The first order of business at the 2025 NIADA Convention and Expo is complete: the association has a new president.

Minnesota dealer Don Griffin was elected president of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association during the Monday membership meeting that kicked off the convention at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

Griffin, CEO and founder of CarHop in Minneapolis, has served on NIADA’s board of directors since 2021.

He said the priorities for his one-year term include promoting legislative advocacy by the NIADA member dealers.

The association hired Washington lobbying firm Hance Scarborough and added Patrick O’Brien as director of government relations and compliance during the past year, but Griffin said it’s just as important for dealers to stay engaged with government officials as state attorneys general and regulatory agencies become more active.

“Regulatory changes and sometimes overreach have been a challenge for the industry,” he said. “I think that’s why NIADA’s efforts to help legislators and regulators understand the importance of our business and the challenges are important.

“Increasing our advocacy is very important through grass roots lobbying, the political action committee or meeting face to face with legislators.”

Before becoming a car dealer, Griffin was director of operations for the South Dakota attorney general. He entered the auto industry with a Byrider buy here-pay here store in Lincoln, Neb., and started CarHop along with a partner in 1996, with little money and doing every job from sales to washing the cars.

The business now has 33 locations in 11 states.

“I’ve been a small guy. I’ve been a bigger guy. The challenges of the businesses are essentially the same,” Griffin said. “The way we go out and approach our customers is the same. As you spread across different markets, that creates more challenges for our business. It’s been a great business for us. The best part is the ability to help our customers.”

Griffin said he plans to meet dealer across the country during his tenure.

“I’ll be listening to the other dealers, the partners, the state affiliates and trying to do the best job of representing their needs and building an association that’s the best voice for dealers,” he said.

The 2025-26 NIADA board, elected during the membership meeting, includes:

President: Don Griffin

President-elect: Darla Booher

Senior vice president: Dan Johnson

Treasurer: Bentley Nolan

Secretary: Chris Maher

Region 1 vice president: Donald Sullivan Jr.

Region 2 vice president: Jack Carter

Region 3 vice president: Otto Hahne

Region 4 vice president: Greg Zak

Region 5 vice president: Mark Weida

Region 6 vice president: Nick Markosian

Chairman of the board: Michael Darrow