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Mark A. Smith, GE Capital Fleet Services: Venture Off The Beaten Path
 Mark and Tamara Smith in Murdo, South Dakota My wife and I just returned from a 3,000 mile road trip to take our daughter out to school. Driving from Minneapolis to Idaho and back gives one an opportunity to enjoy our beautiful country, as well as plenty of time to think. We choose to complete much of the drive on rural roads rather than sticking to the freeways. In doing so, we drove though many cities and towns, both large and small. It took a little longer and it was well worth it. Signs of our industry were everywhere: sales vehicles at hotels, delivery vehicles bringing products and packages, maintenance vehicles on the side of the road, dealers displaying the latest models, maintenance shops, fuel stations, transport providers, and collision repair facilities. We even saw a few antique cars. Included were many companies represented by NAFA Members and Affiliates. It was a great reminder on both how pervasive and critical our industry is! It was also a great reminder that if we stick to the beaten path our experience will be quite different than if we take the time to explore a little and venture off it. NAFA provides many opportunities for Members and Affiliates to explore, learn, and get involved beyond just the Annual Meeting. These include participation in regional NAFA meetings, creating courses and training materials, attending training sessions, sharing best practices with your peers, drafting white papers, presenting and/or attending webinars, and completing your CAFM or CAFS certification. Please take a moment to share your thoughts, ideas, or suggestions with a member of the Affiliates Committee (listed below). Our next Affiliates Committee meeting will be held at the NAFA Board of Governors meeting in Phoenix, AZ on October 24 and we welcome your input. Chair Dennis M. Christina BusinessLink Commercial Manager Telegraph Dodge Chrysler Jeep, Inc. dchristina@southfieldchrysler.com Vice Chair Mr. Alain Primeau National Sales Director, Major Accounts UAP Inc., NAPA Canada aprimeau@uapinc.com Reporting VP/Officer/Trustee Mr. Mark F. Klein Strategic Account Manager Safelite Solutions mark.klein@safelite.com Mike Antich Editor Automotive Fleet Magazine mike.antich@bobit.com Denise L. Berecz Business Development Manager Chrysler LLC DLB1@chrysler.com Michelle Christie Event Planning Manager Ford Motor Company mchris48@ford.com Betsy Flegg FCO Marketing Manager General Motors Corporation Fleet Operations betsy.flegg@gm.com Joe McDonald Sr. Director, Account Management Wheels, Inc. jmcdonald@wheels.com Mark Miller Show Manager NaylorCMG mmiller@naylor.com William E. Pierce Marketing VP ARI epierce@arifleet.com James M. Spellissy Vice President - Business Development PHH Arval jim.spellissy@phh.com Richard P. Wanders National Account Sales Manager Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products rich.wanders@leggett.com It does take a little more time to get involved but the benefits are well worth it. Sincerely, Mark A. Smith Vice President GE Capital Fleet Services mark.a.smith@ge.com
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NAFA Fleet Management Association 125 Village Blvd., Suite 200 Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004 |
