History

I first attended EUFMC in 1983. As the previous fleet manager for a telephone company, I had little experience with equipment used in electric utilities. As a newcomer, EUFMC immediately gave me great insight into equipment and practices, and more importantly the networking was invaluable and a resource of great knowledge. Now, I could connect with people who gave me answers or helped me find them. One of the best things about EUFMC has always been the quality of the content that is presented. This conference is the most complete and beneficial event a fleet manager can attend. I’ve been to a lot of different conferences, but nothing compares to EUFMC.

EUFMC was a wealth of electric utility fleet information during my years attending the conference. The contacts I made and networking were extremely beneficial. The daily operation of an electric utility fleet is quite unique in the fleet industry and meeting with peers provided more insight than I found anywhere else. New procedures with electrical testing, biofuels, mobile fueling, fleet licensing, and seeing the latest aerial device technology, were just some of the subjects that you can’t find anywhere else in one location.

The uniqueness, the magic, the beauty of EUFMC is how it stays true to the tradition of educating fleet managers. Today, that is still seen in how current challenges facing the industry are interwoven with the tradition started by its founders. Lasting relationships that come from participation are also part of the foundation of EUFMC where fleet managers can ask for help, realize they are not alone on an island and instead have an entire world of support available to them from other fleets and suppliers.

EUFMC is the most beneficial and educational event that I had the privilege to attend as a fleet manager. The subjects covered in the General Session provided a wealth of resources that assist the attendees in managing a utility fleet. The relationships that developed from participating in the annual conference also proved to be extremely valuable and long lasting, and many of those relationships evolved into life-long friendships.

It’s hard to imagine that any group can stick to its founding principles after so long. But this group of industry professionals seems to be endowed with a healthy 1950s work ethic of “an honest day’s pay for an honest day worked.” Yes it has grown significantly, and the topics of conference discussions have changed with evolving technology and work practices, but the groups’ fundamental reason for assembling in the Colonial Capital year after year hasn’t. Fleet managers come to Williamsburg to learn and share.

EUFMC is a close knit group that accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time. It was always a pleasure to work with other fleet managers. The bottom line is that this was a good organization and it still is.

The quality of the people who attend EUFMC has always been great, and that includes the way the conference involves spouses. Having your family there made it more like a working vacation, and that was enjoyable. It has also led to many personal relationships with people who are our friends to this day.

While some of the original manufacturers at EUFMC are no longer in business, there has always been an effort by suppliers to bring engineers to the show, people who can talk to fleets, listen to their suggestions and solve problems. That’s one reason it was always desirable to be invited. It’s an original concept that still stands because it’s a good one.

About 45 years ago when I first started attending EUFMC the event was less organized, and of course it was much smaller. There were also special needs to be met. For example, we had to use ramps to get equipment over curbs safely, and in front of the golf course we often removed and replanted shrubs, and even trimmed trees so aerials could be put in the air.

As a fleet manager on the west coast, I regularly read about the invitation-only fleet managers’ conference held in Williamsburg each year. After ten years as a fleet manager, I received an invitation to attend and was thrilled as could be. All the larger and more innovative utilities seemed to be in attendance each year and I was excited to finally meet some of the movers and shakers who were often highlighted in the trade journals. The attendance, organization and cutting edge presentations and activities were everything I had anticipated.