From MEMA Industry News
Frank Hampshire, respected industry analyst and retired senior director of market research for AASA and HDMA, passed away on Sept. 16 after a long illness.
“Frank Hampshire was an extraordinary man who loved his family. In fact, he retired from MEMA early so that he could enjoy more time with them. He was an important part of the extended MEMA family and will be remembered as a quiet, thoughtful, competent and highly valued executive who always went the extra mile,” said Steve Handschuh, president and chief executive officer of MEMA. “I had the privilege of working directly with Frank for several years and came to appreciate his dedication to the job at hand, his wry sense of humor and his relentless commitment to excellence. His friends at MEMA will never forget him, and our deepest sympathies go to his beloved wife Nancy, daughter Robin and all those who had the privilege of knowing him well.”
“As our market researcher, Frank was a valuable resource to HDMA and our members, particularly in the earlier days of our heavy duty division of MEMA. Frank was the driver behind our studies on HD Truck Maintenance in the USA and our Global Commercial Vehicle Research Reports,” said Tim Kraus, president and COO of HDMA. “As an economist with a great understanding of our industry, Frank was a thought leader in the translation of market fundamentals into analysis, forecasts and outlooks. His presence in the industry is missed, may he rest in peace.”
Hampshire retired in 2011, culminating 19 years with MEMA and its divisions, and many years of experience in the industry. Prior to joining MEMA, Hampshire was manager of forecasting and strategic planning for Allied Signal Automotive. He served as a consultant on a variety of automotive projects ranging from new product introductions to the marketing of remanufactured motor vehicle parts.
In addition to his heavy-duty market research for HDMA, his contributions to AASA’s industry analysis included “Automotive Aftermarket Status Report,” the annual in-depth market analysis of the automotive aftermarket sector, the quarterly “Aftermarket Supplier Barometer” and “Aftermarket Outlook 2020.”
Hampshire was a U.S. Army veteran, serving as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Following his military service, Hampshire earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Hampshire. He continued his education, earning his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and master’s degrees in experimental psychology and biomedical engineering. While a graduate student, he was employed by the U.S. EPA, conducting research in behavioral toxicology, and completed an internship in strategic marketing with Xerox Corp.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and daughter, Robin.
