MEMA picks Long to lead through change

Bill Long will head up MEMA after leading the AASA division since 2012. He’s seen here at the AASA’s Aftermarket Mobility Innovation conference in the fall of 2018.

Bill Long will leave the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association to head up its parent organization.

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association has picked long as its president and chief executive officer effective immediately. He replaces Steve Handschuh, who retired in December 2018.

Whether it’s technological advances, international trade agreements, tariffs or other issues, Long isn’t short on the challenges faced.

“MEMA has earned a seat at the table in the Trump administration and has emerged as a consistent and trusted voice in the national conversation on the issues that affect MEMA’s division members,” the group said in an announcement.

MEMA has four divisions – the AASA, Original Equipment Manufacturers Association, Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association, and MERA, the Association for Sustainable Manufacturing – all of which Long will oversee.

“Bill brings to bear decades of level-headed experience participating in all market sectors in this industry, and we are fortunate to have his guidance as we address unprecedented levels of change,” said MEMA Board Chairman Dan Sceli, MEMA board chairman and president and CEO of Peterson American Corp. “Bill is a staunch advocate for our members. With his leadership, we will be able to face these headwinds and advance our industry in the global marketplace. I am excited to have Bill in this key role at this important time.”

Long joined the AASA in 2012.

“Our industry and our members are both experiencing and driving transformational advances in vehicle technology while at the same time adapting to tectonic shifts in the global marketplace,” he said in a statement. “Now more than ever, it is important that our collective voice, across all of our divisions, be clear and strong on the issues that affect us all. I am grateful to the Board and the MEMA membership for the opportunity to serve them at this level.”