The First Word: Resolved - NAFA's Objectives And Goals

This is the time of year when many of us make resolutions. We want to gain a certain skill, re-sculpt a certain area of our body, or stop a negative behavior or habit. All of that is good. It’s great to start in a new direction, and the start of a new year gives us a clean slate with which to work.

You should know, however, that NAFA – your association – does not wait for the new year to make resolutions. We never stop looking for new directions that will benefit you.

In fact, since October the volunteer leaders of NAFA – fleet managers and providers just like you – have participated in two major strategic planning sessions that set many new directions for this year and beyond.

In October, these dedicated leaders spent hours talking about NAFA’s future with regard to its membership direction, support for current members, our chapters, and our global outreach. In November, the Board began developing ideas for ways to reach our goals.

These ideas, or objectives, are measurable, attainable milestones we want to achieve by a specific point in time. A look at some of the objectives set by the Board for 2012 includes:

Increasing awareness of NAFA among decision-makers in our members’ organizations
Increasing assertive advocacy on issues of priority to membership
Increasing the effectiveness of technology to connect members to the association and each other
Increasing loyalty to the NAFA brand
Decreasing "time to market" of NAFA products and services
Increasing awareness of NAFA among government bodies and industry partners
Increasing membership retention
Increasing chapter value and sustainability

All of these objectives will help us achieve our three goals, which are:

1. To be your indispensable resource for fleet management education, industry knowledge, networking, and industry services.
2. To be the recognized advocate for the fleet industry and the primary source of fleet information and knowledge to industry partners, government, fleet managers, and decision-makers.
3. To be financially and structurally prepared to achieve our core purpose and goals.

These goals, in turn, allow us to say with confidence that we are truly on course to realize and uphold our mission statement. That mission statement, which is a declaration of the fundamental purpose for which NAFA exists, has not materially changed in more than twenty years. It states very simply:

NAFA is the association for the vehicle fleet management profession. Our purpose is to promote the highest levels of professional management of vehicles, enabling all members to improve their ability to contribute to their employer’s success. We accomplish our goals through quality educational endeavors, sharing of fleet expertise, government and industry relations, and a broad range of direct services to members.

I am very excited about the strategic plan developed by NAFA’s leaders. I believe it maps out a solid and clear path for success, both for this year and in years to come, and helps NAFA stay nimble and responsive to ever-changing needs and situations.

I would like to thank everyone on the Board who helped shape NAFA’s strategic plan. I look forward to working with them and the NAFA staff to bring their visions to reality. I invite each of you to share your thoughts, as well as your talents, to help us accomplish our goals, all of which are in place not only because of, but for, for fleet managers and providers just like you.

Sincerely,

Phil

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004