Board of Directors

The Honorable Sandy K. Baruah comes to Michigan after a distinguished career in Washington, D.C. Baruah served as President George W. Bush's last Administrator of the U.S. Small Busniess Administration (SBA). Baruah was one of the senior officials shaping the federal governments response to the 2008 credit crisis and assistance to the U.S. automotive industry.

Prior to leading the SBA, Baruah served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce. In this role he led the federal government's domestic economic development program, the Economic Development Administration (EDA), served as the Senior Advisor to Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez regarding the 2010 Census, and represented the U.S. at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France.

Bio coming soon...

Appointed to President of NADA in 2001, Phillip Brady and his staff carry out the activities of the association in government and industry relations, education and dealership operations, public affairs and dealer retirement and insurance programs. Prior to joining NADA, Brady served five years as the Vice President and General Counsel for the American Automobile Manufacturers Association. Brady also served in The White House as Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary from 1991 to 1993 under former President Bush. He also served in the US Department of Transportation as General Counsel from 1989 to 1991. During former President Reagan's administration, Brady was Deputy Counsel to the President from 1988 to 1989 and Deputy Assistant to the Vice President from 1985 to1988. He also had prior government appointments in the US Department of Justice and with the US Congress.

Brady's board memberships include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Management Advisory Council, the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation, Northwood University, University of Notre Dame Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace, among others. He was honored as "Industry Leader of the Year" in 2007 by the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Brady graduated cum laude from both the University of Notre Dame and Loyola University School of Law.

Colin Brown leads the JM Family's Executive Management Team, directing all of JM Family's businesses, including Southwest Toyota Distributions, LLC, World Omni Financial Corp., JM&A Group, JM Lexus, JM Service Center LLC, and JMFE Corporate Group.

Brown joined JM Family in 1992 as Vice President and General Counsel. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1997, President in 2000, and was named CEO in 2003.

Before joining JM Family he was with Fuqua Industries serving as General Counsel, Senior Vice President, and Secretary. Brown also worked with Cannon Mills Company serving as Senior President, and General Counsel. These companies were two FORTUNE 500 companies.

Brown graduated from Duke University School of Law with a Juris Doctorate and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass.

Bruce Brownlee is responsible for industry, media, community and government relations, and corporate communications for TTC, a division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, North America. Previously, Brownlee was General Manager of the Corporate Planning and External Affairs Department. Prior to this he spent six years as General Manager of TTC's Administration Department, responsible for TTC's Legal, Plant Engineering, Facilities, Training, Capital Management, and Safety, Security and Environment operations. He has been with TTC since 1993.

Before TTC, Brownlee was with Sagawa Investments, Inc., serving as Executive Vice President. He also worked for the Staubach Company as Vice President of International Business. He served as a national major accounts manager for WANG Laboratories in Tokyo, Japan. He also served as owner and director of Exclusive, Inc. in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Brownlee graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science/International Relations.

As Chairman of Crain Communications Inc, Keith Crain serves as Editor-In-Chief of Automotive News, Automotive News Europe, Auto Week and Crain's Detroit Business. Additionally, he is Editorial Director for Plastics News, Rubber & Plastics News, Tire Business, and Waste & Recycling News.

In addition to serving as Chairman of the Board of the College for Creative Studies, Crain serves on the Board of Directors of several organizations including the Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hospice of Michigan, Downtown Detroit Partnership, Gilmore Car Museum, and the Boy Scouts of America.

Crain attended Northwestern University and holds honorary doctorate degrees from four universities.

In his role, Ray Day leads all of Ford Motor Company's external and internal communications and public relations activities. These responsibilities include building the company's reputation globally and leading communications that reach Ford's external and internal audiences, including customers, employees, dealers, suppliers, news media, communities, governments, and policy markers.

Day was based for four years in Europe, serving as head of Ford's European Product Public Affairs. Early in his Ford career, Day led the company's print and television employee and communications network. Prior to Ford, Day was a newspaper reporter and editor in the Detroit area.

Day is currently serving on the board of the Detroit Public Television.

Day graduated Wayne State University, earned a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications.

