Tim MacCarthy, veteran lobbyist, dies at 65
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MacCarthy, who was 65, was known especially for his tact and his ability to unite the industry on trade issues. He played a critical role in portraying import manufacturers as good corporate citizens and educating the public on transplants' investment in the United States.
In 1997, for example, when a fire destroyed the U.S. Olympic team's bobsled before the competition, MacCarthy, then Nissan North America's vice president for government affairs, had the automaker send the team $30,000 for a replacement sled.
He also was behind Nissan's newspaper and magazine ad campaign showing U.S.-made Altima sedans painted in stars-and-stripes.
"He positively affected automobile policies concerning safety, trade, the environment and energy," said Mike Stanton, president of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, a colleague and friend. "You couldn't find a more honest, decent and caring individual."
MacCarthy spent 15 years with the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, which mainly represented domestic automakers, before heading up Nissan North America's Washington office in 1990. He was president of AIAM from 2000 until his retirement in 2006.
Cody Lusk, president of the American International Automobile Dealers Association, described MacCarthy as "one of the most well-liked people" in Washington.
"Tim stood out for his work on behalf of the industry," Lusk said. "He was the glue that kept the industry together, and he did it with intellect, humor and kindness."
MacCarthy is survived by his wife, Marilu MacCarthy, three children and four grandchildren. Friends may call at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 3304 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22201 on Friday, May 7, from 10:30 a.m. until the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC Box 3624, Durham, N.C. 27710.
