The real meanings behind "permanent" and "lifetime" coolants
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By Counterman
The Aftermarket Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), a community of the Auto Care Association, presented its 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award in Honor of Martin Fromm to Bill Long, President and CEO of MEMA. The award was presented by AWDA Chairperson Ashlee Arnold on November 2nd at AWDA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
AWDA’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have, over the course of many years, distinguished themselves through their unselfish commitment to, and high level of performance within, the motor vehicle aftermarket industry. The award is named in honor of former AWDA President Martin Fromm.
Few individuals in the motor vehicle aftermarket have left a mark as deep, enduring, and far-reaching as Bill Long. Over the course of a career spanning more than 40 years, Bill has not only led respected organizations and industry initiatives—he has helped shape the direction, reputation, and long-term health of the aftermarket itself. From his earliest days delivering parts in high school to his current role as President and CEO of MEMA, Bill Long has exemplified what this award was created to honor: a life’s work defined by integrity, leadership, service, and impact.
Bill’s leadership journey began with a foundational understanding of the aftermarket’s front lines and evolved into senior executive roles across every corner of the supply chain. At Echlin/DANA, where he spent over two decades, Bill built his reputation as a principled leader with an operational mindset and a strategic vision. He would go on to lead North American Operations at Proliance International and later serve as a consultant and advisor through Long Strategies LLC—always staying close to the people and companies that define this industry.
In 2012, Bill joined MEMA, where he first led the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) division before rising to lead the entire organization. Today, MEMA represents one of the most critical sectors of the American economy—vehicle suppliers—through four divisions: AASA, the Heavy-Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), the Association for Sustainable Manufacturing (MERA), and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). Under Bill’s leadership, MEMA has strengthened its voice in Washington, D.C., expanded its impact across all vehicle segments, and become a more unified force for progress across the supply base.
A hallmark of Bill’s career has been his deep commitment to advocacy. He has helped elevate the aftermarket in national conversations, building strong relationships with lawmakers and regulators to ensure industry perspectives are heard on issues ranging from vehicle data access and diagnostics to sustainability and workforce development. He has played a visible and consistent role in advancing Right to Repair, including vocal support for the REPAIR Act. He also served on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Association Committee of 100, offering guidance and strategic insight on behalf of one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the nation.
Bill’s belief in people and education has also been a defining thread. He has supported professional development across every level of the industry, and his leadership helped bring about “Leadership 3.0: The Global Aftermarket,” a pioneering education program developed in partnership with Northwood University and the University of the Aftermarket. His efforts have helped build future leaders, prepare companies for change, and ensure that learning and mentorship remain central to the aftermarket’s success. For these contributions, he has been recognized with both the MEMA Triangle Award—bestowed only when an individual’s service is deemed truly extraordinary—and Northwood’s Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award.
Outside of the boardroom, Bill’s passion for motorsports has mirrored his professional values: community, innovation, and a love of the industry. He has held executive positions with NASCAR, the IndyCar Series, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and continues to support grassroots racing today. His work in this space earned him the Jack Arute Sr. Excellence in Motorsports Award.
Bill Long is, in every sense of the word, a backbone of the motor vehicle aftermarket. He has built organizations, led people, driven advocacy, and left an indelible legacy. He has done so with humility, consistency, and a tireless commitment to making the industry stronger, smarter, and more united.
For his decades of distinguished service, his contributions to business, education, and advocacy, and his enduring impact on the people and progress of our industry, Bill Long is a truly deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Honor of Martin Fromm.
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By Counterman
MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, in collaboration with MacKay & Company, announced the return of the Real World View of the Aftermarket panel at the
link hidden, please login to view. The event will take place Monday, Jan. 19, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Market Impact
The session will feature leading supplier executives addressing the commercial vehicle aftermarket’s evolving landscape. Panelists will focus on challenges such as tariffs, trade uncertainty, and the integration of AI and advanced technologies to meet customer expectations globally.
