KANSAS CITY, MO – The American Public Works Association (APWA) selected George L. Schwarz as the 2005 Professional Fleet Manager of the Year. Schwarz is a member of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of APWA and 26-year member of the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA). A retired division director for the Pennsylvania State Police, he is currently the director, bureau of vehicle management for the City of Harrisburg. In his current position for the past 16 years, he is responsible for all city fleet operations and has received several mayoral accommodations and special service awards for his efforts. Throughout his tenure, Schwarz has been known for implementing several cost-saving programs, including in-house towing and manufacturer warrantee, surplus equipment disposal through which the city disposes surplus equipment at a public auto auction at no cost to the city, and automated fuels management in which the city is a fuel supplier to various school districts, authorities, and other government agencies, including those at state, county, and local levels. Schwarz is also responsible for energy conservation programs, including the use of waste oil to heat garage facilities, conversion from facility fluorescent lighting fixtures to high-output/low-energy demand lights, recycling engine coolant, and use of re-refined oil in fleet vehicles and equipment. In 1999, Schwarz implemented a government procurement program used by governments in six states that has saved taxpayers an estimated $20 million. This program led to Schwarz’s recognition from NAFA for the 2002 Larry Goill Award, and in 2004, when Pennsylvania’s Gov. Edward Rendell presented the Governor’s Award for Government Excellence for the program’s innovative practices.