RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – James McElya, executive chairman of Cooper-Standard Automotive in Novi, Mich., has been elected 2008-2009 chairman of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Board of Directors.
McElya served chief executive officer of Cooper-Standard Automotive from December 2004 through June 2008. Prior to this, McElya had been a corporate vice president of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., which was the parent company of Cooper-Standard Automotive until 2004.
McElya has more than 30 years of automotive experience and was previously president of Siebe Automotive Worldwide, a division of Invensys, PLC. He spent 22 years with Handy & Harman in various executive management positions, including president, Handy & Harman Automotive, and corporate vice president and officer of the parent company.
In addition to his involvement with MEMA and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), McElya has served as a board member of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and an advisor to the National Alliance for Accessible Golf (NAAG).
Other MEMA board officers include:
• Vice chairman – Terry McCormack, CEO, president and director, Affinia Group
• Vice chairman – Gordon Ulsh, president, CEO and director of Exide Technologies
• Treasurer – Eugene Ezzell, president, Mikronite Automotive Technologies
Charles “Charley” Johnson, president, CEO and director of Proliance International Inc., will remain on the board as immediate past chairman.
New members of the board are:
• John Corey, president and CEO, Stoneridge Inc.
• Dennis Michaels, president and CEO, Link Manufacturing Inc.
• Peter Morse, president, Morse Automotive Corp.
• Tom Ward, president, Snap-on Tools
Directors continuing to serve on the board include:
• Robert Devenney, senior vice president, Danaher Corp., Professional Tool Group
• Joseph McAleese, president and CEO, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems and HDMA chairman
• Robert “Bob” McKenna, president and CEO of MEMA
• Alfred “Al” Stecklein, president, Schrader and Plews, Tomkins Plc.
• James Orchard, CEO, Dayco Products – Mark IV Auto
• Francisco “Frank” Ordonez, president, Delphi Product and Service Solutions and vice president, Delphi Corp
