In addition to its current chair imploring franchise dealers to continue participating in hurricane relief efforts, the National Automobile Dealers Association announced its next round of leadership succession.

Castriota Chevrolet owner Tom Castriota, who is currently NADA’s vice chairman, will succeed Gilchrist Chevrolet Buick GMC president Gary Gilchrist as 2025 NADA chairman.

Elected 2025 vice chairman was Rob Cochran, president and CEO of #1 Cochran, a dealer group in Pennsylvania.

Cochran is currently the NADA Industry Relations Committee chairman and has been on the association’s board of directors since 2020.

“I am humbled and grateful to become the next NADA Chairman,” Castriota said in a news release. “I want every dealer and dealership employee to know that NADA will continue to be the strong voice of the dealer that you need.

“NADA, along with our state and metro associations, is here to protect and promote our franchise system. NADA will continue, through our Dealer Attitude Survey, to bring the dealers’ concerns to their perspective OEMs,” he said. “And finally, NADA will continue to be the dealers’ influential voice before Congress, the administration and federal regulators, and the courts.”

Cochran added: “I am incredibly honored to be elected NADA 2025 vice chairman. So much of what we do as dealers is about families. Our own families, our families of employees, and the families within our communities. And of course, our big family of franchised dealers all across the country.

“The privilege of working on behalf of our families is powerfully motivating to me, and I will do everything I can to advance the needs and priorities of franchised dealers everywhere.”

The election was held Tuesday during NADA’s board meeting. Also elected were Robert Vail, president of Vail Buick GMC, who was re-elected as secretary. Re-elected as treasurer was Kirt Frye, president of Sunnyside Automotive Group.

The new terms begin during January’s NADA Show 2025 in New Orleans.

NADA urges dealers to continue hurricane relief efforts

In other NADA news, Gilchrist, the current chairman, is urging his fellow dealers and Automotive Trade Association Executives to continue helping the relief efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The NADA Foundation Emergency Relief Fund has been activated and is designed to provide financial assistance to dealership employees who have been impacted by the natural disasters.

“We need more donations. And we need them from across the country. Emergency Relief Funds are going exactly where they should, but we need to keep the fund healthy,” Gilchrist wrote in his letter to directors and ATAEs for October. “And not just to support dealer employees who need our help today, but to be prepared to act quickly when the next disaster strikes.”

He would go to share several examples of dealers in recent weeks who have lent a hand in the wake of the storms.

“Franchised dealerships will always step up to support each other, our employees and our neighbors,” Gilchrist wrote.

“But our family is everywhere. No matter where you are, please consider making a donation to the NADA Foundation Emergency Relief Fund if you haven’t already. You can make a big difference. And I know you will.”

Donations can be made here.