The NAFA Fleet Management Association's Fleet Excellence Awards Night presented six industry awards to fleet professionals throughout the United States and Canada in the categories of safety, sustainability, and overall outstanding achievement. A seventh award was presented in the category of fleet leadership.

1,600 fleet professionals packed the Grand Ballroom at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on Tuesday for the debut event, designed to recognize fleet professionals in a manner reminiscent of industry award presentations like the Academy Awards for movies.

“We wanted to create an event that would showcase not only the best in fleet management, but that would also reflect the status and stature of the fleet industry itself,” said NAFA Executive Director Phillip E. Russo, CAE.

The Fleet Excellence Awards, or FLEXY for short, were judged by a panel of industry leaders, media representatives, and NAFA committee leaders. Submissions were narrowed down to three finalists per category with the winner announced live on stage:

• Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Fleet Management: 
Kathryn Antonelli, Manager, Fleet Administration, Novartis Pharmaceuticals



• Outstanding Achievement in Public Service Fleet Management: 
Steve Rapanos, Directory, City of Edmonton Fleet Services




• Excellence in Corporate Sustainability: 
Christy Coyte Meyer, Global Fleet Director, Johnson Controls Inc.



• Excellence in Public Fleet Sustainability: 
Mark Swackhamer, CAFM, Fleet Operations Manager, Houston Independent School District




• Excellence in Corporate Fleet Safety: 
Theresa Belding, Senior Manager - Fleet Services, Forest Pharmaceuticals



• Excellence in Public Fleet Safety: 
Bill Horne, Supervisor - Fleet Safety, City of Edmonton Fleet Services




• Excellence in Fleet Leadership: 
Robert Martinez, Executive Director, City of New York Police Department

NAFA will begin accepting submissions for 2014 Fleet Excellence Awards in September.  Information will be posted on NAFA's website, www.nafa.org.