FAQs (So Far) About The Proposed Amendments To NAFA’s Bylaws

You have likely heard by now NAFA’s Board of Trustees is considering an extensive revision of the Association’s bylaws. Response to the proposed changes has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. However, to ensure that every Member and Affiliate has been given the opportunity to learn about and comment on the proposed changes, I am providing details below in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). I encourage you to carefully review the following FAQs and their corresponding replies so you can be fully informed. If, however, you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

What changes are being considered?
In general, the changes would:
Why are these changes necessary?
Recent environmental scans indicate external factors are impacting, and will continue to impact, NAFA in negative fashion. NAFA must respond to these factors and proactively plan for the future to ensure the long-term success and viability of the Association and generate the next cycle of success for the Association.

What are the external factors impacting NAFA?
The major factors impacting NAFA are:
  1. An aging membership that is retiring, with their positions either being outsourced or filled by individuals with sourcing backgrounds;
  2. The changing role of fleet managers, especially from the corporate sector, where more than 50 percent are part of sourcing organizations.
  3. The evolution of fleet management from a position that once consumed 100 percent of an individual’s work time to a situation where, for many individuals, fleet is one of just a handful of diverse responsibilities a person handles.
  4. Increased desire for custom-made value and benefits, along with near-instantaneous delivery of that value and benefits.
  5. Significant generational differences between fleet managers, resulting in various preferred means of learning, communication, and engagement.
  6. Diminishing ability or willingness of individuals to make long-term volunteer leadership commitments to organizations.

What does it mean that NAFA may be expanding membership opportunities?
In simplest terms, any individual whose job responsibilities include at least one of the core disciplines of fleet management (as defined by NAFA) will qualify for membership. This means that an individual not responsible for the overall management of a fleet, but rather responsible for a specific area of fleet management (e.g. risk), will be able to join NAFA as a Member. Currently, these individuals do not have a definitive membership class in NAFA.

For example, an employee at a large pharmaceutical company may not have full responsibility for the company’s fleet but may be involved in the fleet safety program. This person would be able to join NAFA as a Member, with full rights and entitlements, under the proposed changes.

Similarly, an individual employed at a fleet management company who provides an outsourced fleet management service that is one of the core disciplines of fleet management (e.g. risk management) will be able to join NAFA as a Regular Member provided they are not also involved in selling the company’s services. Currently, these individuals must join NAFA as an Affiliate or Regional Affiliate, even if they are not involved in sales.

Will these new Members, some of whom are currently considered Affiliates, be able to vote?
Yes, under the proposed changes, all membership classes except Student Members will be entitled to vote in NAFA national and chapter elections.  

This means that Regular Members (those who handle fleet duties), Associate Members (those who sell products or services to fleets), Honorary Members, and Retired Members, will all have the right to vote.

Will Associate Members (whom we now call Affiliates) be able to hold office in NAFA?
Yes, but with limitations.

Currently, NAFA Affiliates may serve on the chapter level as Secretary or Treasurer, but not as Chapter Chair or Vice Chair. They may also lead chapter committees. Affiliates may also serve on the national level as committee Vice Chair and committee members and, in limited circumstances, as Committee Chair. There is also one seat on the Board of Trustees reserved strictly for an Affiliate.

Under the proposed changes, Associate Members would have the same leadership rights on the chapter level that they currently enjoy. On the national level, however, Associate Members would have fewer restrictions on their ability to serve as Committee Chairs. Most importantly and significantly, under the proposed changes Associate Members will be eligible to fill up to five of the 13 seats on the national Board of Directors.

One side note: Honorary Members and Retired Members would not be eligible to serve on the National Board or lead national committees, but may be eligible to serve the chapter level.

So Associate Members may have more seats on the Board. How will these changes increase Board service opportunities for Regular Members?
With the proposed bylaws changes, NAFA will change the nominating process for individuals being considered for Board positions. In short, NAFA will eliminate the prerequisite or preference for immediate prior service as a Chapter Chair or national committee chair to be eligible to be considered for a Board position. In the new process, when seeking to fill a vacant position, the Nominating Committee will develop a list of desired criteria, experience, and background, based on NAFA’s needs. The Nominating Committee will then seek candidates from the entire NAFA membership roster who meet those criteria, thus dramatically increasing the pool of candidates.

Will there be changes to the Board of Trustees?
It is proposed that the new leadership board be called the Board of Directors, instead of the Board of Trustees. It is also proposed that titles of some positions on the Board be changed, but the Board will remain 13 individuals.  

The proposed new Board structure would have one President, one Senior Vice President, one Vice President, one Secretary/Treasurer, one Immediate Past President, and eight Directors.

