Honorees inducted into the Hall of Fame will be announced at the 2024 AFLA conference in San Antonio on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The Fleet Hall of Fame, hosted by Automotive Fleet and the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA), honors and recognizes fleet industry leaders and pioneers who have contributed significantly to the commercial fleet management profession.
These nominees have over 10 years of industry experience and have made an indelible mark on the fleet management industry. Honorees inducted into the Hall of Fame will be announced at the 2024 AFLA conference in San Antonio on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
For more information on past winners and the award itself, click here.
Voting closes Monday, July 22, 2024.
Paul Allen
Union Leasing
Paul has had years of success in the industry, building incredible relationships with all of his clients. He would be a great addition to The Fleet Hall of Fame.
Theresa Belding
Forest Pharmaceuticals, Actavis, Allergan, AbbVie, Exact Sciences
Theresa Belding is a results-driven leader with years of experience running pharma sales fleets. Theresa joined the Exact Sciences organization a little over three years ago and has led strategic initiatives resulting in streamlined processes for their newer fleet program. Theresa built relationships and negotiated additional factory orders with multiple OEMs to continue replacing vehicles within the fleet when other OEMs did not provide enough assets for replacement.
Theresa has been an exceptional fleet manager, demonstrating unparalleled dedication and expertise. Her ability to adjust on the fly and meticulous attention to detail has optimized the Exact Sciences fleet. Her leadership, guidance, and proactive problem-solving approach have been pivotal to the fleet operations.
Theresa has a strong understanding of fleet management operations and overall fleet savviness. She is a strong partner with the vendors she works with and challenges them to be better for their clients. Theresa is also actively involved with AFLA as a member and has held multiple positions since 2010.
Marty Betagole
Mike Albert Fleet Solutions
“She believed she could, so she did.”
This is Marty Betagole’s, former CEO and current board member of Mike Albert Fleet Solutions, favorite quote—and one she lives by. For 46 years, Marty has championed women in the transportation and fleet industries, which have long been male-dominated. In 1982, women comprised just 20% of Mike Albert’s workforce, and no women were in management. Under Marty’s leadership, Mike Albert’s female workforce grew to 45% in 2019, with seven women in the C-Suite/senior management team.
Even today, Mike Albert has a higher ratio of women in its workforce and leadership than most fleet management companies. Marty’s time in the fleet industry began in 1977 when she started as an assistant controller at Mike Albert Fleet Solutions. While her family owns the company, a non-family member hired Marty, and she had to climb the ladder herself, working her way up to management and then to the C-Suite. This upward climb allowed Marty to understand how every associate at Mike Albert contributed to the company, from those without experience to those who had been there for decades.
This formed the basis for Mike Albert’s “One Team” core value— the understanding that every associate brings something unique to the company and can work with the broader team to serve clients and deliver excellence. Marty also gives hard-working and dedicated associates—especially women—a chance to grow and learn by offering mentorship opportunities. She introduces her mentees to her personal and professional connections, discusses their career goals, gives advice from her own experience, and trains associates to become managers and beyond at Mike Albert.
One of her mentees is Heather Chambers, a technical sales specialist who has been with Mike Albert for six and a half years. Their relationship began when Heather won the Client Support Associate of the Year award her first year; Marty asked if she could mentor her, which took Heather by surprise. “It just doesn’t happen. To have someone whose name is on the smokestack recognize my work, speak to me about it, and then ask to mentor me and call out that she’s lucky to have me work at her company, it blows your mind. I think it takes a really special person to do that,” Chambers said.
Under Marty’s steadfast leadership, Mike Albert has grown exponentially into a nationally known, top-10 fleet management company. Associates at the company enjoy long tenures and continued success, with some clocking in over 50 years of experience. Half of the C-Suite has been with Mike Albert for at least a decade, with one having been part of the company for almost 40 years. Marty Betagole’s longevity in fleet management, her tireless work in turning the dial for women in the industry, and her continued success at Mike Albert Fleet Solution make her an excellent choice for the Fleet Hall of Fame.
