This issue marks the end of my tenure as editor of Utility Fleet Professional magazine. After a decade of serving this incredible community, I’m retiring from the editorial world to pursue my next chapter.
It’s been an honor.
Before joining UFP, I spent years selling GM and Isuzu medium-duty trucks, ranking among the top 25 reps in the country. I started writing for fleet publications in 2006 while still in sales and began contributing to UFP in 2013. In February 2015, I assumed the editor role and haven’t looked back since.
What struck me from the beginning is the level of expertise required to succeed in fleet management in the utility sector. The complexity of your operations, the regulatory landscape you navigate, and the critical role you play in keeping the lights on demand a unique combination of technical knowledge, leadership and strategic thinking.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Utility Business Media for providing me with this platform and entrusting me with this responsibility for the past decade. But my deepest thanks go to Kate Wade, our managing editor, who will be taking the helm of UFP in 2026.
Kate has made me a much better writer, a sharper editor and a more thoughtful journalist. Her healthy obsession with the details and commitment to producing the highest-quality book have elevated everything we do. UFP couldn’t be in better hands.
As for what’s next: I’m going all-in on building Systematic Selling, my sales systems training company for growth-minded business owners and their sales teams in the trades. We teach a no-pressure, no-drama approach to sales built on a simple premise: Sales isn’t about convincing people to buy. It’s about finding or creating alignment between the customer’s problem and your solution.
That philosophy was shaped by my years in sales and refined by the leadership principles I’ve learned from covering this industry – many of which I’ve shared with you in these pages over the years.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support of UFP over the years. I’ve cherished your trust, your feedback and your willingness to share your stories. You’ve made being editor of UFP an absolute privilege.
With immense gratitude,
Sean M. Lyden
Editor
