“So, while I’m humbled to accept this award — and yes, I’ll proudly put it on my shelf — what I’ll treasure most are the relationships and friendships I’ve built. And I look forward to building many more,” said Joseph Lukacs as he accepted his award as the 2025 Edward J. Bobit Professional Fleet Manager of the Year.

With over 27 years at Sherwin-Williams (SW), Joe Lukacs is a multifaceted fleet manager who uses intuition and innovation to implement cost savings and new, improved processes. He manages over 8,500 vehicles in the US and over 12,000 worldwide. 

Lukacs was presented with the award, sponsored by Wheels and AFLA, at the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) 2025 Corporate Fleet Conference in Florida on September 15, 2025.

Leading Sustainability and Operations

Lukacs’ innovative leadership style and vision have helped SW become a leader in the journey toward reducing carbon emissions and increasing sustainability.

Keeping his focus on electrification and continued growth, Lukacs converted more than 10% of SW’s California commercial vehicles to EVs, reducing their CO2 emissions by 4.1% since 2023. His ongoing EV initiatives have realized a net increase of 4.7% MPGs over the fleet’s ICE vehicles. 

Lukacs’s knowledge of the industry gave him an advantage in the favorable remarketing environment of 2024, where he was able to generate multi-million-dollar gains for SW. He also worked to develop, test, and customize ramp solutions to allow for safer delivery of products to customers. 

“Working 28 years for The Sherwin-Williams Company — 11 of those in fleet — has been an incredible ride and not common in today’s marketplace nowadays. From building and racing cars at a young age, to a Corporate America way of life, receiving industry-wide accolades, and completing multiple Six Sigma certifications (both Green and Black) … it’s all been part of my passion for this craft,” Lukacs said during his speech.

Insight and Impact

Lukacs' experience led him not only to excel in his own work but also to become an industry titan. 

His work has earned him a seat on the Advisory Board for General Motors Fleet and the Wheels’ Customer Advisory Board (CAB). He has served on the CAB for nine years, providing feedback and guidance to the Wheels organization and his peers. 

Central to his success, Lukacs noted that while gains and losses are important, the heart of this industry is within the relationships that are forged. 

“Yes, we care about MPG gains, carbon reductions, and cost savings. But those are just byproducts. What really matters is people. One person can make a difference, but only with the support and collaboration of others,” he said during his speech.

Lukacs has proven himself an industry leader championing technology and process improvements. His industry relationships and global and domestic fleet partnerships have also driven cost savings and improved processes. 

His feedback and guidance are sought and resonate with peers and leaders. His work with industry partners led to the development of a monthly process of forecasting remarketing gains/losses, which has become instrumental in allowing for accurate budgeting and has increased SW’s overall profitability.

One Piece in the Puzzle

Lukacs has earned his praise in the fleet community. He is regarded with respect and esteem and is at this point an industry expert. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration in his success, looking over the room of peers with whom he has worked over the years and those he looks forward to working with in the years to come. 

“It’s people like these who make it look easy for someone like me to succeed. At the end of the day, it’s about relationships — and in this industry, those often grow into friendships,” he added.

Lukacs credits his success to his partners, his team, and most importantly, his wife, Sara. All of whom have played a major role in molding him into the person he is today. 

Lukacs will continue his work in fleet to bring more solutions and innovations in the way that only he can. 

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