Automotive Fleet

OCT 2013

Magazine for the car and truck fleet and leasing industry

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HALL OF FAME pioneer the concept of outsourced fleet management and was he Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) is the exclusive sponsor of AF's Fleet Hall of Fame award. F Since the award's founding in 2008, honorees have been recognized during AFLA's annual conference. Hall of Fame members are recognized industry leaders and pioneers who have contributed signifcantly to the commer- instrumental in developing new remarketing strategies for Mo- cial feet management experience. DAN LEARY MOTORLEASE CORP. (DECEASED) LEARY Leary joined Motorlease in 1960, working in sales and general management. With his partner, Charles O'Neill, he helped torlease. He took full control of the company in 1976. During his tenure, Motorlease expanded from about 10 employees and a fleet of 600 to about 30 employees and a fleet of 3,000. At his retirement in 1993, Leary turned company management over to his son Jack, CEO, and daughter Beth, CFO. He remained on Motorlease's Board of Directors throughout his life, was an active member of AALA throughout his career, and served on its Board from 1981 through 1993. He passed away in October 2011. JOHN SOHL AUTO DRIVEAWAY (DECEASED) Sohl founded Auto Driveaway in Philadelphia in 1952, primarily delivering cars from the East Coast to Florida, eventual- ly adding franchised offices in Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, SOHL AFLA Supports pp Fleet Hall of Fame Washington, D.C., and Miami. In 1960, Sohl purchased Chi- cago-based AAA Driveaway, which delivered used cars from the auto auctions in the Chicago area. In the early 1970s, Auto Driveaway became a regulated Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) carrier. During the 1970s and 1980s, the company expanded to more than 75 offices throughout the United States (including Hawaii) and Canada. During this period, the company had changed from private "sowbird" deliveries to corporate deliveries of vehicles for Fortune 500 companies, which had large fleet departments to control their sales forces and service vehicles. The company was also the primary motor home delivery service for Winnebago Industries in Iowa, delivering more than 5,000 recreational vehicles per year. The business became a franchisor in 1999 after the deregulation of the motor carrier industry. During its peak years, the business shipped 40,000-plus vehicles and grossed more than $18 million. From 2000 on, Auto Driveaway's primary customers were large leasing companies, such as ARI, Wheels, GE Capital Fleet Services, PHH Arval, and Motorlease. Sohl was actively involved in the fleet industry, supporting the NAFA Fleet Management Association and AFLA. Sohl retired from the business in 2002 during the company's 50th anniversary year. Auto Driveaway was sold to its franchisees in 2004. Sohl passed away in 2010. Eligible nominees must have at least 10 years of feet management experience, and are nominated by members of the industry. "As the exclusive sponsor of the prestigious Fleet Hall of Fame awards, AFLA carries on the tradition of recognizing those pioneers and innovators whose achievements represent the fnest in service excellence," said Tom Callahan, AFLA president. "The ground breaking contributions of thesrode individuals have made an indelible mark on the feet industry and we are proud to have the opportunity to honor them at our annual conference. The award winners truly represent the AFLA spirit and refect our strong desire to provide our members and conference attendees with the most advanced feet education possible and meet the highest standards in professional development." The Fleet Hall of Fame was founded in 2008 with 20 founding members. That same year, an additional 10 honorees were selected by the industry through online voting. Additional inductees are installed in the Fleet Hall of Fame with one less honoree each year, until three are installed in 2015. Thereafter, three honorees will be inducted annually. Founded in 1969, AFLA's mission for its more than 300 member companies, representing all industry segments, is to promote growth, expansion, and professionalism within the feet industry by providing a strategic focus to feet management through education, research, technical standards, representation, and advancement of member interests. OCTOBER 2013 I AUTOMOTIVE FLEET 71

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