ALPHARETTA, GA - LeasePlan USA, a leading fleet and vehicle management company, sponsored Ferris State University (FSU) senior, John Rasch, at this year's NAFA Institute & Expo (I&E) as part of the NAFA Michigan Chapter student sponsorship program.

"At LeasePlan, we are committed to the education and development of our employees. So, when we were presented with the opportunity to share our knowledge of the industry with a student that has an interest in a fleet career, we were eager to take it," said Jon J. Toups, senior vice president, chief sales & marketing officer.

According to NAFA Michigan Chapter Chairperson, Steve Pederson, the goal of the program is to expose the networking and education benefits of the I&E to fleet-minded students. The I&E offers 50-plus educational sessions for all members, including all the students.

In order to take part in the program, all sponsored students were required to be members of the registered student organization, Fleet Management Student Organization at Ferris State. In addition, the students are members of the NAFA Michigan Chapter. This year's participants were from the Heavy Equipment Service Engineering program and the Automotive Management program.

"I am very grateful to LeasePlan for providing me with the opportunity to attend the NAFA conference," said Rasch. "I have truly enjoyed meeting everyone, learning more about the fleet management industry, and about the different career opportunities available."

During the NAFA I&E, the sponsored students were required to attend at least six educational sessions on important and relevant fleet issues.

Students also participated in a student round-robin, where they visited every sponsor booth to learn more about the company.

"Based on the success in Detroit, NAFA is exploring the possibility of expanding the program to include more universities in anticipation of the NAFA I&E in Charlotte in 2011," said Pederson.

LeasePlan USA, a subsidiary of LeasePlan Corp. N.V., is a global leader in vehicle leasing and fleet management solutions. The company, which manages 1.3 million vehicles worldwide, offers clients customized plans for total fleet cost reduction through its technologically advanced products and dedication to customer service.