Celebrating Membership Milestones

April 2013

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.

35 years

Patsy Brownson, CAFM
Atlanta, GA

Patsy Brownson has been in fleet management since 1976. She took early retirement from Cox Enterprises, Inc., a leading multimedia company and operator of automobile auctions, based in Atlanta, GA, in 2008. At her retirement the Cox fleet consisted of over 15,000 vehicles, one of the top 15 truck fleets in the U.S. Not quite ready to give it all up, she went to work for UCB, Inc. a pharmaceutical company based out of Brussels with its U.S. Headquarters in Atlanta. She managed UCB’s Fleet, Relocation, and Travel programs for two and one half years. During her fleet management tenure, she was an active member of several client advisory boards.

Brownson worked her way through several positions at both the NAFA Fleet Management Association and the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association. She is the only woman to be the President of both associations (NAFA 1993-1995 and AFLA 2005). She became one of the first Certified Automotive Fleet Manager’s in 1990 and was awarded NAFA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award in 1998. In 2001 Brownson was chosen to receive Automotive Fleet’s Fleet Manager of the Year Award. She still is very active in both associations where she is on several committees and is the Treasurer of the NAFA Atlanta Chapter.

Brownson has worked with EPA and DOE on clean air and energy issues, and served on a presidential task force that inspired the Clean Cities program. In recognition of her accomplishments and leadership, President Clinton appointed her to the Policy Dialogue Advisory Committee to Develop Options for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Personal Motor Vehicles. She is the current Treasurer of Clean Cities – Atlanta.

Brownson is semi-retired, but still an active member of the fleet industry.

It is the strength of Members like Patsy Brownson that have helped make NAFA the fleet industry’s strongest association.




30 years

William J. Benzie 
Matawan, NJ

Bill is a Member of the New Jersey Chapter and served as the Nominating Committee Chair (1996-1997). It is the strength of Members like William Benzie that have helped make NAFA the fleet industry’s strongest association.



25 years

Tom Gardner 
Regional Fleet Manager
Gulf States Toyota, Inc.
Houston, TX

Tom is a Member of the Southwest Chapter.

Michael H. Grace 
St. Augustine, FL

Michael is a Member of the Sunshine State Chapter.

Nancy W. McSweeney 
Technical Support Consultant
Chevin Fleet Solutions LLC
Weymouth, MA

Nancy has served as New England Chapter Secretary (1992-1994);  Chapter Chair (1994-1996); Chapter Certification Committee Chair (1994-1995); National Education Development Committee Member (1994-1995); National Membership Committee Member (1994-1995); National Membership Committee Co-Chair (1995-1996); National Membership Committee Chair (1996-1997); National Program Committee Member (1996-1997); Chapter Membership Committee Co-Chair (1997-1998); and Chapter Membership Committee Chair (2001-2002).

For more membership milestones, click here.