Tara Baukus Mello, Seasoned Automotive Industry Veteran, Joins NADAguides.com as Senior Writer and Lead Market Analyst
COSTA MESA, Calif., April 8, 2008 -- NADAguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com/), a leading vehicle information website, today announced it has appointed Tara Baukus Mello -- a 20-year veteran journalist who has specialized in automotive topics for 14 years -- as its new Senior Writer and Lead Market Analyst.
Mello will serve as the company's media spokesperson, the driving force behind the development of the company's press announcements, editor of automotive content within various areas of the NADAguides.com website, expert reviewer of new vehicles and lead company representative at various automotive shows.
She is the published author of more than 3,500 articles for media outlets such as New York Times, Woman's Day, Parade, Westways, cNet.com, Automotive News, Woman's World and NADA's AutoExec Magazine, to name a few. She has written about many different automotive topics, including new vehicle reviews, consumer and general interest information, technical tips and how-to advice, auto events, environmental issues and enthusiast subjects. She has also authored 10 non-fiction chapter books for children, seven of which focus on automotive topics.
Mello's freelance career also included roles as the news anchor of Motor Trend Radio and the U.S. West coast editor of Automotive World -- a spin-off of London's Financial Times. She began her career as an automotive journalist at Petersen Publishing, now part of SourceInterlink, where she was editor of special interest publications in the company's Automotive Performance Group.
Mello is a long-standing member of Motor Press Guild, the International Motor Press Association, the Specialty Equipment Market Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She also serves as juror for the Car Collector Hobby Person of the Year, also known as The Meguiar's Award.
"Tara's experience speaks for itself," said Don Christy, Jr., president and CEO at NADAguides.com. "She's an expert journalist, a published author,
a former radio news anchor and a highly-regarded automotive industry veteran. What's more, she's a die-hard enthusiast who intrinsically understands and appreciates all types of vehicles. We're proud to make her a part of the NADAguides.com team."
Mello's interest in the automotive industry was fostered when she built a 1932 Ford pickup street rod with her father, which received an award in 1992 by the National Street Rod Association.
In addition to her in-depth automotive editorial experience, Mello has conducted seminars and workshops on car care and other consumer-related automotive topics. In 2002, Mello's car care clinic, Let's Talk Car Care, received an award from the Car Care Council. She has also produced written and oral automotive training materials for industry professionals. She graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and a concentration in writing.
About NADAguides.com
N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides (NADAguides.com) is the world's largest publisher of vehicle pricing and specification information for new and used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, as well as van conversions, limousines, classic and collectible cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft and manufactured housing. The company's consumer website, NADAguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com/), offers a variety of new and used vehicle services in addition to valuation information. Throughout its 75-year history, N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides has earned the reputation as the recognized authority for vehicle valuations. Its website, NADAguides.com, is the most comprehensive vehicle information resource on the Internet today.