NADA Recruits New President

The National Automobile Dealers Assn. has hired Peter Welch, CEO of the California New Car Dealers Assn., as NADA's new president, effective Feb. 1.

Welch succeeds Phil Brady, who left the McLean, Va.-based group in July after 12 years as president to take a corporate job. Joe Cowden, NADA's chief operating officer and CFO has been acting as interim president.

During Welch's nine-year tenure at CNCDA, the California group pressured regulators to enforce franchise laws that prohibit carmakers from operating dealerships, according to Automotive News. The newspaper says Welch also persuaded state lawmakers to exclude dealers from strict new lending laws.