Celebrating Membership Milestones

October 2015

Raymond L. Breault
Eastern Regional Service Rep.
Fleet Response
Manchester, NJ

In many ways, Ray Breault is one of the best examples of a professional in the fleet industry. He began with NAFA in 1960, has weathered changing job positions, and has worked as both a fleet manager and as a products/service provider (and continues to this day with Fleet Response). He is a NAFA Past President (1977-1979) and a recipient of the Outstanding Chapter Service Award in 2004. He remains a familiar face at New Jersey and Philadelphia Chapter meetings and at NAFA’s annual Institute & Expo conference.

Ray's term as NAFA’s President at the tail-end of the 1970s was a complex one. The country was still reeling from the social changes on the ground stemming from the turbulent 1960s, the recently-ended Vietnam War, the political upheaval in the wake of the Watergate Hotel hearings and the resignation of U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, and the residual issues from the 1973 oil crisis. The fuel crisis would reemerge in 1979 with the chaos of the Iranian Revolution. As the country watched and counted the days as 52 American diplomats were held hostage, vehicle-related industries had the added concerns of oil and gasoline shortages.
 
"At that time, there were two competing concerns," Ray said. "Because of the fuel crises, we obviously looked to the (vehicle and fuel) providers for answers. At the same time, the banks were coming up with all kinds of high-interest rates and everything else. It was this ridiculous double-edged sword between the high gas prices and the high interest rates. We really didn’t know how things would turn out, or what kind of support we might get."

The lessons of those times, Ray added, have not been lost on NAFA, and the uncertainty fleet experienced has been replaced by resolve to be highly engaged in government affairs. "With respect to our impact with national issues and regulatory concerns in Washington D.C., NAFA’s growth has really been phenomenal. The government back then had very, very little idea what fleet was about. We were like a little peanut to them, in terms of scale and their perception of the industry. Today we can make a heck of a bigger contribution than we did years ago. NAFA, as an organization, can make a significant contribution to the shaping of regulation and policy."

"(Fleet professionals) must stay diligent...and stay abreast of technology and what is happening within the industry," he said. "(Fleet managers are in the position to) be one of the first to take a good hard look at new technologies. You have the advantage to participate in some of the changes that are coming forward." 

35 years

Ed Oleksy
Hackettstown, NJ

Ed is a member of the New York - InterCounty Chapter.

30 years

Harry W. Behling
President
BBL Fleet
Bridgeville, PA

Harry is a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter.

25 years

Gary W. Holdgraf
Fleet Sales Manager
Gulf States Toyota, Inc.
d/b/a Cavender Toyota
San Antonio, TX

Gary is a member of the Southwest Chapter.

Mark LeGrand
Director of Sales
ARI, Automotive Resources
International
Lisle, IL

Mark is a member of the Chicago Chapter.

Bob Miesen
Excelsior, MN

Bob is a member of the North Central Chapter.

Thomas J. Nagy
President
Nagy Fleetnet, Inc.
Elkhart, IN

Thomas is a member of the Chicago Chapter.

NAFA thanks Ray, Ed, Harry, Gary, Mark, Bob, and Thomas for their years with the Association! It is the strength of our members that have helped make NAFA the strongest association in fleet management today.