Photo caption: U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (left) and Haley Stevens
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) honored U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens as the 2022 recipients of the Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion Award.
The award is a special recognition given to elected officials who have shown outstanding leadership on behalf of automotive and commercial vehicle suppliers.
The awards ceremony was held at the MAHLE Powertrain facility in Plymouth, Michigan.
The MAHLE Powertrain site develops advanced zero-carbon and battery electric solutions for global OEMs across all markets from automotive to marine and power generation. MAHLE Powertrain is the Engineering Services arm of MAHLE, the global Tier 1 supplier.
“Representatives Dingell and Stevens have both worked diligently to promote the interests of our industry,” MEMA President and CEO Bill Long said. “We are lucky to have them in our circle, advocating for policies that allow our industry to prosper.”
Their work carries great significance within the vehicle-supplier industry. Manufacturing automotive parts provides more than 907,000 direct jobs, making it the largest creator of manufacturing jobs nationwide and contributing two-thirds of the value of a new vehicle.
As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Dingell’s work on behalf of vehicle suppliers includes advocating for automated-vehicle legislation, programs and policies to assist the motor vehicle industry’s transition to a net-zero transportation fleet, and introducing legislation focused on vehicle-technology R&D activities at the U.S. Department of Energy.
The congresswoman also led efforts to ensure the passage of the CHIPS Act language, which provides federal funding to increase domestic semiconductor chip production.
“It is truly an honor to receive the 2022 Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion Award alongside my friend, Congresswoman Haley Stevens,” Dingell said. “MEMA and the supplier industry play such a critical role in the auto industry, employing generations of hardworking men and women in Michigan and contributing billions of dollars to our nation’s economy. Together, we will continue to keep the United States at the forefront of innovation and technology, and ensure that we have a strong and healthy auto industry.”
In the House, Stevens helped improve the auto rule of origin provisions of the USMCA and built congressional support for this vital measure. She is a leading House advocate of the CHIPS Act, and its legacy chip provision for the motor vehicle and parts sector.
Stevens has an impressive track record of working across the aisle to deliver for Michigan’s manufacturers supporting broad competitiveness, manufacturing and business priorities in the House and often articulating these to House leadership. As chair of the House Science Committee Research & Technology Subcommittee, she has championed federal funding and training programs to assist the auto parts sector in its transition to an EV future.
“I am unbelievably honored to receive this recognition. I’ll never stop advocating in Congress for our Michigan manufacturers and automotive suppliers,” Stevens said. “They are truly the backbone of the booming SE Michigan economy and are leading the industry in innovating our future.”
The Industry Champion Award is presented in the memory of Joseph Magliochetti, a former MEMA chairman who also served as the chairman and CEO of Dana Corp. until his death in 2003. He was widely recognized as a leader and a visionary in the supplier industry, and as MEMA chairman, he left a legacy of advocacy and outreach on behalf of all vehicle suppliers.
Automotive and commercial vehicle suppliers are the largest employer of manufacturing jobs in the U.S., contributing nearly 3% of the U.S. gross domestic product.
