NAFA Foundation Strengthens Ties to NAFA

The NAFA Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization formed in 1976 to support the fleet industry, recently implemented bylaws changes that created a new Board structure and stronger ties to its sister organization, NAFA Fleet Management Association.
 
The NAFA Foundation supports the advancement of the automotive industry through the promotion and encouragement of education and research projects; and receiving, administering, and disbursing grants and contributions.
 
The new NAFA Foundation bylaws allow for an unlimited number of seats on the Foundation Board of Directors. However, the leadership, authority, and accountability for the Foundation’s activities rest squarely on the shoulders of a new 10-person “Executive Committee.”  The Foundation’s Executive Committee is comprised of five individuals selected by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and five individuals selected by the NAFA Board of Directors.
 
“NAFA has further strengthened its relationship with the NAFA Foundation, to jointly further the goals of the fleet and mobility industry,” said NAFA President Bryan Flansburg, CAFM.  “For many years, NAFA and the NAFA Foundation were running on parallel tracks.  Now, not only are we both on the same track, we are both parts of the same train, moving in the same direction.  That combination of forces will serve the fleet and mobility industry very well.”
 
The newly-elected members of the Foundation’s Executive Committee are:

• President – Claude Masters, CAFM (retired from Florida Power & Light)
• Vice President – Patsy Brownson, CAFM (retired from Cox Enterprises)
• Secretary – Doug Weichman, CAFM, City of Gainesville, Florida
• Treasurer – David Hayward, Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Director – Bridget Butterfield, Ford Motor Company
• Director – Pedro Conte, Instituto PARAR
• Director – Stuart Ellis Myers, I Twitch, Inc.
• Director – Jeff Jeter, Blue Bird Virginia
• Director – Tom Lubas (retired from Port Authority of NY & NJ)
• Director – Janice Sutton, Fleet Management Weekly

 
The Foundation Executive Committee officially took office December 19, 2017.  Each member of the Executive Committee will serve two-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive, full, two-year terms.
 
The new Foundation bylaws do not affect the organization’s charitable tax status, which allows individuals, corporations, and other entities to make tax-deductible contributions to the Foundation.
 
“The Foundation’s tax status is critically important to our mission, which is to further the fleet profession by delving deep into the critical issues with research and case studies,” said NAFA Foundation President Masters.  “Being a charitable organization allows us to raise money for fleet industry projects while giving donors the benefit of having their contributions be tax-deductible.  It’s a win for everyone!”