DeKoker's 39 year career in the automotive industry includes 23 years with General Motors Corporation, where he was the lead role in the development and organization of Saturn Corporation. He also spent four years at Magna International including as Senior Vice President, helping to organize and manage the formation of its automotive systems corporations. DeKoker served the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA) as Board member and Chairman of the Board. He also spent four years leading APMA as President.

DeKoker has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Executive MBA Program at Michigan State University.

Eisner, recently retired, President and CEO of Manheim, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation's leading media companies and providers of automotive services.

Edsel B. Ford II is a member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company, elected to the Board in 1988. He is active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations. Ford began his career at Ford Motor Company in January 1974. He was named President and Chief Operating Officer of Ford Motor Credit Company in 1991 and elected a company Vice President in 1993.

In 2001, Ford purchased DaimlerChrysler Aviation and reinstated the company's previous name, Pentastar Aviation. Ford is the majority owner of Marketing Associates, a marketing services organization and the majority owner of The Ryder Group, a golf tournament services company.

Ford is a Board member of the International Speedway Corporation, and Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. He is former Chairman of the Detroit Branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank, the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, and the Detroit 300 Conservancy.

Ford is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. His grandfather is Edsel B. Ford, company President from 1919 to 1943. His late father, Henry Ford II, was President of the company from 1945 to 1960 and Chairman from 1960 to 1980.

David Graff is the Automotive, Industrial Equipment and Aerospace Industry Director for Microsoft Corporation. Graff is charged with developing and executing Microsoft's industry sales strategy, solutions portfolio and cross-region communications for the US OEMs and supply base. At Microsoft, in addition to his current role, he served as the Global Business Manager for Ford Motor Company.

The majority of Graff's career was with Ernst & Young's manufacturing consulting practice. As a Senior Manager there, Graff led major re-engineering efforts with Ford Motor Company, Honeywell, Whirlpool, Rubbermaid, Morton International, National Steel, FlowServe, and Huck International. Prior to joining Ernst & Young, Graff started his career as an Industrial Engineer with Goodyear Aerospace.

Graff earned an Industrial Engineering degree from Arizona State University.

Just prior to joining American Driveline, Graham served as President and CEO of EZ Lube LLC, where he improved profits and revenues. He has also served as President of Jiffy Lube International, overseeing all 2,200 locations in North America.

Graham has been President of Synergy Global Business Solutions, President of Ceramic Reinforced Technologies, and President and CEO of InstallerEDGE.

Graham is on the Board of Directors for the Aftermarket Foundation.

Rick Hanna has responsibility for the firm's multidisciplinary services to major automotive companies around the world and for the overall development of the practice that generates nearly $1 billion in annual fee income.

Hanna has served numerous public and multinational companies with extensive expertise in the automotive industry, working with automakers and suppliers with SEC reporting, international accounting standards, and policies related to Sarbanes-Oxley.

Hanna has served PwC in London, and has served as the partner-in-charge of PwC's Russian audit and business advisory practice. He has also served as a global engagement partner for several major Russian international entities.

Hanna earned a Master of Arts degree in Accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Ramzi Hermiz joined Federal-Mogul in 1998 with the acquisition of Fel-Pro Inc., and has held positions of increasing responsibility such as Director of Purchasing, Director of Pull Systems and Inventory, Vice President of Federal-Mogul's European Aftermarket Operation and Senior Vice President of Sealing Systems. Most recently he was Senior Vice President of Automotive Products Business Unit.

Prior to joining Fel-Pro in 1990, Hermiz was the manager of Purchasing and Quality Assurance for Triangle Home Products, a manufacturer of residential lighting and other products. He was also a design and product engineer for Keldu Technologies, a heavy-duty construction consulting firm.

Hermiz earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University, and a Master's degree in Business Administration from DePaul University.

Christopher Kersting became President of SEMA in July 2002, serving as the Executive Vice President for two years previous. Kersting began with SEMA in 1989, serving as general counsel and government affairs representative. He also served as general counsel for such industry institutions as the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the Performance Warehouse Association (PWA), and the Auto International Association (AIA).

Kersting received his credential as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) in July of 2002. He has been recognized for his efforts within the automotive industry by several industry groups, including AIA, which chose him as the AIA Person of the Year in 1995.

Kersting graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, and received a law degree from Washington College of Law, American University.

