Kirk R. Nelson has been named president and CEO of AAA Washington. He succeeds Charlie Liekweg of the Bellevue-based company upon his retirement. Nelson will assume his new role on April 1.

AAA Washington provides more than one million members in Washington and northern Idaho with roadside assistance, leisure travel services and personal-lines insurance products.

Nelson comes to AAA Washington from Qwest Communications, where he has been the Washington president since 1999. Nelson also has extensive experience as a civic leader, including being former chairman of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Association of Washington Business (AWB), the Community Development Roundtable, and the Seattle-King County Sports and Events Council.