Sunday, June 8

9:00am-4:00pm
NAFA Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) Exam (Click Here for info)
With the CAFM certification program, fleet managers master the core disciplines of fleet management on a broad scale. Candidates will learn about fleet management principles and best practices from multiple organizational type perspectives, which ultimately results in a well-rounded fleet professional, who is prepared for success regardless of what type fleet they will manage throughout their career.

12:30pm-4:30pm
APWA Certified Public Fleet Professional Exam (Click Here for Info)
The Certified Public Fleet Professional is intended for the seasoned, career government public fleet manager, and those with experience in the field who are interested in a credential that will promote a career in public fleet management.

6:00pm-8:00pm
Tour of San Diego County Fleet Facility and Networking Reception
Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the San Diego County Fleet Facility, managed by the 2007 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year, John Clements, on Sunday, June 8 at 5:30pm. After the tour attendees can mingle with their peers during the GFX Networking Reception at the facility.  

Shuttle service to and from the San Diego County Fleet Facility will be available. Buses from the Town and Country Resort to the facility load outside the Atlas Ballroom Foyer at 5:15pm and the first bus departs at 5:30pm.  The last bus from the facility back to the hotel will leave the facility at 8:15pm.

Monday, June 9

8:00am-8:30am
Continental Breakfast and Coffee 
 
8:30am – 8:45am
Welcome to GFX
Eric Bearly, Associate Publisher, Government Fleet Magazine

8:45am-9:45am
Keynote Address: Make a Difference
Pam Nelson, CEO, FASTER
In challenging times, we have two options. We can adopt a “wait and see” low profile type of mentality or we can see obstacles as opportunities in disguise. Tough times are when we prove our meddle and, as fleet professionals who impact virtually all areas of our organizations, we must have the courage to fight for what we know can and will make a difference. Pam offers her “Top Ten” for having the most impact within our unique environments.

9:45am-10:00am
Refreshment Break

10:00am-10:50am
Panel Discussion:
Going Green: What Is Working
Moderator:Mike Antich, Editor, Government Fleet Magazine
Panel:
Larry Campbell, Fleet Manager, Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Dr. Melody Bennett, Climate Change Mitigation Program Mgr., King County, WA
Robert LaRoche, Fleet Supt., Glendale Water & Power
Discover technologies and techniques that are really working (and those that aren't). Review technologies from hybrids to ethanol based on first-hand experience, and learn how to successfully obtain grant money.

11:00am-12:00pm
Concurrent Sessions:

Utilizing Reporting to Get the Resources You Need
Leslie C. Rucker, Jr., National Director Fleet Management Consulting, MAXIMUS, Inc.
Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, Director Transportation Services, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO
Explore the latest in dashboarding and reporting techniques to help in obtaining new vehicles, equipment, facilities, and personnel. Discuss best practices in reporting, benchmarking, communications, prioritization and justification.

Determining Vehicle and Equipment Life-Cycle Costs
Randy Owen, Mercury Associates
Life-cycle cost analysis is a powerful tool that can be used to set replacement cycles, select the right type of vehicle for your fleet, and guide operational decisions. In this session of you will learn what data is required to conduct a LCA, how to apply this data to a LCA model, and how to interpret results.

12:00pm-3:00pm
Welcome Lunch and Expo in Exhibit Hall

3:00pm-4:00pm
Concurrent Sessions:

Getting Recognition for Your Program, Your Team and Yourself
John Hunt, City of Portland, OR
You know your stuff. You and your team do your jobs well. How can you prove it to your bosses and the community? This session will offer several ways to help you accomplish your goal for communication with citizens, public officials and your bosses.

Utilization Management: Right-Sizing Your Fleet
James B. Wright, Fleet Counselor Services Inc.
Jason Piper, Fleet Specialist, County of Santa Barbara
Hear case studies and first-hand experiences of successful utilization management programs in government fleet agencies. You will also receive a complete utilization management program on a CD that can be downloaded and edited for use in your agency. This same program recently saved the City of Denver over $10 million.

4:00pm-4:15pm
Refreshment Break

4:15pm-5:00pm
Concurrent Sessions:

Outsourcing and Insourcing: Old Challenges and New Opportunities
Sam Lamerato, CPFP, Superintendent of Fleet Maintenance, City of Troy, MI
Charlie Caudill, Fleet Manager,City of Yuma, AZ
This session will focus on what areas you can consider outsourcing, such as privatization of parts, collision management, etc. Also, learn how to defend against unjustified and illogical outsourcing and using insourcing as a revenue stream.

10 Best Practices from the 100 Best Fleets
Tom Johnson, 100 Best Fleets
Learn the ten biggest breakthrough ideas from the 100 Best Fleets in North America. You don't need to "reinvent the wheel" for solutions to common challenges. These are best business practices you can implement tomorrow.