Tom Manganello serves as a Partner to the firm as well as the chair of Warner's Auto Industry Group. His practice is focused on automotive law and litigation.

Manganello is the co-founder of MICHauto, an automotive industry accelerator designed to sustain and grow the global automotive industry in Michigan. He also serves on the advisory board for the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, a member of the Detroit Economic Club, the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Product Liability Advisory Council. Additionally, he serves as legal counsel to one of the councils for the Original Equipment Supplier Association.

Manganello received a B.A. at Michigan State University, and J.D. from the University of Detroit.

Terry McCormack served as President of the Aftermarket Group of Dana from July 2000 until the formation of Affinia in 2004. He began his career at Dana Corporation in 1973 as a sales trainee and held a variety of positions from 1974 through July 2000.

McCormack serves on the Board of Directors of MEMA and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Belk College School of Business. He is also a member of the Automotive Presidents' Group.

McCormack holds a B.S. degree in Psychology from Ball State University and has completed the Harvard Advanced Management Program.

As President of SKF Vehicle Service Market, Mike McGrath manages sales activities and research and development initiatives. Under McGrath's direction, SKF North America is working to expand its customer relationships and solidify its leadership positions in the industry through use of the five SKF competency platforms: bearings and units; seals; lubrication; mechatronics; and services.

McGrath started his career with Ingersoll Rand, holding various management positions. He then joined Stewart Warner Corporation, again holding various management positions until 1988 when he was named Director of Material Control. In 1991 he was promoted to Director of Aftermarket Sales. In 1993, McGrath joined Chicago Rawhide, then a division of SKF. He held various directorial positions until 2000 when he was named Vice President of Sales for SKF VSM North America. McGrath was appointed President in 2006.

McGrath holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois, Chicago and a Master's of Business Administration from DePaul University.

McIntyre retired in 1983 as President & COO of Monroe Auto Equipment Company, where he spent his life as a dedicated and loyal supporter of the auto industry. McIntyre played an active role in establishing credit criteria which became standards of the industry. He was appointed a member of the Presidents Council of MEMA (Motor Equipment Manufacturers Association) as well as a member of the MEMA Board of Directors. McIntyre has been a member of the Automotive Hall of Fame Board of Directors since 1990.

As President and CEO, Fred Minturn has been instrumental in navigating the company through failing markets. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO, Minturn was Executive Vice President and CFO since January 1997, and also served as its Principal Accounting Officer. Previous to his employment with MSX, Minturn was Vice President of MascoTech's Automotive Operations group from 1994 to 1996 and was a Group Controller since 1991.

William Parfet has served since 1999 as Chairman and CEO of MPI Research, a preclinical toxicology research laboratory. Parfet joined MPI in 1995 as Co-Chairman. He was formerly employed with Richard-Allan Medical in Richland, Michigan, a worldwide manufacturer of surgical products. There he served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 1996.

Previously, Parfet served as Vice Chairman of the Board of the Upjohn Company, now Pfizer, and was President and Executive Vice President and was a member of their Board of Directors until 2003.

Mr. Parfet serves on various other boards, including Taubman Centers Inc., Lake Forest College, College for Creative Studies and the Michigan Nature Conservancy. He is also a member of the Taubman Medical Research Advisory Board.

Parfet received a Bachelor's of Arts, with Honors, in Economics from Lake Forest College and an MBA in International Finance from the University of Michigan.

Mark Petroff is driving Marketing Associates into a future defined by advanced technology-empowered marketing services.

Prior to joining Marketing Associates, Mark was a Partner in the Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance LLC Financial Advisory Services practice where he was global leader for their automotive industry segment as well as a General Securities Principal in the Investment Banking Group.

Mark served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy where he qualified as a nuclear engineer and Submarine Warfare Officer. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Bio coming soon...

Before being named President and CEO, Kathleen Schmatz served as Executive Vice President. She joined AAIA after 30 years with Babcox Publications, a leader in aftermarket communication services.

Schmatz is a nationally-recognized advocate of the automotive aftermarket. She is frequently interviewed by the media, appearing on the NBC "Today" Show, MSNBC and in The New York Times. Schmatz was recently selected to receive the "2009 Women Who Advance Excellence in Associations" Award by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Center for Association Leadership's Greater Washington Network. In 2007, Schmatz received an honorary Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, from Northwood University. She also received the "Distinguished Women's Award" from Northwood University.

