AUTOMOTIVE

New Director Due: Members of the Orange County Motor Car Dealers Assn. will be introduced to the 52-year-old trade group’s new executive director, Rod Alberts, at its summer meeting Thursday.

Offsetting the hellos will be goodbys to retiring director Jim Upp, who has run the organization since 1980.

Upp, a former Los Angeles region Ford marketing executive, said he is heading into semi-retirement. He plans to play, but also will remain a part-time consultant to the dealer group, helping run the service technician training program it sponsors in conjunction with Fullerton and Saddleback community colleges. Upp said he also will do some free-lance marketing consulting.

Alberts, who officially starts July 2, comes to Orange County from a stint as assistant vice president of the Arkansas New Car Dealers Assn.