WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut is taking over as head of the Motion Picture Association of America.

The group on Tuesday named Dodd as its new chairman and chief executive officer. Dodd begins his new job March 17.

Dodd served for three decades in the Senate and played a key role in overseeing passage of the sweeping financial reform package while serving as head of the Senate banking panel.

Dodd succeeds Dan Glickman, a former Kansas congressman and Secretary of Agriculture who took over the job in 2004 from Jack Valenti, who died in 2007.

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