Colorado dealer Dwayne Dodd defeated Georgia dealer Randle Smith for the position of president-elect of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) by one vote. Dodd will serve as president-elect for a year before replacing current president Mike Cunningham in 2004. The runner up was Randle Smith, owner of Smith Auto Sales in Dalton, Ga., and was considered by Executive Vice President Mike Linn just as qualified as Dodd for the job.

Dodd is the owner of Modern Classic Motors in Grand Junction, Colo., and owns another dealership in Montrose, Colo. And sells about 1,200 vehicles per year. He most recently served as Region 5 vice president with NIADA and IADA chairman of the board of directors in Colorado.

Dodd will be responsible for coordinating activities between other executive committee members and Cunningham and Linn. Dodd said he sees part of his job as furthering dealer education and helping create new benefits for NIADA members, particularly insurance benefits.