Matt Betz
DTE, SambaSafety, Wheels, Budget Rent A Car, AmeriFleet Transportation
Matt has been an industry leader in fleet for over four decades. He has served on many industry boards and association task forces, and he has always been welcoming and sharing his expertise throughout his career. Matt was always so helpful; he was never trying to sell, just trying to help. His experience as a fleet manager and selling solutions to fleet operations made him excel in every area of the fleet and always transfer knowledge to others.
Matt is always presenting and leading task forces, always learning and sharing.
Bill Gibson
GM Fleet & Commercial (posthumous nominee)
Bill was a beloved icon in the fleet industry by customers, fleet management companies, and his coworkers. He was extremely customer-focused focused, and his positive attitude was infectious. Ask him how he was doing, and his answer was always “living the dream!” Bill was a mentor to me and so many others in the fleet industry. If someone was looking for a job, he never hesitated to use his vast network of contacts to try and help out.
Bill spent 21 years with GM’s Fleet and Commercial division before retiring in 2011. But he continued in the fleet industry for another 10 years. “Gibby”, as he was widely known, was taken from us too soon in 2021.
Adriene Horn
Premier Truck Rental (PTR)
Adriene Horn, founder and President of Premier Truck Rental (PTR), has been immersed in the fleet industry for 18 years, working alongside her father, Rob Troxel, since she was young. Starting at NESCO in sales before college, Adriene balanced her education with growing the business, eventually joining full-time post-graduation. Her focus on business development and marketing and her extensive knowledge of specialty utility equipment enabled her to provide effective solutions for utility contracts nationwide. Since founding PTR in 2014, Adriene has led the company to significant growth, establishing multiple locations and partner yards nationwide and employing over 200 full-time staff.
Under her leadership, PTR introduced innovative industry solutions and has vastly expanded PTR’s rental fleet, offering equipment and utility trailers, ¾-ton to 3-ton custom trucks, specialty equipment like the Cable Wrapper for wind farms, and more. Her strategic vision and dedication have positioned PTR as a key player in the truck rental industry. Adriene’s accomplishments have been widely recognized, earning PTR the National Association of Fleet Management (NAFA) Top 100 Commercial Fleets award two years in a row and the ACG award of Corporate Excellence, among others.
Her ability to navigate and address industry challenges with novel solutions has cemented her reputation as a leader in the field. Adriene continues to drive PTR’s success with a commitment to excellence and a forward-thinking approach to fleet management.
Elsie Lucia
Estee Lauder, Unilever, Best Foods
Elsie consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication to the fleet industry for over 35 years before she retired in 2022. She started her fleet career in 1984 for Alfa Laval, where she worked for 10 years before moving to Unilever Bestfoods in 1994. In 2004 she accepted a fleet position for The Estee Lauder Companies in New York City, where she worked until she retired.
In addition to her career in the fleet, Elsie has served as a past Chapter Chair for her local NAFA Chapter, served on the AFLA board, and was the AFLA President from 2007 to 2008. She has also served on numerous advisory boards within the fleet industry. Elsie consistently inspired and motivated colleagues, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
She was a mentor to many in the industry and was a champion to many women in the fleet. She is more than deserving of recognition in the Fleet Hall of Fame. All who worked with her knew her passion, dedication, and commitment to the fleet.
Rick Nicoletti
Napleton Fleet Group
He has carried Bill Friedlaenders unbundled type of fleet management …
Louis Pastras
Mercedes-Benz USA, ARI
Louis’s lifetime body of work is impressive. His biggest contribution was leading the effort to import, homologate, and launch the Sprinter van specifically to address a pressing need by FedEx in the latter parts of the 20th century. He was not employed by Mercedes but worked tirelessly with engineers around the globe to ensure a proper product. MBUSA and antecedents have sold over 50,000 Sprinter units to FedEx since.
Beyond numbers, Louis’ passion for making a deal never waned; even in retirement, he still mentors and guides a whole generation of leaders.
Jen Pearson
HopDrive
Jen Pearson is a staple in the fleet management business. Her leadership, communication, and trustworthiness are undoubtedly the best. Jen’s interpersonal skills are used to form and maintain meaningful relationships in the fleet business.
