SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Motor Car Dealers Association elected Ed Fitzpatrick as its 2005 chairman. Fitzpatrick is the president of four California dealerships.

Fitzpatrick, one of the most successful African-American new-car dealers in California, started his auto career as a management trainee for the Dodge Division of Chrysler Corp. After serving in several management positions at Chrysler, he became the dealer placement administrator at Toyota Motor Sales. He subsequently was the national dealer development manager at Mitsubishi Motor Sales. After 17 years being responsible for dealer performance, he bought into a Chrysler Plymouth dealership in Renton, Wash.

Fitzpatrick now oversees Valley Lexus, Valley Infiniti and Valley BMW in Modesto, Calif., and Coliseum Lexus of Oakland (Calif.).

As chairman, Fitzpatrick said he looks forward to working with more than 1,400 member dealers to carry out the association's strategic goals. He also anticipates dealing with issues such as the Car Buyer's Bill of Rights in 2005.

CMCDA also installed six new directors. They are: John Boulianne, Moreno Valley Ford Pontiac, Buick GMC; Loren Campbel, Bob Baker Chevrolet Subaru, El Cajon; Jim Crowley, North County Ford; Raymond Enos, Downtown Ford Sales; Dennis Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatrick Chevrolet Buick; Chuck Haddad, Haddad Dodge Kia.