Robert “Bob” McKenna
President & CEO
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)

Robert E. “Bob” McKenna joined the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) as the association president and CEO on Oct. 1, 2004.

McKenna, who has over 35 years of aftermarket industry experience, comes to MEMA from Atlanta-based Genuine Parts Co. (GPC) where he served as president of the U.S. Automotive Parts Group and chairman of the board for the National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA). Under his leadership, NAPA strengthened its position as a leading distributor in the traditional automotive aftermarket.

McKenna joined GPC in 1970. He served as the assistant to Wilton Looney, former chairman of the GPC board, as well as a planning and development manager at Beck & Gregg prior to joining the NAPA headquarters staff as operations director in 1977. He was named vice president and general manager of NAPA in 1980 and was appointed president of NAPA in 1983.

In 1997, McKenna was designated as a group vice president at GPC, as well as chairman of NAPA, and, in 1998, he began serving GPC as the U.S. automotive parts group president. He also was a member of the NAPA board of directors and chairman of the NAPA executive committee. His other industry activities include serving on the board of directors at Balkamp Inc., National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), the Mitchell Repair Information Co. and the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA).

McKenna is a graduate of Ohio State University. Following graduation, he spent four years as a captain in the U.S. Army.

Neil De Koker
President and CEO
Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA)

Neil De Koker is the founding president of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). Founded in August 1998, OESA represents suppliers of components, modules, systems, materials, equipment and services used in and by the original equipment automotive industry. OESA provides a forum for members to address issues of common interest, provides a voice for the industry and promotes the interests of the OE supplier community. The association currently represents 370 companies with global automotive sales of more than $300 billion.

His 45-year career in the automotive industry includes 23 years with General Motors Corp., where he played a lead role in the development and organization of Saturn Corp. De Koker spent four years at Magna International serving as senior vice president, helping to organize and manage the formation of the automotive systems corporations. In addition, he served as senior vice president for Tier 2 supplier companies The Woodbridge Group and MascoTech Inc. and co-owned a corporate communications company focused on automotive customers.

De Koker serves on the Board of the Automotive Hall of Fame, the Board of Trustees of Kettering University, the Board of the Center for Automotive Research, the Board of Trustees of the SAE Foundation and the Board of the Japan America Society of Greater Detroit and Windsor where he also served as chairman. He also serves on the Advisory Board of several educational and non-profit organizations.

De Koker is a Fellow of The Engineering Society (ESD), an organization that honored him as an “Outstanding Young Engineer” early in his career. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi where he was honored as Eminent Engineer in 1990. In 2004, De Koker was awarded the Executive Leadership Award from the Marketing and Sales Executives of Detroit for his leadership in founding OESA and for its success in the industry. He received the 2004 Outstanding Alumni Award from the Michigan State University Broad College of Business, in addition, he received the 2007 Visionary Leadership Award from the SAE Foundation.

Steve Handschuh is the president and chief operating officer of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and vice president of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). AASA, a market segment association of MEMA, exclusively serves and represents North American aftermarket product manufacturers.

As AASA president, Handschuh provides general oversight of all the association’s organizational management. He represents its members on critical business issues by generating dialogue, education and action, which helps provide a stronger, unified voice for aftermarket suppliers.

Additionally, Handschuh provides leadership, direction and administration for all aspects of AASA activities, and works closely with the AASA Board of Governors to maintain a strong focus on providing services and programs that address industry issues and offer members opportunities to advance their business.

An automotive aftermarket industry veteran of more than 30 years, Handschuh served as senior vice president, commercial, at AutoZone. In that position, he was responsible for more than $700 million in sales through more than 3,500 stores. Prior to AutoZone, he worked for NAPA AUTO PARTS/Genuine Parts Co. for 18 years, including serving as NAPA president from 1998-2004. Handschuh began his career as an outside salesman at Mighty Auto Parts where he rose to the position of vice president of sales and marketing.

Timothy R. Kraus
President and Chief Operating Officer
Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA)
Vice President
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association

Tim Kraus is the president and chief operating officer of The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Associaiton (HDMA), and is a vice president of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). An industry veteran, Kraus joined HDMA and MEMA in 2004. HDMA is MEMA’s heavy duty market segment association that exclusively serves the suppliers of components to the commercial vehicle industry.

Kraus is responsible for the overall business operations of HDMA and is its primary spokesperson to the industry. He is an industry advocate and provides leadership for the staff and membership on industry issues related to government affairs, the commercial vehicle market, and for the various events, forums, and councils of HDMA. He also serves on the editorial boards of several industry trade publications and is active in industry associations and foundations.

Prior to joining MEMA, Kraus served more than 20 years in executive positions with HD Industry manufacturers Triseal Corporation and Phillips and Temro Industries, (then a subsidiary of Thyssen/Budd Automotive). Kraus began his career in the HD business with McCord Gaskets and with Goodyear Tires. Having spent his entire career in the motor vehicle parts industry, Kraus brings a strong background and knowledge base to the association.

As an HDMA/MEMA member, Kraus has been active in the associations’ activities since the early 1980s. He served as the 2001 and 2002 chairman of the Board of Directors of HDMA. As a 14-year member of the Heavy Duty Business Forum, he also served as chairman of its Board of Governors in 2000.

Jo Anne Farr, SPHR
Vice President, Human Resources and Administration
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)

Jo Anne Farr was named vice president, human resources and administration, of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) on July 2, 2007. She is responsible for directing and expanding the MEMA human resources program, and supervising of the association’s administrative services and operational support.

Farr joined MEMA in March 2006 as director of human resources, a newly-created position within the association at that time. She formerly served as president of Plectrum, a human resources consulting firm in Raleigh, N.C.