5:10pm-6:00pm
Concurrent Sessions:

The Productive, Safe, Green and Compliant Shop
Barbara Bonansinga, Fleet Manager, State of Illinois, CMS Vehicles
George Baker, Volusia County, FL
Learn what best practices you can use to "green" your shop and ensure that it is a safe environment for your technicians. Includes discussion of green best practices, material safety data sheet (MSDS) program management, hazardous waste management and more.

Developing and Managing a Fleet Business Plan and Budget
Florencio Pena, Director of Fleet Services, City of San Antonio
Maggie Laird, Laird Consulting
Responsibility for running a successful fleet operation means knowing how to develop a fleet business plan that includes a budget to support it. This session will provide you with the essentials you need to know. You will also leave with a simple model to use in completing your own business plan.

6:00pm-8:00pm
Reception and Expo in Exhibit Hall

Tuesday, June 10

8:00am-9:00am
Continental Breakfast and Expo in Exhibit Hall

9:00am-10:00am
Keynote Address:
Leading Under Fire: Beyond Managing
John Clements, San Diego County Fleet Manager
Hear 2007 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year John Clements will speak about leadership, management and disaster planning.

10:00am-10:15am
Refreshment Break

10:15am-11:00am
Concurrent Sessions

Maintenance Business Processes:  How Government Fleets Can Benefit
J. Michael Bloss, President, First Vehicle Services
John Hoelzle, Fleet Manager, City of Fort Lauderdale
Explore what is on the cutting edge in this new era of maintenance management.  Discover how some of the top fleet operations in the U.S. use safety best practices and Lean Six Sigma processes to create efficiency, improve quality, and increase productivity in their operations, and learn ho you can apply these principles in your own environment.

The Next Step: Professional Certifications
Moderator: Kathi Croze, National Manager, Government Accounts, The CEI Group, Inc.
Panel:
Tony Molla, VP Communications, ASE
Sam Lamerato, Superintendent of Fleet Maintenance, City of Troy, MI
Bob Ellingsworth, CAFM, Highway Equipment Supervisor, Minnesota DOT, MN
This session will introduce you to three certifications most frequently sought after by fleet professionals. You will learn how to apply, how to qualify, what it costs and how long it may take to complete. More importantly, you will learn about the benefits and advantages of having any one of these certifications.

11:10am-11:50am
Concurrent Sessions:

Secrets to Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
Cara Wasilewski, President, Wasilewski and Associates LLC
Learn where the money is and how to get it: homeland security grants, green grants and more.

Telematics/GPS: What It Can Do For My Fleet
Bob Stanton, Polk County
See real time examples of how this technology can be used to improve efficiency, enhance customer communications, maximize productivity and even save fuel.  Tips and tricks related to the selection of the right system will be covered as well.

11:50am-1:50pm
Lunch and Expo in Exhibit Hall

1:50pm-2:40pm
Concurrent Sessions

Lean Six Sigma for the Public Sector Fleet Manager
Anna Durham, Senior Vice President, Quality, GE
Learn how to apply Lean Six Sigma tools to managing your fleet. See how other fleets have implemented these processes successfully. Start on your way to Six Sigma Certification.

Cooperative Procurement
Bruce Maysilles, City of Longmont, CO
This session will walk you through the process of group buys: How to coordinate, manage and successfully purchase with other agencies.

2:50pm-3:40pm
Panel Discussion: Fleet Vehicle Manufacturer Panel
Get the word straight from the sources about new model information, service issues, current events and ongoing programs.
Moderator: Sherb Brown, VP, Bobit Business Media
Panel:
Tony Gratson, Government Sales Manager, Ford Fleet
Roxie Thomas, Senior Manager, GSA/Gov. Sales, Chrysler Fleet Operations
Rob Fecher, National Manager, Fleet Operations & Remarketing, Mazda
Clay Okabayashi, GM Fleet Account Executive-Government Sales and Alternative Fuel Vehicles, GM

3:40pm-4:00pm
Refreshment Break

4:00pm-5:00pm
Concurrent Best Practices Roundtables
Join with your industry colleagues at one of the best practices roundtables to brainstorm, share your experiences, and gain insight on the following issues:

Fuel Cost Management
Tom Monarco, Fleet Manager, Colorado Springs, CO

The Technician Shortage: The Cause, the Effect and Some Solutions
Win Mitchell, Fleet Director, King County, WA

Safety and Collision Management
Rick Longobart, Fleet Services Superintendent, City of Inglewood, CA

5:00pm-7:00pm
Networking Reception and Expo in Exhibit Hall