Will lead association’s 50-state advocacy network on policies related to electrification, franchise, right to repair, consumer privacy and more
WASHINGTON, DC – Alliance for Automotive Innovation named Wayne Weikel as Vice President, State Affairs. He will lead the association’s 50-state advocacy network on policies related to electrification, franchise, right to repair, consumer privacy, data, autonomous vehicles among others.
Weikel joined the association in 2012 and has worked in state capitals across the country, most recently the northeast. He is a subject matter expert on vehicle data and repair.
John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said: “Automotive policy is increasingly developed and enacted not in Washington, DC but in every state capital. Wayne is a great addition to our senior leadership team – with deep experience in statehouses and extensive knowledge in the mobility policies needed for a cleaner, safer and smarter transportation future.”
“I go to bed every night with a car magazine nearby and still spend hours with a wrench in my greasy hands, so it’s an honor to take on this role on behalf of an industry I love,” said Weikel. “The auto industry touches every person’s life in one way or another. That means the transition to electrification and automation will impact everyone. Automakers have an economic impact in every state, and our team is committed to accelerating the transportation transformation and ensuring the industry remains an engine of growth.”
Weikel is active with the Collision Industry Conference, an industry forum to improve the collision repair process for independent repairers and consumers. He previously served as a board member of the OEM Collision Parts Roundtable.
He spent a decade as senior staff with the Massachusetts House of Representatives, including as chief of staff of the House Committee on Ways and Means, where he oversaw the development of the state’s $27 billion annual budget. He also served as chief of staff of the Joint Committee on Financial Services under current Speaker Ron Mariano and was part of the negotiating team that produced the Commonwealth’s universal health insurance plan.