After 34 years of service, AAA Northeast Regional General Manager Ed Welsh announced his retirement from AAA effective July 31, 2019. Welsh started his career at AAA in 1985 working for the AAA National office and established the AAA – Approved Auto Repair program for 3 Upstate New York AAA Clubs. In 1990 he became the Auto Club Manager for AAA Utica & Central New York. In 1991 he was promoted to Vice President of Operations, Marketing & Public Affairs. In 2007 he was named Regional General Manager for AAA New York and retained that position in 2015 when AAA Northeast was formed.
During his long career at AAA, Welsh served on numerous AAA New York State Association Committees, worked on Legislative and Traffic Safety Issues, advocated for motorists in Albany and Washington and has served as a spokesperson for AAA. From 1995 through 2000, he served on the AAA National Automotive Sub-Committee which governed automotive programs for AAA. In 1998, he was a pioneer of the Mobile AAA Battery Service bringing the second Battery Service Vehicle in the United States to Utica to help beta test the program. In 2010, he was instrumental in helping AAA expand its Road Service Call Center in Utica that brought over 100 new jobs to the region. In 2016, he assisted AAA in expanding their footprint by adding Travel Call Center jobs and a new Branch Office in New Hartford. In 2017, he assisted in bringing Insurance Services and the Exclusive Vacations call center to Utica. In 2018, he helped oversee the building of a new Branch Office in Oneonta and in 2018 and in 2019, he helped plan and manage the renovation of 430 Court St. office building in Utica which will house the AAA Regional Call Centers, AAA Battery Service and a new Branch office that will be completed this fall. Local employment at AAA stands at 197 employees and growing.
When asked about his career at AAA, Welsh said: “I first encountered the AAA brand when I served on the School Safety Patrol at PS 100 in Queens New York as a youngster and knew the AAA brand was special. I was thrilled to become a AAA employee 34 years ago and it has been an honor and privilege to work for our members and our staff all these years. Helping and serving others as a way of life is the AAA Northeast ethos. I have always been proud of our company and have felt fortunate to be small part of such a great organization.”