AMN Drivetime: MEMA Leaders Chat About The Future

AMN Drivetime: MEMA Leaders Chat About The Future

MEMA leaders sat down with Bill Babcox to share a few updates on the realignment of the association announced in November.

In mid-November, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) made a major announcement about a new business structure to better position the organization and the vehicle supplier community for the future. The 118-year-old organization will now operate under one umbrella — MEMA — and will represent automotive and commercial vehicle suppliers with two groups: MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers Group and MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Group. The association will formally kick off the new brand and organizational structure in January 2023, however in the meantime, Bill Long, president & CEO, Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association; Paul McCarthy, president MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers; Marc Blackman, president & CEO, Gold Eagle and Chairman, MEMA Board of Directors; sat down with Bill Babcox to share a few updates on the reorganization.

In this AMN Drivetime podcast, Babcox, Long, McCarthy and Blackman discuss the following:

0:55 Updates on the initial announcement and the significant benefits this realignment will offer MEMA members

02:52 – Who makes up membership in the two new divisions 

05:15 – Primary areas of industry disruption the new MEMA will focus on

13:11 – Marc Blackman’s perspective as the leader of a supplier business

15:42 – How issues like Reshoring and Labor Reform impact the vehicle supplier industry

18:25 – How the aftermarket specifically will be strengthened by this realignment and how it offers a stronger voice on Right to Repair

23:43 – Keeping members informed and educated on the latest emerging technologies

26:13 – Expectations for supply chain challenges this coming year

33:01 – What are the MEMA Centers of Excellence

AMN Drivetime is sponsored by Litens.

You May Also Like

Rick Schwartz: M&A Trends Affecting the Aftermarket

Schwartz Advisors’ Rick Schwartz delves into his career history and the breadth and depth of the firm’s expertise.

The Schwartz name is synonymous with the automotive aftermarket. It started with Mort Schwartz, an engineer by training who served as chairman and CEO of four different automotive aftermarket companies from the 60s to the 90s. Mort's service to the aftermarket, including as a member and chair of various aftermarket committees, spans more than 40 years, and now his son, Rick, is following in his footsteps to make the Schwartz name a leader in M&A advising and business growth strategies in the industry.Rick received his MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business, and while his father grew and ran companies in the aftermarket, Rick's career spans multiple industries working in management positions for the likes of Macy's, Nestle and The Upper Deck Company early in his career. He gained C-suite level experience as the COO of a health and fitness company before joining forces with his dad to create Schwartz Advisors, an M&A and growth consultant for companies in the automotive aftermarket.In some ways, we sat around the dinner table one day and my dad said, I've got an idea. What do you think about this?" Rick explains. "One of [his goals was] to start a company that would be an advisor to the industry. That's a company that didn't exist when [he] owned his WDs. At the time I was running a company in San Diego1, and he knew that I wanted to do something more entrepreneurial and something that touched on the private equity world. He wanted to see something that could really provide value to the industry."In 2006, Schwartz Advisors was born, and since then, the firm has added 12 industry experts from different segments to consult on various deals and strategies.In this episode of AMN Drivetime, sponsored by AISIN, Rick delves into:The reasons why he initially studied international relations (1:00)Lessons he learned from working at large companies in different industries early in his career (1:44)How Schwartz Advisors was born (2:54)The breadth and depth of Schwartz Advisors' expertise (4:02)Trends in M&A in the macroeconomy and the automotive aftermarket (8:02)The types of business that are a good fit for the "buy-side" and "sell-side" of acquisitions (10:22)Lessons Rick learned from his father, Mort (12:42)Rapid Fire questions (14:18) AMN Drivetime is sponsored by AISIN. Find more episodes here.

The 4 P’s of GSP’s Growth with Michael Ceritano

Ceritano describes the ways GSP North America has grown and what he feels has been integral to its success.

Autologue’s Jim Franco: Opportunities in Today’s Market

Find out why Jim Franco is as energized as ever about the business opportunities he sees in the market today.

Passion, People Drive Continental’s Travis Roffler

Travis Roffler, Continental Tire the Americas director of marketing, uses his passion to drive his career success.

AMN Drivetime: Aisin’s Dwayne Bates & Larrow Kaufman

Aisin’s Dwayne Bates and Larrow Kaufman discuss the company’s recent changes and its go-to-market strategy.

Other Posts

MEMA Celebrates 120th Anniversary

MEMA said the milestone “underscores the association’s enduring legacy and its pivotal role in advancing the future of mobility and the interests of vehicle suppliers.”

MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers Becomes UAF Gold Lifetime Trustee

The partnership with UAF is a commitment to the future of the automotive aftermarket, MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers said.

Auto Care, MEMA Aftermarket Release 2023 Joint EV Report

The report shows that BEV sales are projected to account for 9% of total US light vehicles sales in 2023.

GB Remanufacturing’s Michael Kitching on AMN Drivetime

Kitching says he’s proud to be part of the industry as reman gets the sustainability attention it deserves.