CONCORD, NH – Donna Gaudet Hosmer of AutoServ Dealer Group was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association (NHADA) at the association’s annual meeting May 22 at the Radisson Hotel Manchester.
Ms. Hosmer, who has served in numerous capacities on the trade association’s board, has just completed a one-year term as first vice chair. She has served on the board since 1997.
Ms. Hosmer is an owner, along with her father, Paul Gaudet, Sr., and two brothers, Dennis Gaudet and Paul Gaudet, Jr., of two franchised dealerships, the first being established in 1991; a repair shop; and a body shop; all located in Tilton, Belmont, and Plymouth. Their franchises include Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Nissan, Kia, and Volkswagen.
In comments before a group of roughly 300 automotive industry professionals at the NHADA’s annual meeting, Ms. Hosmer stated: “I recognize with this title comes a great responsibility to the 584 member businesses and their 14,000 plus employees (belonging to the association).
“Our association is taken very seriously both in Concord and also nationally, and I pledge to continue be a strong voice, forcefully advocating for the rights and best interests of our association and its members.”
This has been a big year for Ms. Hosmer, who last fall was named New Hampshire TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year; the prestigious designation is awarded to a standout professional within the automobile dealer trade who exemplifies the highest business practices and involvement in their community.
Ms. Hosmer graduated from Suffolk Law School, cum laude and was admitted to practice in New Hampshire in 1991 and in Maine in 1996. She’s served as an incorporator of the Belknap County Economic Development Council and on the New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board. She’s been serving as a member of the Laconia Airport Authority since 2008; as an appointee to U.S. Sen. Shaheen’s Small Business Advisory Council since 2009, she’s a member, honorary Paul Harris fellow, and past president (1997) of the Tilton-Northfield Rotary Club; serves on the Holy Trinity School Board and the Governor’s Island board of directors, as well as oversees a seasonal summer camp for neighborhood children. She’s married to Andrew Hosmer, currently a candidate for the NH Senate, and the mother of four young children. Donna also enjoys singing in the Sacred Heart Parish choir.
The NHADA is a statewide trade association with a staff of 30 professionals, representing close to 550 businesses in the motor vehicle industry with over 14,000 employees. Members run the entire gamut of the motor vehicle industry, including new-car and -truck dealers; motorcycle and recreational vehicle dealers; farm, power, and construction equipment dealers; used-vehicle dealers and recyclers; repair shops, body shops, and parts stores; and other companies that have ties with the motor vehicle industry. Annual retail sales for all members are in excess of $3.8 billion and account for over 24 percent of all retail sales in New Hampshire. More information can be found at www.nhada.com.