By Janice Sutton
Tom Johnson is the recipient of NAFA’s prestigious Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, presented at NAFA 2020 Virtual Institute &.
Tom founded the 100 Best Fleets program which recognizes and rewards peak-performing fleet operations in the Americas. Tom told FMW in a brief interview today, “I have been associated with NAFA since 1979 and this is an honor of a lifetime.”
In bestowing the award, NAFA president Patti Earley, CAFM, said, “It is my great pleasure to present NAFA’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award for 2020 to Tom Johnson, someone who has been an evangelist for the best of fleet, promoting pride in and for our industry, amplifying the good work we do to the larger community and to our supervisors.
The story, as Tom has told it, is that 20 years ago, he was charged with analyzing more than 3500 fleet departments, both corporate and public. Through this deep dive into our industry, he recognized how much fleet managers know and do every day, and often how little recognition they get for it.
In an era where the fears of fleet knowledge ‘brain drain’ is a concern, NAFA and 100 Best Fleets have both taken the mantle up for considering fleet operations as a career choice, and in pursuing excellence. You saw the result of this ongoing insistence for excellence this past Tuesday with our joint Winner’s Circle panel. You’ll continue to see it among your co-workers and peers. Recognition of fleet’s value is crucial to our industry and Tom Johnson has been integral to that visibility.
NAFA’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award is our highest level of gratitude for those outside of NAFA to be a part of our great organization. With this, we say ‘thank you,’ Tom Johnson, for your efforts.”