Brian Rigby
Richard Lucas Chevrolet, Nielsen Automotive Group, Bridgewater Chevy, Miller Buick GMC
Brian has dabbled in fleet sales and management for many years. In 2022, he was given the opportunity to launch a brand new commercial and fleet department at Richard Lucas Chevy. Since then, he has built phenomenal relationships with some of the biggest companies around. He was a part of the GM Financial pilot program, which played a pivotal role in getting GM Envolve launched and running. He truly cares about the world of fleet and commercial and seeing it grow!
Ken Taylor
Commercial Truck Training, Ken Taylor & Assoc.
Ken is an icon in the Fleet and Commercial Training and Consulting world. He is a teacher, mentor, motivator, and friend to so many. He is respected and admired by OEMs, body companies, dealerships, allied industry companies, and the countless individuals whose careers he has touched. As for fame, when you walk the expo floor with Ken at any truck industry, allow extra time because he has an incredible fan base, resulting in countless people stopping him for a handshake or a hug and always a conversation. He graciously makes time for every person and always makes their day. If the Fleet Hall of Fame is looking for one more champion, gentleman, and industry scholar to induct and honor, they need to look no further than Ken Taylor.
Over the course of his storied career, Ken has provided training for nearly 10,000 commercial salespeople. He is a true motivator and understands the commercial vehicle sales industry better than anybody.
Ken has helped countless individuals, dealerships, manufacturers, upfitters, and industry partners achieve success in the work truck world by building relationships and teaching the value of networking. Ken’s guidance has woven a strong web of quality connections that many success stories have relied on.
Rob Troxel
Premier Truck Rental and NESCO, LLC
Rob Troxel has dedicated over 39 years to the fleet industry, beginning his journey in 1985. As a visionary entrepreneur, he founded NESCO and Premier Truck Rental (PTR), two specialty equipment rental houses. At PTR, Rob has been instrumental in pioneering custom solutions for the truck rental market, developing a 2-ton Framer flatbed truck, a unique upfit offering designed specifically for transmission and distribution contractors. This demonstrates his innovative approach to industry challenges.
In the early ’90s, Rob, alongside his family, co-founded NESCO, transforming it from a small operation into a nationwide utility equipment rental powerhouse. Under his leadership, NESCO expanded significantly, adding thousands of pieces of equipment and earning a reputation for excellence in customer service. His commitment to the industry was further solidified when he continued this legacy with PTR, which he established with his daughter Adriene Horn in 2014.
PTR has seen remarkable growth, with Rob implementing innovative strategies and solutions that set the company apart. The emphasis on custom, specialized rental trucks has been a hallmark of PTR’s success, driven by Rob’s extensive industry knowledge and his ability to adapt to evolving market needs. His leadership ensures that PTR remains a family-oriented business focused on customer satisfaction and robust industry relationships.
Deborah Watson
Comdata
Deborah Watson is a legendary fixture of Comdata and a true gem in the trucking industry. She began her career in 1982 in the call center servicing VIP clients, transitioned to managing a customer response team, eventually took the direction of five call centers, then VP of client services, VP for Regulatory Services, VP of Client Services (for all lines of business), and finally after acquisition by Corpay (formerly Fleetcor Technologies), was named VP, North America Trucking/Large Fleets. Deborah is among the first in the office and the last to leave.
You’ll rarely stop by when she’s not on the phone, providing customers with expert service. She is one of the quickest to communicate when you have a need, and if she doesn’t have the answer (which is extremely rare), she’ll find it for you ASAP. She’s been instrumental in Comdata’s continual mission to listen to the voice of the customer and implement changes and innovations that speak to those needs.
She’s received President’s Club and Employee of the Quarter awards several times and is a Six Sigma graduate. Her professional affiliations include Toastmasters (Secretary for inaugural chapter), Women in Technology, Master Minds, Advancing Women in Nashville, Six Sigma, Mercy Multiplied, and “Fleetcor Women at the Table” where she recently served as Committee Chair for the launch of the mentorship program. She is one of the hardest working women in the industry and always offers sound advice for the younger generation of associates: “Work hard. Do your best—that goes for customers and internal customers/coworkers…even when it’s hard and especially when it’s not reciprocated…do it anyway!”
