For Mike Stanton, leading the nation's largest franchised dealer association is a "dream opportunity."
As the Washington, D.C., native settles into the role of CEO of the National Automobile Dealers Association this month, the opportunity comes with an unprecedented challenge for a new leader: steering the organization and its 16,000-plus members through the coronavirus pandemic.
But Stanton, who started his career at NADA in 2000 and most recently managed its daily operations as COO, has the advantage of seeing firsthand how the association was led through periods of crisis and stability under three former leaders: Frank McCarthy, Phil Brady and newly retired Peter Welch.