NADA names Stanton as its new COO

January 10, 2018 12:00 AM

Mike Stanton, 49, first started at NADA in May 2000.

The National Automobile Dealers Association has named J.D. Power's Mike Stanton as its new COO.

This will be Stanton's second time at NADA, a trade association in Tysons, Va., representing more than 16,500 dealer members.

Stanton, 49, first started at NADA in May 2000 as the national sales manager for the NADA Used Car Guide.

In 2002, he became executive director of industry affairs, serving in that role until 2006. He later was COO of the NADA Used Car Guide until joining J.D. Power's Vehicle Valuation Practice as general manager after J.D. Power acquired the Car Guide in 2015.

"I am excited to be back at NADA and have the opportunity to enhance existing relationships and develop new ones to support franchised new-car and -truck dealerships and our industry," Stanton said in a statement.

Before rehiring Stanton, Joe Cowden served as NADA's COO and CFO. Cowden will continue as CFO, overseeing all aspects of NADA's finances.

'Bench strength'

Stanton will work on "strategic and operational issues" and developing new business opportunities, NADA said in a statement. Stanton also will oversee the information technology and economics and data analytics departments. He will head NADA's affinity programs, the group said.

"Mike is a proven NADA leader who will add bench strength to our team," said NADA CEO Peter Welch. "He has worked many years gaining vast experience and building key relationships and partnerships throughout the automobile industry and beyond."

Before joining NADA in 2000, Stanton worked for Nissan Motor and Isuzu North America, primarily assisting dealers with their sales and service operations.

Stanton, who lives in Washington, D.C., earned a bachelor's degree in political science from James Madison University in 1990 and an MBA from Virginia Tech in 2002.