By Tod Trousdell, Fleet Marketing Consultant and Partner, RobertsTrousdell Communications
July 1, 2026
With his distinctive shaved head and his affable personality, Jeff Cunningham has been well-known, if not well-noticed, in the fleet space for over two decades. Formerly Director of Sales at Signature Graphics, Cunningham recently took on the same challenge at RUD Fleet.
Married for 29 years to his wife Kim, Cunningham is a compulsive fitness and tri-athlete enthusiast. He is recognized within the industry for keeping a rigorous training schedule even during industry conferences like NAFA and AFLA. He is also the father of three ambitious kids, including Luke, a college lacrosse player headed to medical school, Libby, a nursing student at Miami of Ohio, and Charlie a high school senior.
A resident of Northern Indiana, Cunningham – who only half-jokingly says he pursues fitness to “prevent getting old” – sat down with us recently to discuss his thoughts on the industry and its future.
Hi Jeff, thanks for sitting down with us and on the big changes in your career. We’ve had our eye on RUD awhile, what’s the name stand for?
It’s simple. It stands for ‘Ready Upon Delivery.’ Which is exactly what we can do for customers looking for simply the best solutions for complex vehicle onboarding needs.
Nice. I would imagine your involvement with the company portends great things for RUD given your track record in the industry. It also gives us a good reason to ask you your thoughts on the industry. You’ve been around fleet a long time, what’s your current assessment of the fleet space?
From my perspective, fleet is more vital to the success of progressive society than ever. Think how Final Mile has dramatically changed who we are and how we consume products and how our businesses are constructed. Even what we value as consumers and professionals.
Simultaneously, the state of the industry and the commercial fleet world, specifically, is more volatile than ever before. The geopolitical landscape is changing at least as fast as the business world, if not even more so. It’s just a different industry with much more going on when I started.
What about today’s fleet space excites you the most? What about the future?
Personally, I see the Fleet Management niche as the binding of the larger supply chain. The need for very high-touch, high-end consultative and administrative services are more pronounced than ever. That puts the FMCs squarely at the center of things.
Those same expanded needs, however, are making it quite difficult for the preeminent FMCs to do all things for all parties. There’s a substantial ongoing “tug of war” to balance expectations versus maintaining value and credibility.
At the same time though, it’s also why I’m excited about the future of fleet. AI advances have the chance to profoundly impact the FMC world as much as any in the fleet supply chain. That’s exciting. And the organization that harnesses those AI capabilities first and best is going to dominate.
Who were your mentors or biggest fleet influences?
John Sarkis, Former Fleet Lead Executive at Brightview Landscaping. He is a West Point Grad, a Persian Gulf War vet, and simply the toughest, fairest, and most capable executive with whom I’ve ever worked. He and the late Terry Tucker, a Senior Sales Executive at Signature Graphics, my first industry mentor. Men of good hearts, strong minds, philanthropy, and principal. Great men.
With a good bit of experience in life and in fleet, do you have a professional creed or motto that you live by?
Yes, absolutely. It’s: ‘Don’t Waste a Rep.’ Meaning that there are only so many chances in life to get better, so don’t waste any of those opportunities. Live where your feet are so as to capitalize on each and every chance to improve.
Looking back, what would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment?
In retrospect, what I value the most in terms of professional accomplishments are many small moments and not the big awards or accounts won.
I’m recalling memories of good meetings where relationships were strengthened – and both parties realized it in the moment.
I’m reflecting on valued relationships where good mentorship was either gleaned or extended. And I’m savoring instances where good fortune allowed me the second chance to correct past regrets; I certainly have had my fair share of the regrets and not enough – at least to date – of the course corrections.
Another one: Taking the big risk of leaving my previous professional safe haven/home of 22 years for a new opportunity at RUD Fleet.
At this moment, I’m profoundly proud of the courage and foresight it took to make the move. RUD is built around a very distinctive culture of character, service, and commitment – both to our clients and to each other. I’m not sure that 5 years ago I could have articulated the type of culture and environment in which I would thrive. Certainly, however, I’m very proud that when the opportunity presented itself, I recognized it in RUD – and decided to go for it!
Where do you hope to be in 10 years?
In 10 years, I will be working alongside committed folks in a dynamic environment that values client success more so than personal success or profitability. I truly want to charge out of the locker room each day and win, the right way and with good people.
About the author
Tod Trousdell is partner at RobertsTrousdell Communications in Atlanta and a fleet marketing expert with nearly 20 years in fleet and over 40 years in marketing. He can be reached at [email protected] and is always ready to help fleet entities thrive!
