J. Powers, Sunshine Biscuits, Inc., secretary; S. L. Landau, Nuclear Div. Picker Corp., treasurer; and W. E. Begas, Gen. Adjustment Bureau, Inc., Walter Langseder, Thomas J. Lipton, Inc., and C. E. Fenger, Allstate Insurance, trustees. R. J. Berke is executive director.

Riccardo Is Keynote Speaker

John J. Riccardo, group vice president, U.S.-Cana­dian Automotive, Chrysler Corporation, was the key­note speaker, Riccardo said a chronic lack of funds has caused serious delays in implementing 13 highway safety standards.

"But the minute there is some relief from these pres­sures there are strong reasons why Congress should provide adequate funds to get the entire program moving ahead," Riccardo said.

A seminar on "Warranties and Dealer Service" fol­lowed Riccardo's address, The two afternoon seminars were on "Maintenance of Garaged Fleets," and "Main­tenance of Scattered Fleets." Both seminar chairmen, William H. Thorpe, Philadelphia Gas Works, garaged seminar, and Irvin C. Muesing, Eli Lilly and Co., scattered fleets, agreed that no industry-wide policy on maintenance could be established. Each fleet has its own sphere of problems that must be handled individ­ually, both chairmen agreed. These problems and needs must be communicated, however, both said.

Two "eye-opener" seminars highlighted the begin­ning of the conference's second day. The seminars were on "Specification Writing" and "Personal Use of Com­pany Vehicles."

The purpose of the specification seminar was to "open the door" to better "specification writing through knowledge of how these specifications are developed through the need and facilities of the using agency and how they are treated by the supplier, who may or may not hope to be the low bidder."

Throughout the seminar, the panel members con­tinually stressed the need for fleet administrators to update specifications, communicate through normal channels, and also to remember the several "be's"; "be specific, he up-to-date, be brief and beware,"

Personal Car Use Seminar

In the personal car use seminar, questions and an­swers from the floor brought out the fact that most of the administrators had adopted a policy whereby employees' wives were granted personal use of the com­pany car. Raymond M. Henshaw, Humble Oil & Refin­ing Co. told the fleet managers that personal use of company vehicles is generally not allowed in the pe­troleum industry.

Ray Mansalvatge was the luncheon speaker. After his dynamic address, he was given a standing ovation.

Three seminars highlighted the afternoon session.

Calvin T. Kraus, executive vice president, (C.I.T. Service Leasing Corporation, was the featured speaker at the "Extra Equipment" seminar. Kraus said the selection of extra equipment "really can be boiled down to two major items of concern: first, the opera­tional needs of the ear operator and second, the resale value of the vehicle when it is retired from the fleet." In selecting and equipping your vehicles. Kraus said, "it is essential to remember that the ultimate owner of any car you buy is the used car buyer. One thing you should keep in mind when setting up your fleet or specifications is what will the car bring in the used car market."

Sam Lee, president, Sam Lee Associates. Inc., was the speaker at the "Used Car Disposal" seminar. Lee said the first consideration of a leasing company or a fleet manager "must be proper vehicle selection-put­ting into fleet service new cars of the model and type that more used car buyers are likely to want a few years from now, and equipped as they would like them."