San Diego International Auto Show hires Leap as director
The San Diego International Auto Show (SDIAS), one of Southern California’s most prestigious automotive events, announced Wednesday it has named former media executive Kevin Leap as auto show director.
The announcement was made by Dean Mansfield, president, New Car Dealers Association of San Diego County (NCDA), which owns the SDIAS.
“I’m jumping in with both feet,” Leap said in a posting on his Web site.
Leap, a publishing and marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience, most recently was president of Los Angeles-based Modern Luxury Magazines, publishers of Angeleno and Riviera magazines of Orange and San Diego counties, respectively. Leap joined Modern Luxury in April 2005 and left the company in the fall of that year.
Leap was publisher of San Diego Magazine before he joined Modern Luxury. He was replaced at San Diego Magazine by Maureen Sullivan, who was the magazine’s general manager at the time. The publication is currently owned by Curtco Media, publishers of the high-end Robb Report.
Leap is also experienced in event management having produced the California Computer Expo for the Computer Publishing Enterprises.
“When we created this position we knew it would require the talent of someone with drive and creativity, who could keep pace with the dynamic auto show business,” says Mansfield. “Kevin is a bright and highly energetic individual with an extremely positive attitude. Auto manufacturers will appreciate his cooperative spirit and customer-centric focus; and we’re just lucky to have him.”
Leap will report to the NCDA president, and assumed his new auto show responsibilities May 22, 2006.
The decision to bring show operations in house was made by Mansfield with the support of the NCDA Board of Directors after great consideration. The new position means the end of the show’s relationship with producer Motor Trend Auto Shows, Inc. which Mansfield describes as “an important asset to our show’s growth and development
