Celebrating Membership Milestones

January 2012

NAFA thanks all of the members celebrating their anniversaries this month for their years with the association. It is the strength of the membership that has helped make NAFA the fleet industry's strongest association.

40 years

Gregory J. Tarring
Old Tappan, NJ

Gregory joined NAFA on January 27, 1972. He is a Member of the New York chapter. Gregory retired from Phillip Morris U.S.A. in 2004.

35 years

Michael Cacak
Eagle, NE

Michael joined NAFA on January 1, 1977 and is a Member of the Midwest chapter. He previously worked with the University of Nebraska, and retired in 2005.

Mary Johnson
Oregon, OH

Mary joined NAFA on January 1, 1977 and is a Member of the Great Lakes (formerly Michigan) Chapter. She retired from Owens-Illinois Inc., the largest manufacturer of glass containers in North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Johnson has been retired for eleven years, but said that her current status finds her "...busier than I was when I worked!"

"I was in the fleet department for thirty of my thirty-one years and was the Fleet Manager from 1977 until I retired the end of October 2000," Johnson said. "I enjoyed my active years in NAFA and still help out our chapter when needed."

30 years

Debbie Mize
Fleet/Relocations Manager
Hallmark Cards Inc.
Kansas City, MO

Debbie Mize has led an exemplary career in the field of fleet, serving on industry advisory boards for ADT Auctions, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler, as well as receiving Automotive Fleet Magazine's 1995 Fleet Manager of the Year Award. Her career has spanned thirty-five years; thirty of which has been as a NAFA Member.

"I had no idea when I started in fleet thirty-five years ago what a great career it would be," Mize said. "I have taken on additional responsibilities for relocation and travel but my passion is certainly with fleet. I have been extremely fortunate to have had the support of so many in my industry."

"My support has included Hallmark’s management, my staff, family, business partners, and peers," Mize said. "There are so many resources available and many willing to help in the fleet industry."

Mize has also been a key figure in NAFA and AFLA, having been a member and on the National Board for both. She currently serves as National Treasurer for AFLA and Chapter Chair for the Mid-America Chapter for NAFA. She has been very involved in the educational programs and overall operation of the chapter, meriting the National "Outstanding Chapter Service Award" by NAFA.

"Being involved in NAFA and AFLA has also been very instrumental to my career," Mize said. "It has presented leadership opportunities for my development and given me the opportunity to work with so many knowledgeable individuals in the industry. Networking opportunities and keeping up on new trends and developments have been so beneficial from both organizations."

NAFA thanks Debbie Mize for her commitment to the Association and looks forward to many more years with her enthusiasm and energy. "I feel so fortunate to have been in such a great industry."

Wayne G. Smolda
CEO
The CEI Group Inc.
Trevose, PA

Wayne G. Smolda, Chief Executive Officer of The CEI Group, Inc., founded the company in 1983. A 1969 graduate of La Salle University with a degree in business administration, he was employed as a financial analyst and business consultant before entering the fleet industry. A 2010 inductee into the Fleet Hall of Fame, he launched the DriverCare safety services brand in 2002 which includes the DriverCare.com risk management application, and in 2003 introduced CEI to the European marketplace. Smolda is a partner of CSI Holdings, Inc., one of the largest operators of a collision repair shop chain. He is on the board of directors of Arbitration Forums, Inc., a non-profit firm that provides arbitration and subrogation services to the property and casualty insurance industry, and has also served on the board of directors of Provident Washington, a multi-regional insurance company.

25 years

Harold Idell
Managing Director
FedEx
Memphis, TN

A Member of the St. Louis chapter, Harold joined NAFA on January 1, 1987.

For more membership milestones, visit: www.nafa.org/milestones

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004