Jim Petrillo wins Fleet Manager of the Year 2021

Jim Petrillo has consistently demonstrated his ability to expertly manage his company’s fleet. This includes his creation and implementation of a comprehensive safety program.

In 2017, Petrillo recognized a need for increased safety initiative within FujiFilm’s fleet. He elected to develop a customized safety program from scratch. In 2019, Petrillo extended this initiative to include a virtual risk manager program that was designed to work to measurably reduce collisions and incidents caused by risky driving. He has applied his industry knowledge with great effect recently by identifying and securing cost-effective vehicles which include safety features such as blindside monitors and emergency braking as standard, rather than upgrading at significant cost to more expensive models. Since implementation of the safety program, FujiFilm has experienced a more than 25% decrease in annualized incident rate.

Petrillo not only weathered the COVID-19 storm in 2020, but flourished, researching and identifying suitable participants for an electric vehicle pilot program. As Fleet Manager for FujiFilm, Petrillo manages over 1,500 vehicles.

Ricardo Fonzaghi, chief commercial officer, LeasePlan USA said, "Jim is extremely knowledgeable, positive and fair. A gentleman that has always been a pleasure to work with and share ideas and experiences."

Jon Stafford, senior vice president, corporate fleet, LeasePlan USA said, "Working with Jim is a privilege. He has always been an engaged, professional and very knowledgeable partner. I believe that Jim is committed to improving not only the fleet at FUJIFILM but the entire industry."

Mark Kurth, national vice president, client success, LeasePlan USA said, "I started working with Jim about eleven years ago and have forged a strong work partnership, but also a true friendship. Jim is great when it comes to collaborating on new ideas and services we have brought to him. Not everything works, but he is always willing to try and see how our offerings can benefit FUJIFILM and their fleet. He also has some of the best networking skills I've ever encountered, which has undoubtedly contributed to his success in this industry. He is always eager to learn and share his insights with others."

From automotivefleet.com:

The Fleet Manager of the Year was created to recognize a proficient fleet manager who has demonstrated special business acumen in developing and executing key management policies in all areas. Eligible nominees are full-time commercial fleet managers who control a company-owned or leased fleet in excess of 100 cars and/or light trucks combined, and nominees are recognized nationally among their peers for their unique abilities and accomplishments.

After the 2008 financial crisis, FujiFilm was shoring up many of its departments and Petrillo found the fleet at his office door, so to speak.

“The VP decided it’d be a good fit for me, and I was excited about the opportunity. I’d always had a passion for cars, so the opportunity to geek out on technical details, prices, new models, contemporary safety features and more intrigued me.”