Rob Cochran In Line To Be
NADA Chairman In 2026

The National Automobile Dealers Association picked Pennsylvania retailer Rob Cochran as vice chairman for 2025, indicating he is likely to be the group's chairman in 2026, NADA announced Oct. 22.

The NADA vice chair typically assumes the top spot a year later, and the group continued that trend with the election held during its board meeting Oct. 22. Voters chose Vice Chairman Tom Castriota to become chairman in 2025. Cochran's and Castriota's terms will begin during the NADA Show in January, the association said.

"I am incredibly honored to be elected NADA 2025 Vice Chairman," Cochran, the CEO of #1 Cochran Automotive, said in a statement. "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."

Cochran, 58, has been on the NADA board since 2020 and has been the chairman of the NADA industry relations committee. His #1 Cochran group, of Monroeville, Pa., ranks No. 39 on Automotive News' list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S., with retail sales of 22,015 new vehicles in 2023.

Castriota, 70, owns Castriota Chevrolet in Hudson, Fla., with his wife, Anita, and has been on the NADA board since 2016. He will succeed Gary Gilchrist, president of Gilchrist Chevrolet-Buick-GMC in Tacoma, Wash.

"I am humbled and grateful to become the next NADA Chairman," Castriota said in a statement. "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. And finally, NADA will continue to be the dealers' influential voice before Congress, the administration and federal regulators, and the courts."

NADA reelected Robert Vail, president of Vail Buick-GMC in Bedford Hills, N.Y., as secretary and Kirt Frye, president of Sunnyside Automotive Group in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, as treasurer. Like the offces of chairman and vice chairman, the positions carry one-year terms, which start during the NADA Show