PRINCETON, NJ – With less than 400 fleet managers currently holding the exclusive Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) designation, three more public sector fleet managers have earned the fleet management industry's highest level of certification from NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA).  

Joining the group of certification holders are Lowell Jacobs, fleet manager for Harris County Flood Control District in Houston; Marvin McClain, Jr., fleet services manager for Georgia Department of Administrative Services; and Michael Ryan Wescott, corporate director of fleet management for General Parts Inc./Carquest in Raleigh, N.C.

Jacobs has 7 years of fleet experience and currently is responsible for repair, maintenance, purchasing, and replacement of Harris County Flood Control District's vehicles and equipment. He is a member of NAFA's Southwest Chapter and has been a member of NAFA Fleet Management Association since 2005.

McClain has 10 years of fleet experience and currently heads the Office of Fleet Maintenance, a division within the Georgia Department of Administrative Services. In addition to a CAFM designation, McClain has been a NAFA member since 2006 and is currently a member of NAFA's Atlanta Chapter.

"The curriculum called for the most intense study since I graduated from college," McClain said. "While it was rigorous, it was rewarding and, I feel, well worth the time and effort.

Wescott has 6 years of fleet experience and is currently involved in fleet analytics, fuel, maintenance, vendor relations, ordering, and remarketing for General Parts Inc./Carquest. He is a member of NAFA's Carolina's Chapter and served from 2006-2007 as Chapter Secretary. Wescott has been a member of NAFA since 2005.

To become certified, an applicant must pass a series of comprehensive examinations to demonstrate expertise in the eight disciplines of automotive fleet management:  Fleet Information Management, Maintenance Management, Professional Development, Vehicle Fuel Management, Asset Management, Business Management, Financial Management, and Risk Management.  Designed to identify and recognize exceptional fleet management professionals, many employers now require fleet managers to obtain the CAFM designation prior to, or shortly after, employment.

 During the past 16 months, the CAFM program has continuously made news through a series of announcements including an agreement with Ferris State University (Grand Rapids, Michigan) to provide college credit for successful completion of the CAFM program; the creation of a Certified Automotive Fleet Supervisor (CAFS) certification program; endorsements by the National Conference of State Fleet Administrators (NCSFA) and the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association (RMFMA); and approval by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Most recently, the CAFM program was incorporated in to earning a minor in Fleet Management at Ferris State University.