MEMA Recognizes Retiring President and CEO Steve Handschuh with its Highest Honor

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MEMA Recognizes Retiring President and CEO Steve Handschuh with its Highest Honor

Handschuh is retiring as MEMA’s top executive on Dec. 31.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) board of directors presented President and CEO Steve Handschuh with the association’s highest honor, the MEMA Triangle Award, at its Nov. 28 meeting in Southfield, Michigan.

Handschuh is retiring as MEMA’s top executive on Dec. 31.

“Steve’s leadership, his vision and his passion for our association and the industry truly exemplify the MEMA Triangle Award’s mission of honoring selfless contributions to the motor vehicle supplier industry,” said Daniel Sceli, chairman of the MEMA board of directors and CEO of Peterson American Corp. “While we will miss Steve’s guidance at MEMA, we are proud to add his name to the list of industry legends who have received the MEMA Triangle Award.”

Handschuh joined MEMA in 2006 as the president and chief operating officer of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), MEMA’s light-vehicle aftermarket division, and was appointed president and chief executive officer of MEMA in October 2013. In that position, Handschuh led MEMA and its four divisions: AASA; the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA); MERA – The Association for Sustainable Manufacturing; and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA).

Much of Handschuh’s 40-year career was dedicated to the automotive aftermarket industry. He worked for Genuine Parts Co./NAPA Auto Parts for 18 years, including serving as NAPA president from 1998 to 2004. He also served as senior vice president, commercial, at AutoZone. Handschuh began his career as an outside salesman for Mighty Auto Parts, where he rose to vice president, sales and marketing.

MEMA and its division have been presenting the Triangle Award since 1974. It is awarded periodically to the person, persons or organization whom the membership of MEMA and its divisions choose to honor for their contributions to the supplier industry.

Past recipients of the MEMA Triangle award include Marc Fleischaker, chairman emeritus of Arent Fox; Michael Cardone Jr., director, owner and chief strategy officer, CARDONE Industries; Bob McKenna, retired president and CEO of MEMA; David O’Reilly of O’Reilly Automotive Inc.; the late Joseph M. Magliochetti of Dana Corp.; Tom Gallagher of Genuine Parts Co., Bill Long, president of AASA (then of DANA/Echlin); the late Frederick Mancheski of Echlin Inc.; John Riess (then of The Gates Rubber Co.); the late Larry McCurdy (then of Moog Automotive); and Jack Reilly (then of Tenneco Automotive).

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Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

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By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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