How will the Board of Directors be elected?
The Nominating Committee will seek candidates from the entire NAFA membership roster who meet the desired criteria for the open positions. The nominating committee will place in to nomination the name(s) of individuals it recommends for election to the Board of Directors. If there are no contested elections (only one person for each available seat), the NAFA Secretary will cast a vote in favor of those selected by the Nominating Committee. If there is a contested election, all eligible NAFA members will be sent a ballot on which they will cast their vote.

Once a full Board of Directors is in place, the 13 elected members of the Board of Directors will elect from among themselves the President, Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.

How will these changes reduce the amount of time committed by volunteers to NAFA?
First, NAFA would eliminate the prerequisite or preference for immediate prior service as a Chapter Chair or national committee chair to be eligible to be considered for a Board position. This means a person could be eligible to be considered for a position on the Board without any prior service to NAFA. Typically, in recent years, individuals have served NAFA in some capacity for 5-10 years before they are considered for the Board.

In addition, NAFA would seek only a three-year commitment from its Directors. With that, Directors would be limited to one three-year term on the Board. If an individual is not selected as an Officer (President, Senior Vice President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer), the individual would not be eligible to return to the Board at the end of his/her three-year term.  

Theoretically, under the new process an individual’s entire time of service to NAFA could be reduced to just five years. For example, a fleet manager with no prior service to NAFA could be elected to the Board of Directors in Year 1. In year 2, this individual could be selected as Senior Vice President and serve in that seat two years (Year 2 and Year 3). In Year 4, this individual would succeed to the President seat and serve there two years (Year 4 and Year 5).

What safeguards are being put in place to ensure NAFA is always an organization dedicated to individuals who "do" fleet management, as opposed to those who service or sell to fleet managers?
Two distinct safeguards are proposed. The first would ensure that no more than five of the 13 members of the Board of Directors would be Associate Members (now known as Affiliates). The second proposal states there can be no more than one Director from the same or related company. This second proposal would ensure that a company with both Regular Members and Associate Members would not be able to have more than one seat on the Board.

How will my chapter be represented on the Board?
The proposed changes include establishing a "Leadership Advisory Board" to help direct NAFA’s strategic efforts. The Leadership Advisory Board, which will meet at least once each calendar year, will include such constituents as the leaders of NAFA’s regional chapters; the Chairs and/or Vice Chairs of NAFA’s committees, councils, and task forces; and other stakeholders.

What impact would these changes have on my chapter’s operations?
It is believed these changes will have virtually no impact on chapter operations. NAFA Affiliates are already allowed to serve as Chapter Secretary and Chapter Treasurer, and that would not change. Under the ideas being discussed, Associate Members (Affiliates) would be prohibited from serving as Chapter Chair or Chapter Vice Chair, so as to mirror the structure of the new national Board of Directors, where only Regular Members can serve in the two highest positions.  

Associate Members (now Affiliates) would have an equal say in chapter voting matters, which would level the playing field for these value partners.

What impact will these changes have on my dues?
The vast majority of current NAFA Members and Affiliates will see no impact on their dues as a result of these changes. The Board will continue the policy of discounting membership dues for multiple members from the same company.  

The only group of current members that may see a dues increase would be those few Associate Members who manage fleets of fewer than 25 vehicles who receive a dues discount as a result of their fleet size.

I am currently an Affiliate; how will I know if I would be eligible to be a Regular Member under the proposed changes?
In simplest terms, if you handle any aspect of the core disciplines of fleet management and are not involved in the sale of those services, you would be eligible to apply for status as a Regular Member. Should the proposed changes by approved and adopted, NAFA will communicate this information to every Affiliate. Included in that explanation will be instructions for the individual to follow to submit an application for membership change from Affiliate to Regular Member.

What would it take to implement the changes being considered?
The changes being discussed would require a change in NAFA’s bylaws, which would require a vote by NAFA Members. The written approval of the majority of current eligible Members voting on the matter must be obtained in order for any changes to go in to affect.

What is the timeline for making these changes?
There is no set deadline at this time. NAFA is starting this conversation now so NAFA Members and Affiliates have ample time to ask questions, voice concerns, and provide input to the Board. The Board of Trustees meets again in June 2016 and will discuss input gathered up to that point and decide upon a course of action.  

As with any transition management strategy, there is a great deal of work to be done administratively to implement the types of changes being discussed. That work must be carefully planned and executed to ensure success, once a course of action is decided upon.

How can I learn more about these proposed changes?
There is a recorded webinar available for you to watch at any time. Please click here to view the webinar. 

Also, look for emails from your chapter leaders announcing visits from NAFA leaders to discuss this topic.

You can also send your questions, comments, or concerns to bylaws@nafa.org

Sincerely,

 

Phil 

 


NAFA Fleet Management Association
http://www.nafa.org/