NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) is proud to announce Michael Cole, Team Lead, Strategic, for the Government of Ontario Fleet Management Center, has been named the Association's new Vice President for Canada and Northern Region Trustee effective immediately. Cole, who joined NAFA in 2007, has been active within the Association as Chair of the Ontario Chapter. He replaces Pedro Miranda, who announced in early-October that he would not be involved in fleet moving forward.
"Michael Cole has quickly shown the enthusiasm and determination required to move NAFA forward within the Ontario Chapter," said NAFA Chief Executive Officer Phillip E. Russo, CAE. "I am confident that he will represent our Canadian members well on the NAFA Board of Trustees (BOT) as well as contribute to leading the Association as Vice President for Canada. I look forward to his perspective on subjects that impact the whole of North America, as well as being an envoy as NAFA moves toward a leading position in the international fleet community."
"It is a feeling of great personal satisfaction when you see your efforts recognized not only by NAFA’s CEO, but also within your own organization," Cole said. "Having joined NAFA in 2007, I have spent 5 of the 7 years as a Vice Chair and Chair of the Ontario Chapter. I look forward to being an ambassador for NAFA and the art of fleet management."
Prior to joining the Ontario Government in 2005, Cole worked in the computer remanufacturing environment where leading quality and production methodologies, such as KAISEN and Lean Sigma, were employed.
Upon joining the fleet team at the Ontario Government in 2006, Cole became part of the team responsible for creating and implementing the government’s green fleet strategy. These efforts resulted in the formation of the Fleet Management Centre (FMC) in 2009, within the Ministry of Transportation. "The FMC has made tremendous achievements in the greening of the Ontario Public Service Fleet," Cole said, reflecting the ideals of the Association with regard to sustainable fleets. "These achievements have contributed to a more efficient and sustainable government fleet and support the OPS Green Fleet strategy and its fuel and GHG emission reduction targets."
"I’m a firm believer that ideas foster ideas," concluded Cole. "I hope that my enthusiasm for fleet management will be shared, and as we move forward we can advance fleet management not only in Canada, but throughout North America and internationally."