From the Office of the Executive Director

Dear Friends:

As winter sets in and the snow begins to fly, we take time to look back on one of the most successful years ever here at the NAFTC. In October, we held the fourth installment of National AFV Day Odyssey, our largest event ever! This year’s event attracted 90 host sites, over 125,000 attendees, and participation in 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada. I thank all of you for your participation and continued support of the NAFTC and National AFV Day Odyssey. With your continued support, Odyssey can be even bigger in 2010, so even more people will hear our message!

Also in the news, the NAFTC hosted its inaugural "Clean Air & Energy Independence" Conference in June at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville, NC. With the theme of "Exploring Innovations in Next Generation Vehicles," attendees, including Clean Cities Coordinators, industry leaders, and government officials were provided with the latest information on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. It was great to see many of you there. You can read more about the conference in the article " NAFTC’s "Clean Air & Energy Independence" Conference – A Huge Success!"

The industry has also been booming throughout 2008. With fluctuating gas prices and an ever stronger outcry for ending our dependence on foreign oil, many new investments in research have been allotted to alternative energy. This is especially evident in two articles from past eNews issues, " GE Invests In Next Generation Vehicle" and "U.S. DOE Invests Millions on Biofuels Advancements." I think that 2009 will bring about even more success and new implementations from these efforts.

I would also like to welcome our newest National Training Centers that joined the NAFTC in 2008: Central Piedmont Community College-Levine Campus in Charlotte, NC; Lawson State Community College in Bessemer, AL; Salt Lake Community College-Miller Campus in Salt Lake City, UT; Utah Valley University in Orem, UT; Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, WA; and Yuba College in Marysville, CA.

Sincerely,

Al Ebron
NAFTC Executive Director