Photo caption, left to right: Bill Long, CEO, Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association; Charley Johnson, CEO, OptiCat LLC.; and Marc Blackman, CEO, Gold Eagle, Co., and chairman, MEMA board of directors.
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) presented the Triangle Award to OptiCat CEO Charley Johnson on Sept. 6 at his office in Maryland.
“For more than 45 years, the Triangle Award has been given periodically to that person or persons, or organization, whom MEMA and our divisions choose to honor for selfless contribution to the vehicle supplier industry,” MEMA President and CEO Bill Long said. “Charley’s decades of exceptional leadership and dedication to the supplier industry embody the spirit of the Triangle Award.
“[Charley] has never missed an opportunity to promote, protect and advance the automotive industry, the automotive aftermarket and pushback against government overreach. Perhaps his most lasting contribution is the work he has done working quietly behind the scenes, to find paths of collaboration and common ground, leading to a win-win for industry stakeholders and businesses.”
The prestige of the Triangle Award arises from its selective process. From its inception, the Triangle Award was not intended as an annual award. The award is only presented when truly deserving candidates are found – those who have worked tirelessly, behind the scenes, out of the spotlight and whose contributions have advanced the supplier industry.
Past recipients of the MEMA Triangle Award include the late Joseph M. Magliochetti of Dana Corp.; Tom Gallagher of Genuine Parts Co.; Mort Schwartz of Masco Tech Inc.; John M. Riess (then of The Gates Rubber Co.); the late Larry McCurdy (then of Moog Automotive); and Jack Reilly (then of Tenneco Automotive).
Most recently, MEMA presented the Triangle Award to Mike Mansuetti of Bosch; Jim Kamsickas of DANA; and Don Walker of Magna.
A complete list of past recipients can be found here.
