A group of eight industry veterans was recently inducted into Government Fleet magazine’s Public Fleet Hall of Fame. The award, sponsored by the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), recognizes fleet leaders and pioneers who have significantly contributed to the profession.

Government Fleet established the Public Fleet Hall of Fame in 2014 with 10 founding members. This year, eight fleet professionals will be inducted, followed by six in 2016, four in 2017, and three in 2018. Thereafter, three honorees will be inducted into the Public Fleet Hall of Fame annually.

Nominations are accepted at the beginning of the year, and the industry votes for candidates via an online ballot. To qualify, nominees must have at least 20 years of experience in the fleet industry, 10 of which must have been spent working for a public fleet or a private company contracted to manage a public fleet.

These inductees were honored at the Government Fleet Expo & Conference (GFX) during The Honors Celebration on June 10. Their photos will be displayed in Torrance, Calif., at the headquarters of Bobit Business Media, publisher of Government Fleet.

Robert Martinez, New York Police Department

Approximate Years in Fleet: 29

Martinez started his career as an auto service worker and was promoted seven times to his current position as deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department. Under his direction, the police fleet led the way in LED lighting, green fleet implementation, a high school training program, two World Trade Center events, and Superstorm Sandy. The NYPD fleet received a Leading Fleets award in 2014 as well as six 100 Best awards. Martinez earned a NAFA Flexy award for Leadership as well as a NAFA Larry Goill award.

Allen Mitchell, retired, Arlington County, Va., Snohomish County, Wash.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 45

Mitchell served three times as a NAFA chapter chair on both coasts and also as treasurer and vice chair of the Public Fleet Managers Association. He is a member of the American Public Works Association. He spearheaded several “green fleet” innovations including early adoption of electric vehicles and infrastructure, biodiesel production and use, medium-duty hybrid field service truck use, and adoption of high-mileage vehicles. He remodeled/built four repair facilities, forged relationships throughout the nation, and continues involvement in the industry in his retirement.

Marilyn Rawlings, CEM, Lee County, Fla.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 22

Rawlings led a team to transform Lee County’s fleet from $1.2 million in debt to become the No. 1 fleet. She served as the first female president of the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) in 2006. Lee County received the 2010 Fleet Masters Award and platinum Green Fleet certification from the AEMP. Lee County is the first government fleet in the country to achieve non-generating status with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for hazardous waste. She works with novice fleet managers to help them become industry leaders.

Kelly Reagan, City of Columbus, Ohio; City of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 30+

Reagan is the founding chair of the Ohio Chapter of the Municipal Equipment Maintenance Association (MEMA). He brings forward new fleet ideas to Columbus, including the city’s use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for the fleet and the building of four CNG stations for both public and fleet use. His organization has worked with eight other public entities to share information on creating and running a successful CNG program. He speaks around the country on best practices regarding fleet greening, anti-idling, right-sizing, reducing supplier services, and GPS tracking.

Milton Reid, retired, City of Gainesville, Fla.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 45+

Reid began his career as a mechanical engineer, designing electric locomotives and later working with Ford. He joined the City of Gainesville fleet in 1984 as its fleet manager and later became the general services director, retiring in 2013.

Reid served as the chair of the Florida Association of Governmental Fleet Administrators (FLAGFA) and served as NAFA president in 2003-2005 as well as other leadership positions within NAFA.

Pete Scarafiotti, CAFM, CEM, CPFP, City of Mesa, Ariz.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 40

Scarafiotti has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association (RMFMA) since 1985 and has served as both its chairman and president.  He was founder of the Public Fleet Managers Association in the Pacific Northwest in 1993. As principal project engineer, he led the Department of Energy’s groundbreaking hydrogen-powered transit bus project at a university to its successful completion.  He has spoken at many venues on both automotive engineering and fleet management issues. Scarafiotti has been both RMFMA’s Fleet Professional and Fleet Manager of the Year. Mesa was named the No. 1 Leading Fleet in 2014.

Doug Weichman, CAFM, Palm Beach County, Fla.; Miami Dade County, Fla.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 38

Weichman served as NAFA’s 32nd president. During his career, he established one of the first fully funded replacement vehicle policy funds in the early ’80s in Miami Dade County. He received two Palm Beach County Administrator awards for fleet efficiency, and the county fleet has been ASE Blue Seal certified since 2002. He was Government Fleet’s Public Fleet Manager of the Year in 2009 and received Fleet Owner’s Vocational Fleet of the Year award in 2006. He has written articles about fleet management and teaches at various fleet seminars.

Jim Wright, Fleet Counselor Services, Inc.; Larimer County, Colo.; City of Northglenn, Colo.; City of Lakewood, Colo.

Approximate Years in Fleet: 45

Wright is a lifetime member of the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association (RMFMA). He helped organize the association into what it is today and served as its first national president. Wright is the current president of Fleet Counselor Services (FCS), where he focuses on the Certified Fleet Management Operation (CFMO) certification and CLEANFleet certification. Through his consulting company, he estimates he has saved about 30 fleets from privatization.