NAFA and Kent & O’Connor Welcome Thaddeus Woody To Legislative Team

PRINCETON, N.J. - Oct. 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Thanks to NAFA Fleet Management Association, fleet managers have had a voice on Capitol Hill for over 30 years.  That voice, which represents the collective interests of fleet managers throughout North America, is a little louder today with the addition of Thaddeus Woody to the staff of Kent & O’Connor, the firm hired by NAFA for legislative work.

A lot of uncertainty can occur regarding what happens on Capitol Hill and through the rulemaking and regulatory processes. Being able to make sure industries are not blindsided by regulations that affect the fleet industry and drivers alike is one of NAFA’s most important goals.  Realizing that its legislative work is one of its greatest attributes, the Association recently instructed Kent O’Connor to expand its focus in that area.  The firm answered that call by adding Thaddeus Woody to its staff as Government Relations Coordinator.

“My main focus will be with NAFA, and we will be digging deeper into renewable fuel standards and how they affect the fleet industry,” Woody said. “We’re also staying on top of energy and transportation issues and shaping the dialog to make sure the industry’s needs and interests are best understood.”

Prior to joining Kent & O’Connor in early-October, Woody worked in the offices of Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) for nearly two years. Originally hailing from Lockhart, TX (near Austin), Woody studied history and government at the University of Texas. He also worked in a campaign office in the opposition research role.

“One of the major disciplines of fleet is risk management, and it governs everything that a fleet manager does. Regulations and the laws that govern vehicles and drivers go hand-in-hand with the mechanisms for minimizing risk,” said NAFA Executive Director Phillip Russo, CAE. “To make sure we are on the right side of those movements, and that we are positioned to challenge any legislation that might adversely affect our industry, we need people like (Kent & O’Connor co-founder) Patrick O’Connor and now Thad Woody. They have always, and will continue to do a superlative job in giving fleet managers a voice in Washington D.C.”

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.