Chapters, Partnerships Dominate NAFA Strategic Planning

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NAFA's Board of Governors met recently in New Orleans to participate in a think-tank strategic planning session focusing on the Association's chapters and partnership efforts.  The Board of Governors is comprised of the leaders of each of NAFA's 33 regional chapters, 14 national committees, 12 elected officers and trustees, and invited industry representatives.

NAFA Deputy Executive Director Patrick McCarren presented an outline of a "Chapter Toolkit" that regional chapter leaders could use to help enhance their chapter performance.  The toolkit will be a one-stop online resource where local leaders will be able to easily access policies, speaker resources, program ideas, marketing tips, newsletter and announcement templates, administrative guidelines, membership forms, financial records, and other assistance.  Board members provided feedback and input on additional materials to be placed online, as well as on the site's ease of use, and functionality.

NAFA President Chris Amos, CAFM, led a discussion on the Association's partnership efforts, focusing primarily on the role and purpose of the Center for Professional Fleet Certification ("the Center").  Amos explained that the Center can be thought of as a marketing and branding clearinghouse for industry certification programs.  Industry groups, such as NAFA, the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association (RMFMA), the Florida Association of Governmental Fleet Administrators (FLAGFA), the National Conference of State Fleet Administrators (NCSFA), and others, join the Center by endorsing the certification programs approved by the Center.  Currently, NAFA's Certified Automotive Fleet Manager and Certified Automotive Fleet Specialist programs are the only certification programs approved by the Center.

Amos explained that the Center is led by representatives from NAFA, RMFMA, FLAGFA, and NCSFA.  Their role is to create one industry-wide certification program, endorsed by every industry association, rather than having a splintered industry with many certification programs.  "As each group joins the Center, they gain the ability to impact the content of the certification programs approved by the Center," Amos explained.  "We hope that groups like the Automotive Fleet and Leasing Association, International Automotive Remarketers Alliance, the American Automotive Leasing Association, and others will come on board to support the idea of a single, unified industry certification that they have a hand in shaping."

The NAFA Board of Governors will next meet in April, immediately following NAFA's I&E in Charlotte.  In the meantime, NAFA's Officers and Trustees, each of whom is assigned responsibility for directing portions of the strategic plan, will continue to work with the NAFA staff to ensure progress continues.