Schmatz received her Master's degree in Mass Media Communications from The University of Akron and her Bachelor's degree from Kent State University.

Marianne Schrode, VP Automotive Business Development, has been working in Dassault Systemes since 2004, but has been a strategic partner to DS since 1994.

She began her career as an Educator but moved to the computer and transformation industry in 1983 enjoying work at Wang Laboratories, Digital Equipment Corporation, EDS and IBM.

Marianne has been in the Automotive Industry for most of her career with responsibility for Automotive Tier 1 Suppliers and North American OEM's enjoying positions of Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Organizational Leadership and Corporate Affairs, with a focus on Product Lifecycle Management. Currently Marianne is responsible for the global branding of Dassault Systemes in the global automotive sector and provides leadership with select client transformational opportunities and geography development.

Marianne received both her Bachelor of Science and Masters Degree in Administrative & Organizational Studies from Wayne State University, she is quick to point out that she has learned mostly from the people she has met in her work and from the people in her personal life.

She is actively involved on the Board's of the Detroit Science Center and the Automotive Hall of Fame and is an active partner with the Society of Automotive Engineers and EyesOn Design. She works and resides in the Detroit area.

Previous to his current appointment, Mel Stephens was with Ford Motor Company for 23 years, where he held leadership positions in Finance, Strategic & Business Planning, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, and most recently, Director of Investor Relations.

Stephens earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communications from Eastern Michigan University and a Masters of Business Administration degree in Corporate Finance from Western Michigan University. He also completed The San Francisco Academy, an executive education program in strategic communications affiliated with the University of California at Berkley.

Robert Susor, now retired, has been the Executive Vice President of Genuine Parts Company since 2003. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Market Development. Susor has been with NAPA and Genuine Parts since 1968 after attending Ohio State University.

Joseph Vitale is the regional Automotive Sector Leader of Deloitte LLP and the global lead client service partner serving Ford Motor Company. He is responsible for delivering the firm's multidisciplinary solutions, including consulting, enterprise risk management, tax, and financial advisory services to Ford.

Vitale has more than 20 years experience assisting manufacturing companies in business performance improvement. He specializes in corporate strategy, M&A, supply chain optimization, and new product development. He has a distinguished track record of service to many of the firm's leading automotive OEM and Tier One suppliers. Previously, Vitale served as the regional manufacturing industry leader. Since becoming a Deloitte principal in 1997, he has served in several leadership roles, including Global Strategic Client - CEO Council, Global Manufacturing Committee, and co-led the central region Women's and Diversity initiatives.

Vitale is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a Masters in Business Administration, and the State University of New York at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Deloitte Consulting, he worked as a manufacturing engineer at FMC Corporation and Westinghouse Manufacturing Systems and Technology Center.

Michael Waltrip is a semi-professional race car driver and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR), which fields teams for Nextel Cup and NASCAR, as well as providing cars and technical support to several other race teams. Waltrip is the winner of both the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500s. Currently he drives the 51 NAPA Toyota Camry and the 55 Aaron's Toyota part-time. Waltrip commentates for SPEED TV and is an analyst for "Inside NASCAR" on Showtime.

Waltrip has won a few awards including the 1981 Kentucky Motor Speedway Mini-Modified Division Championship, and the 1983 NASCAR Dash Series Championship.

Bill Chapin spent 14 years with American Motors Corporation (AMC) in various field sales, marketing and product planning positions. For two years he was on special assignment in Paris helping develop a strategic product plan for Renault and AMC in North America, and launched the Jeep Cherokee in Europe.

In 1987, Chapin left AMC to establish Chapin & Co., an automotive marketing services company. Clients included ASC, CART/IndyCar, Ford Special Vehicle Team, ITT Automotive and Volvo Cars.

In 1999, Chapin restructured his company in order to devote more time to the launch of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. MotorCities is an affiliate of the National Park Service dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the automotive heritage of Michigan.

As the grandson of Roy D. Chapin, a founder of the Hudson Motor Car Company, and the son of Roy D. Chapin Jr., former Chairman and CEO of American Motors, Bill Chapin has been involved in the automotive industry his entire life.