NAFA Opens Submissions For 2012 Goill Awards

Oct. 26, 2011 - PRLog -- The last few years have forced fleet managers to do more with less.  Fleet managers have had to deal with layoffs and reduced budgets, while simultaneously incorporating sustainability plans.  NAFA Fleet Management Association believes these challenges have led to some of the most creative ideas in the industry's history.  For nearly twenty years, NAFA has been saluting such ideas with its prestigious Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award.  Due to the intense competition expected this year, the call for submissions is starting months earlier than usual.

Sponsored by NAFA and Bell Canada, the Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award honors individuals whose creative ideas improve fleet management by increasing productivity or create bottom-line cost savings.  The award, named in honor of the late NAFA Vice President for Canada, has been won by some of the brightest minds in fleet management since its debut in 1993.

The deadline for entries to be considered for the 2012 Goill Awards is Friday, February 15, 2012.  Awards will be presented at NAFA's 2012 Institute & Expo in St. Louis, MO.

"The Goill Awards are an opportunity for fleet managers to get recognized for their innovation and problem-solving techniques," explained NAFA's Executive Director, Phillip E. Russo, CAE.  "It is exciting to see how fleet managers are handling the difficulties facing them.  The judges base entries on their originality, innovativeness, effectiveness, and how well they can be applied to other fleets.  We applaud these fleet professionals for sharing their knowledge with others!"
 
Recent winning ideas have included innovative uses of Internet technology; the formation of both internal and external strategic alliances; cost and efficiency savings realized by restructuring personnel; the design of unique vehicles to meet special needs; creative lifecycle analysis and decision-making; unique hiring and retention practices; eco-friendly driver training and incentive programs; and the creation of an automated motor pool dispatch system.   Last year's winners included NAFA Vice President Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, and Bob Stanton, who became the second fleet manager to win the Goill Award three times in a career.

Applications may be submitted by any individual who is directly employed in a vehicle management role by any company, utility, government agency, or not for profit organization in the United States or Canada.  Eligibility is limited to persons who perform the usual and customary duties of motor vehicle fleet administration directly for the fleet operator and who are not engaged in the sale, rental, lease of, or services to motor vehicles.  Applicants may submit up to three separate ideas for consideration. There is no entry fee and applicants do not need to be members of NAFA for consideration.
For more information or to pick up an entry form, visit http://www.nafa.org/goillawards.

About NAFA's Institute & Expo
The 2012 I&E takes place April 21-24 at the America's Center in St. Louis, MO.  The event program, created by fleet managers for fleet managers, features over 60 hours of fleet training, education, and workshops.  In addition to an Expo Floor consisting of more than 200 companies showcasing their products and services, the I&E brings back fan favorites such as the Public Safety Roadeo and the Green Zone.  For more information, visit http://www.nafainstitute.org.  

About NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the world's premier non-profit association for professionals who manage fleets of sedans, public safety vehicles, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for organizations across the globe.   NAFA is the association for the diverse vehicle fleet management profession regardless of organizational type, geographic location or fleet composition. NAFA's Full and Associate Members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance and repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 3.5 million vehicles including in excess of 1.1 million trucks of which 350 thousand are medium- and heavy-duty trucks.  For more information visit http://www.nafa.org