50 Years in the Driver’s Seat

FleetCon 2026, held Aug. 24-26, celebrated FleetPros’ past while preparing fleet professionals, technicians and emerging leaders for fleet’s future.

FleetPros returned to Loveland, Colorado, for FleetCon 2026, a location that carries special significance.

“Fleet Pros was founded in Colorado in 1976,” explains David Gonzales, president of FleetPros. FleetPros 50th Celebration Chair and National Board Member. “We thought it would be great to come back to where it all started, to celebrate the 50th anniversary.”

The celebration was a year in the making and included historical photographs, video interviews and a presentation chronicling the association’s history. Ernie Tantje, one of FleetPros’ founding members attended and spoke during the event. Attendees received commemorative glasses and lapel pins, and FleetPros unveiled its refreshed logo.

“Our awards banquet, which usually lasts about an hour tops, went on for nearly two hours,” Gonzales says. “It was the largest awards banquet, and I think the best one we’ve had since I’ve been attending conferences.”

The event also looked toward the future. Educational sessions, technician training, Shop Talk Live, a vendor expo and a new Tech Challenge reflected an organization responding to changing equipment, workforce pressures and the strategic role of fleet operations.

50 Years of Growth

FleetPros began as the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association and gradually expanded beyond Colorado. Today, it includes chapters in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah, along with members from other areas.

Gonzales says the chapters historically functioned as separate entities, each with its own events, leadership and ways of operating. He says a key change is uniting FleetPros chapters under a stronger central structure.

This shift achieves consistent association standards without compromising local chapter connections. “That balance matters because regional chapters remain an important source of practical knowledge,” he says.

Fleet professionals face similar challenges regardless of their vehicles, budgets or climates. Common issues include accessing equipment and hiring technicians. Other hurdles include parts delays, new technology and rising expenses.

FleetPros offers members a platform to share and learn from challenges.

Sven Evelsizer, FleetPros board chair, FleetCon 2026 Chair and National Board member has seen the association weather organizational changes and industry disruptions while continuing to serve its members. He points to the association’s resilience as one of its greatest strengths.

He shares that resilience became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other professional associations, FleetPros had to rethink how it delivered education and kept members engaged. Virtual programming and online Shop Talks became important tools that continue today, but he says they did not end the need for in-person interaction.

FleetCon highlights the importance of gathering fleet professionals, suppliers and experts together. “You build relationships,” Evelsizer says. “You build friendships. The connections made at these events become informal support systems.”

He explains that fleet managers can discuss difficult specification, maintenance, or personnel issues with peers from other agencies who’ve dealt with similar problems. Vendors gain a clearer understanding of what fleet operations need, and newer professionals meet people who can help them navigate their careers.

Education Grounded in Fleet Realities

FleetCon 2026’s sessions covered management, maintenance, technology, leadership and other operational concerns for 234 fleet managers and technicians in attendance.

Shop Talk Live brought the association’s familiar virtual roundtable format to the conference. At this event, participants could raise questions, discuss issues, and hear responses from other organizations.

That openness has long been central to FleetPros’ mission, according to Gonzales.

He explains that fleet professionals may work for different municipalities, utilities, companies or public agencies, but rarely compete in the traditional sense. Sharing a preventive maintenance practice or replacement strategy does not diminish another operation; it strengthens the profession.

The vendor expo extended that exchange by giving attendees access to equipment, services and emerging technologies. Vendors could demonstrate products and answer detailed questions, while fleet professionals could explain operational challenges that do not fit on a procurement document.

Evelsizer says the value of those interactions was clear as he walked the expo floor. Vendors told him they were connecting with customers and fleet professionals from Colorado and other FleetPros chapter states.

Leadership Talks

FleetCon’s keynote presentations stepped away from equipment and technology to focus on the people leading fleet operations.

Pat Cavanaugh opened Monday afternoon with “Making Moments Memorable,” a presentation about the everyday interactions that shape workplace culture. Cavanaugh brought an unusual background to the FleetCon stage, including five years in a front-office leadership role with the Green Bay Packers and 12 years as a school principal.

