Industry Association Veteran Wade Newton Named to Lead Communications Shop
May 6, 2020 – The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators), the single, unified industry voice representing innovative manufacturers and value chain partners who together produce nearly 99 percent of U.S.-sold light-duty vehicles, today named Wade Newton to the post of Vice President, Communications, where he will serve in the Washington, DC, office. Newton has more than a dozen years of experience in auto policy, and assumes the position after working on the team that launched the newly-created Auto Innovators earlier this year. Prior to helping start-up Auto Innovators, Newton served as Senior Director of Communications at one of the association’s predecessor organizations, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. That organization represented twelve automakers based in the United States, Europe and Asia, and addressed policy issues including automated vehicles, the environment and automotive safety.
“Today, the industry is in a critical, and unprecedented time of change,” said Auto Innovators President and CEO John Bozzella. “Having a clear vision of how we articulate this transformation to key audiences is essential to how the industry continues evolving. Wade will play a key role in guiding the industry’s communications with key reporters and stakeholders. He’ll also be charged with executing our broader communications strategy while providing services to our member companies and association staff.”
In his new role, he will continue focusing on the industry’s unwavering advancements in making cleaner, safer, smarter vehicles; while also providing support to Auto Innovators leadership and policy committees as the association advances key industry communication strategies on behalf of its members. Additionally, Newton will work with others on the Auto Innovators team to provide key, data-driven insights and information to association members through new, online communications.
“Auto Innovators members are endless sources of good stories to tell,” said Newton. “Autos out in showrooms today have technology that many would have thought to be science-fiction just a few years ago. But new technologies that make cars and trucks cleaner, safer and smarter are here now, and even more technology is on the way.”
Prior to joining the auto industry, Newton served on Capitol Hill as a press secretary for a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee member and in the communications office of a construction industry trade association. Newton began his career as a television journalist after graduating from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
Newton assumes his new duties immediately.