“Julie is a deeply respected and influential champion for suppliers. In her role, she advanced the business interests of vehicle suppliers during some of the most challenging times the industry has faced,” said Bill Long, CEO of MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association. “The MEMA organization and its members greatly appreciate Julie’s long-standing and positive leadership.”
Fream, 60, became CEO of the OESA in October 2013 following the retirement of Neil De Koker, who founded the association in 1998.
In January, OESA became the MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers after a rebranding of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, which represents original equipment and aftermarket automotive parts suppliers in the U.S. and boasts more than 1,000 members.
Prior to the rebranding, MEMA had four divisions: Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association, Association for Sustainable Manufacturing and Original Equipment Suppliers Association.
Fream began her auto career at General Motors in 1983 as a manufacturing development engineer at the automaker’s Fisher Body in Warren, Mich. She also worked in program management and product planning at Ford Motor Co. from 1989-93; sales and marketing at TRW from 1993-98; and global communications, corporate strategy, sales and marketing at Visteon Corp. from 1998-2011.
Fream played an important role in Visteon’s emergence from bankruptcy in 2010. She was the vice president of corporate strategy from 2009 until she left the company in 2011.
Incoming leader
When Shaw steps into the role next spring, he’ll also bring more than a decade of experience in the auto industry.
He joined MEMA in 2022 as president of its Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association. Prior to that role, director of business strategy for the Americas at ZF Group. Before that, he was director of product marketing and business development at Wabco. Shaw also has worked at FCA US, now Stellantis, where he held a number of roles within the Jeep brand.
“Our industry and our members are both experiencing and driving transformational advances in vehicle technology while at the same time adapting to tectonic shifts in the global marketplace,” Shaw said in a statement. “Now more than ever, it is important that our collective voice be clear and strong on the issues that affect us all. I am grateful to the MEMA organization and members for the opportunity to serve them at this level.”
Shaw was selected by MEMA’s executive committee and its Original Equipment Suppliers group’s board chairman Jon Husby, who is CEO of ADAC Automotive.
Fream will continue in an advisory role at MEMA for an additional few months to ensure a smooth transition, the association said.