Tuesday’s keynote came from Corey Ciocchetti, a professor of business ethics at the University of Denver. His “Inspire Integrity: Chase An Authentic Life” presentation challenged attendees to consider what they are pursuing professionally and personally and whether those pursuits align with what they value most.

Ciocchetti followed his keynote with an afternoon workshop that gave attendees an opportunity to dig deeper into those ideas.

Neither keynote centered on vehicles, equipment or emerging technology. Highlighting leadership and integrity at the conference shined a spotlight on the people steering complex fleet operations.

A Place for Technicians

FleetCon 2026 also expanded its attention to fleet technicians.by launching the Tech Challenge competition. In this event, participants proved their knowledge and skills while drawing attention to a workforce that is essential to every fleet’s success.

Eight technicians from Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Texas competed in the FleetCon finals. Richardson, Texas, technician Cliff Janson placed second overall, while fellow Richardson technician Juan Trevino posted the fastest time on the second challenge.

The emphasis on technicians comes as public and private fleets alike struggle to recruit technicians, retain experienced employees and prepare workers to service increasingly complex vehicles.

The Tech Challenge showcased that professional development cannot be reserved for managers. If fleets want employees to build long-term careers, technicians need access to education, recognition and advancement opportunities.

FleetCon 2026 reinforced that commitment with dedicated technician education.

Ken Willand of Motorcraft University led training on advanced air-conditioning diagnosis and testing as well as body and chassis electrical and electronics diagnosis. The sessions covered topics ranging from R-1234yf systems and EPA requirements to wiring diagrams, intelligent access, push-button start and auto start-stop systems.

Honoring the People Behind the Profession

The anniversary celebration gave FleetPros time to recognize its own leadership transition.

The redesigned awards program honored achievements in leadership, operations and industry support, and recognized the decades of volunteer work needed to sustain a professional association.

There were three categories for the awards: the Fleet Leadership Award for managers and directors; the Fleet Operations Champion Award for technicians, analysts, supervisors and other fleet staff; and the Associate Member Impact Award for vendor partners.

Among those recognized were Brenton Messner, recipient of the Fleet Operations Champion Award, as well as Colorado honorees John Weinike of Ken Garff Ford Greeley, Chris Dempsey and Joe Rozinski. –

Fleet Leadership Award: Joe Murzynsky

Associate Member Impact Award: Jon Wieneke – Ken Garff Ford Greeley, CO

Fleet Operations Champion Award: Chirs Dempsey, CO Chapter and Brenton Messner, Nevada Chapter

Evelsizer says the reactions from the Colorado recipients were among the moments that stood out to him. Weinike, Dempsey and Murzynsky were “absolutely blown away” by the recognition.

“To be able to have those awards hits home,” Evelsizer says. “It was nice to see Colorado have such strong representation, too.”

For Gonzales, the atmosphere surrounding the anniversary made this FleetCon different from earlier ones.

“It was more formal. It was an evening banquet. People were excited about it,” he says. “There was a good buzz about it, and people were excited.”

The contrast was fitting. The tools and technologies may look different than they did in 1976, but the association’s central purpose stays the same: Give fleet professionals a place to learn from one another.

The Road to Las Vegas

With its 50th anniversary celebration in the rearview mirror, FleetPros is already looking down the road. Its next stop is FleetCon 2027 at Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

“Obviously, it’s Las Vegas,” Evelsizer says. “The location is great. I’m excited for it.”

There’s a reason for that excitement. Gonzales says FleetPros attracted more sponsorship dollars for FleetCon 2026 than ever before, while vendor demand was strong enough that the organization had to turn some exhibitors away.

Growth involves more than just filling booths or conference seats. For Evelsizer and Gonzales, it means developing technicians. They want to prepare the next generation of fleet leaders. They also aim to protect the free exchange of ideas that has defined FleetPros for 50 years.