Her prior experience includes more than 16 years at the corporate headquarters of Texasgulf, Inc., and serving on the executive management teams of two high-growth emerging businesses: ProActive Therapy Inc. and Cronos Integrated Microsystems Inc.

Farr is a magna cum laude graduate of North Carolina State University with a B. A. in business organization and communication. She is a nationally certified senior professional human resources (SPHR) and an active member of the Society for Human Resources Management and the Raleigh-Wake Human Resource Management Association, where she served three terms on the board of directors.

Daniel Lee Pike
Vice President
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
General Manager
MEMA Financial Services Group Inc.
and
MEMA Managed Services Group

Dan Pike was named vice president of MEMA and general manager of MEMA Financial Services Group Inc. (MFSG) and MEMA Managed Service Group on July 2, 2007. He is responsible for directing operations of MFSG, the association’s commercial subsidiary and the source of global credit and financial information for suppliers to all aspects of the motor vehicle industry. He also directs MEMA association management group.

In his continuing duties as MFSG general manager, he is responsible for managing the credit reporting division and the daily operations of the organization. Pike also oversees membership and marketing, as well as advising in many workouts, restructurings and bankruptcies. In addition to his duties, Pike administers many of MFSG’s credit discussion groups, and addresses various groups and companies on industry trends and conditions.

His new duties as MEMA Managed Services Group general manager will include spearheading the association’s efforts to provide superior management services to all of its affiliated product-line groups and to the independent associations it administers. He is responsible for providing staff leadership and serving as client liaison for all MEMA product-line councils and independent associations managed through MSG. Affiliated MEMA councils and associations managed by MSG include the Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS), the Brake Manufacturers Council (BMC), the Filter Manufacturers Council (FMC), the Motor Vehicle Lighting Council (MVLC) and the Transportation and Safety Equipment Institute (TSEI).

Pike assumed his previous role as general manager of MFSG on January 2004. He joined MEMA in 1992 as a MFSG credit analyst. In October 1997, he was promoted to manager, credit reporting division, a position he held until assuming the general manager position in 2004.

Before coming to MEMA, Pike worked as a financial analyst for an insurance company and was an area manager for a property management firm.

Pike is a graduate of Elon University in North Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He resides in Cary, N.C., with his family.

Margaret Beck
Senior Director of Communications
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)

Margaret Beck serves as senior director of communications for the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), a position she has held since September 2006.

She is responsible for the communications programs for MEMA as well as MEMA’s peer and products groups and its Management Services Group, an association management group. Her duties will include supervision of all MEMA’s electronic newsletters and Web sites. Beck also is responsible for the development of the communications programs for the events and programs offered by MEMA and its associations and groups.

Beck joined MEMA in 1998 as the association’s staff writer and was promoted to communications manager in 2000. She was promoted to director of communications in January 2005.

Prior to joining MEMA, she was the director of communications for the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina, an automotive service provider association. Her experience also includes association communications for the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education and the North Carolina Bankers Association. She began her career as a reporter, working at The Times-News, Burlington, N.C., and The Telegram, Rocky Mount, N.C.

She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BA in English.

Anthony C. Cardez
Executive Director
Overseas Automotive Council (OAC)

Anthony Cardez serves as executive director of the Overseas Automotive Council (OAC), the international aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).

With more than 10 years experience in the international automotive and heavy duty aftermarket, Cardez directs the Council’s programs and activities promoting the sale in foreign markets of automotive products manufactured in North America. Those products include components, accessories, chemicals, hand and power tools, service maintenance and repair equipment, and paint and body supplies for both cars and trucks. OAC has more than 450 members in 50 countries.

In his role as OAC executive director, Cardez attends and exhibits at trade shows, industry conferences and events domestically and internationally. He has traveled to more than 15 countries and four continents as part of U.S. trade missions representing the automotive aftermarket and promoting exports.

His responsibilities include managing OAC member regional meetings throughout the year. Cardez also provides members information regarding international markets, potential customers and business leads. He serves as a liaison between MEMA and OAC members.

Cardez is a graduate of the University of the Aftermarket “Leadership 2010” program.

Prior to joining MEMA in 1997, Cardez worked for the Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co., Executive Fund Life Insurance Co., in Raleigh, N.C., as marketing support, profit and loss department, agent - compensation, collection specialist, and for the Occidental Life Insurance Company of NC, Raleigh, N.C. as liaison staff special projects. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an administrative chief.

Frank Hampshire
Senior Director of Market Research
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)

Hampshire joined MEMA in 1992 as director of market research. Under his direction, the association expanded its aftermarket and heavy duty market research and broadened its analysis of the original equipment sector. The research department offers product-line reporting and bench-marking programs, allow members to measure their products and services against the marketplace while maintaining confidentiality. MEMA and its market segment associations also publish several unique market research publications, such as Replacement Rates of Automotive Parts, Automotive Aftermarket Status Report, Heavy Duty Truck Maintenance in the U.S.A. and the quarterly newsletter, Market Research.

Prior to joining MEMA, he was Manager of Forecasting and Strategic Planning for AlliedSignal Automotive, and served as a consultant on a variety of automotive projects ranging from new product introduction to the marketing of remanufactured motor vehicle parts. Frank received a BA in psychology from the University of New Hampshire , and his MBA from Duke University ’s Fuqua School of Business. He has also earned a Masters of Arts degree in experimental psychology and biomedical engineering. While a graduate student, he was employed by the US EPA, conducting research in behavioral toxicology, and completed an internship in strategic marketing with Xerox Corporation. Besides his education and business experience, Frank was an active duty helicopter pilot and aircraft commander in the U.S. Army and in the Army National Guard. His military awards include the Bronze Star and sixteen Air Medals.