Mayor Ardy Kassakhian Named President of California State New Motor Vehicle Board

SACRAMENTO—The California State New Motor Vehicle Board voted to appoint Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian as its next President.  Kassakhian is serving in his second term as a member of the New Motor Vehicle Board.  He was first appointed in 2016 and was recently reappointed by the California Senate Rules Committee.

“I am humbled by the trust my colleagues have placed in me to continue serving the great state of California on this Board,” stated Kassakhian. “This board has come together to address many issues as they relate to motor vehicle manufacturing and sales including but not limited to the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the automotive industry. We will continue to monitor emerging trends and new technology in the industries under our purview and work collaboratively with manufacturers and dealerships.”

The NMVB’s mission is to enhance relations between automobile dealers and manufacturers throughout the state by resolving disputes in the new motor vehicle industry in an efficient, fair and cost-effective manner. The Board’s statutory jurisdiction extends to any person applying for or holding a license as a new motor vehicle dealer, manufacturer, manufacturer branch, distributor, distributor branch, or representative.  Administrative support for the Board’s activities is provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Kassakhian serves on the Glendale City Council having been elected in 2020 and after 15 years of service as its elected City Clerk. Kassakhian is currently serving in his first term as the Mayor of the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County.  He is also Glendale’s appointed representative to the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors.  Kassakhian is an adjunct instructor of Political Science at Glendale Community College. He is the founder and president of Aquila Communications, LLC, a public affairs and strategic communications firm.