TORRANCE, CA - Three fleet managers have been selected as finalists for Automotive Fleet's 2011 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year award. The award is sponsored by the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association (AFLA) and Wheels, Inc. The winner will be announced April 10 at NAFA’s 2011 Institute & Expo in Charlotte, N.C.

Theresa Belding
Forest Pharmaceuticals
Senior Manager – Fleet Services

Total vehicles: 2,950
Staff supervised: 3
Years with current fleet: 18
Total years in industry: 18
Replacement policy: 36 months/75,000 miles

Memberships: AFLA (executive vice president), NAFA, Ford Fleet Advisory Board

Primary responsibilities: Oversees all aspects of U.S. and Puerto Rico-based fleet operations, including fleet management, fleet staff supervision, vendor relations, and fleet safety programs, including accident management, driver risk-level analysis, and safety training.

Notable achievements: In 2010, Belding reduced costs by more than $5 million by optimizing vehicle replacement cycles, reducing vehicle offerings, managing daily rental spend, and decreasing fuel consumption by transitioning more drivers into four-cylinder models. From a safety perspective, claims for 2010 were down 13 percent over 2009 and a total of 27 percent since 2007 when fleet launched a Web-based driver assessment and training tool. Belding is actively involved in the fleet industry, currently serving as executive vice president of AFLA, and celebrated her 10th year as a NAFA member in 2010. This is the fourth time she has been nominated for Professional Fleet Manager of the Year.

Dick Malcom
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.
Fleet Administrator

Total vehicles: 12,989
Staff supervised: 0
Years with current fleet: 10
Total years in industry: 28
Replacement policy: 75,000 miles (cars and minivans); 100,000 miles (trucks and full-size vans)

Memberships/certifications: AFLA (past board member and current member of commercial advisory group), National Vehicle Leasing Association Certified Vehicle Leasing Executive (CVLE), GM Commercial Sounding Board

Primary responsibilities: Advises 13 State Farm zone regional offices on best methods of fleet management and zone results; monitors adherence and updates internal fleet policy; creates vehicle selector list; negotiates manufacturer incentive programs; determines lease vs. purchase; communicates with upper management regarding fleet trends and internal results.

Notable achievements: Two-time recipient of AF’s Fleet Environmental Leadership Award; recipient of internal diversity spend award; centralized vehicle purchasing; implemented State Farm Bank Visa Fleet Card and Employee Purchase Program (now exceeding 50 percent); assembled group responsible for ergonomically correct mobile office (G-van and Transit); introduced “domestically assembled foreign vehicles” into fleet; and helped downsize fleet from 22,000 vehicles to 12,989.

Lee Miller
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Manager, Fleet Services

Total vehicles: 3,300
Staff supervised: 2
Years with current fleet: 31
Total years in industry: 31
Replacement policy: 3 years/75,000 miles

Memberships: AFLA (secretary), NAFA, Wheels Client Steering Council, Fleet Response Advisory Board

Primary responsibilities: Oversees management and administration of leased vehicles for all U.S. and Puerto Rico operating units with capitalization exceeding $66 million; partners and negotiates contracts, pricing, and SLAs with vehicle manufacturers, FMCs, and vendor partners; manages executive fleet program; determines financial impact on corporation and implement cost savings/avoidance when appropriate.

Notable achievements: Achieved savings in excess of $4 million over the past four years and created an industry-first fleet selector video for all sales force drivers; contributed in documenting nearly $1 million in cost savings by focusing on asset management.

Automotive Fleet and the award's sponsors would like to congratulate all of this year’s nominees. For more about each nominee, you can read the article covering each fleet manager's accomplishments here.