NAFA Affiliates Forum: Back To School!

Greetings from the Affiliates Committee!

Fall is rapidly approaching, and the title "back to school" carries significant meaning for just about everyone. For elementary and middle school students, it may be the excitement and anticipation of a new year about to begin. For parents of some high school or college age students, it could mean "thank goodness summer is almost over -- this kid is driving me crazy and (choose one or all of the following) I can have my car/house/sanity back soon"...

In the world of NAFA, "back to school" carries special meaning as well. In the spring, it is true that the I&E garners much attention due to the excitement of seeing new products and services displayed on the exhibit hall floor. But just like a championship football team planning for the upcoming season, the foundation for reaching the pinnacle comes through hard work in the classroom and on the practice field. So listen up, fleet managers and Affiliates alike; no matter what skill level or experience you currently hold, it’s "fantasy fleet" time with a number of great opportunities coming your way.

For those new to fleet or looking to brush up on basic skills, the Fleet Management Seminar (FMS), being held October 21-23 in Tucson presents a great venue for learning about our field.

For those on the path to certification as a CAFM, the journey can be rigorous as you prepare for examinations in the eight disciplines that make up the program. NAFA has a tremendous tool at your disposal in the CAFM Boot Camp. For the first time, this training is being held in both the U.S. (October 25-27 in Tucson) and Canada (September 17-19 in Vancouver) and will help you go deeper with your skill set in implementing new ideas and processes.

For those managers who need assistance in managing fleets on a global platform, the International Fleet Academy is a sure score for you. This is the third year NAFA has presented this forum, featuring the best ideas from the first two years, 15 educational sessions, plus an amazing lineup of speakers, recognized worldwide for their expertise. There will be valuable networking time as well to give you the opportunity to exchange ideas with your peers. Make October 21-23 in Tucson a "must" on your calendar.

If you have questions on any of these events, the friendly folks at NAFA headquarters are happy to assist.

The Affiliates Committee has much work to accomplish between now and next year’s I&E in Minneapolis. We are excited to report that in Atlantic City, fleet manager attendance was 648 (up 21 percent from the previous year, with overall attendance up almost 17 percent). Approximately 70 percent of available floor space has already been sold for 2014. Some key takeaways from our recent board meeting include:

Planned conference calls with Affiliate chapter chairs to solicit feedback on what is working successfully in the field for NAFA Chapters. By sharing "best practices" we can help the overall strength and participation within NAFA.
Soliciting more participation from vendors and affiliates in helping our committee, particularly in the field of education.

The Affiliates Committee realizes how demanding your time and responsibilities are, but please take the time to reach out to us with any feedback, ideas, critiques, etc. We want to be an effective voice within NAFA’s Board of Governors, but we can only do it with your help and support.

Have a tremendous "back to school" season!