From Fleet Operator to OEM Leader: Tina Kourakos’ Career Lessons

Fleet management may revolve around vehicles, but Tina Kourakos’ career shows that relationships, communication, and a willingness to keep learning are what truly move the industry forward.

In this episode of Fleet Legends, Lauren Fletcher sits down with longtime fleet professional Tina Kourakos to reflect on a career spanning strategic sourcing, fleet operations, safety, account management, and national commercial fleet leadership.

Kourakos shares how she unexpectedly found her way into fleet, went on to manage major fleet and safety programs at Cigna and Sanofi-Aventis, and later brought that operator experience to Subaru of America as national commercial fleet sales manager.

The conversation looks at how fleet technology and vehicle safety have evolved, why new fleet managers should never be afraid to ask questions, and how strong industry relationships can help solve challenges that no report or email can fix alone.

Kourakos also shares practical advice on building trust within a team, listening to drivers, making better use of fleet data, and continuing to learn throughout every stage of a fleet career.