Panel Participants
Key participants include:
Tim Bauer, vice president, aftermarket, Eaton Nicole Oreskovic, vice president, sales and marketing, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Paige Petroni, president, Fontaine Fifth Wheel The discussion will be moderated by Paul McCarthy, president of
link hidden, please login to view. These executives have significant involvement with MEMA’s commercial vehicle forums and councils. This ensures the session reflects real-world supplier experiences and collective insights from MEMA’s leadership roundtables. Distribution Strategy
“The Real World View panel is always a highlight of Dialogue because it gets to the heart of what suppliers are experiencing in the aftermarket today,” said McCarthy. “Hearing directly from leaders like Tim, Nicole and Paige provides an unfiltered perspective on what’s driving change, where opportunities lie, and how our industry can work together to succeed.”
Conference Details
HDAD 2026, in partnership with MacKay & Company, continues to be a leading full-day conference for the commercial vehicle aftermarket. Set for the day before Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW), it will feature aftermarket forecasts, economic outlooks, and fleet perspectives.
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By Counterman
Air filters are seemingly simple, but unfortunately often neglected until they are so dirty they’ve been unknowingly (to a vehicle owner) affecting performance. Selling them offers benefits to you and your customer. It’s never bad to ask the air filter question and, at minimum, replace them once a year.
If a customer is skeptical, explain that even as little as 10% blockage of an engine air filter can begin to affect performance. Point out that the effects of a dirty filter were more noticeable on older vehicles, and modern fuel management systems are designed to compensate for reduced air flow. This is good for driveability and emissions, but bad for overall performance. Along with other normal maintenance items, filters are easy for a vehicle owner to overlook.
Be prepared for questions about high-performance filters, because you will get them. Many people ask about high-flow filters, cold air intakes or, on an older car, ditching the original air cleaner for a round, chrome replacement. Don’t be intimidated by performance questions; here’s what you need to know to answer them with confidence.
High-Flow Filters
High-flow performance filters are a very common upgrade. They are typically recognized and associated with a color, as opposed to the traditional white paper element. Often pinkish/red, the color is from a dyed oil that is soaked into the element. The elements are typically a cotton weave, held in place by a wire mesh. The weave is looser than a standard paper air filter, allowing a greater volume of air to pass through. Since the loose weave cannot filter out the smaller particles, it is soaked in oil, and the particles will, in turn, stick to the oil. Dye is used in the oil so there is an easily noticeable contrast between the oil and the element, allowing you to ensure that all areas are saturated. Even though red is the most common, there are multiple other colors available.
These types of filters absolutely flow better, and it is often noticeable in engine performance characteristics. But they do require regular cleaning and re-oiling to maintain their level of performance. You can be confident about selling them and touting the increased flow, but I do warn people that when they clean and oil them, be sure to heed the instructions, and don’t over-oil them. There have always been rumors of these types of filters damaging mass airflow sensors, but they are largely unfounded, and over-oiling them is the only thing that could possibly contribute to this.
Factory Air Cleaners
If you have a customer with an old car who wants to install a round chrome air cleaner, you may not be able to change their mind, but there are many facts about the original factory air cleaners that are often overlooked. Many people think they’re an eyesore compared to a shiny new chrome one, but there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye.
The inside of the air cleaner is designed to smoothly direct the air flow up to the top while reducing turbulence, so the air can be smoothly drawn down through the carburetor. They have a snorkel extending off of them to pick up cool air from the side of the engine compartment, and the snorkel also is designed to increase the velocity of the air as it enters the air cleaner.
In addition, the snorkel design incorporates a pickup for warm air to be drawn from around the exhaust manifold up into the air cleaner for improved cold-weather driveability. On the main body of the air cleaner, there is also a filtered pickup for fresh air to enter into the crankcase as part of the positive crankcase ventilation system, so they are important for emissions, too.
This is all theoretically great information, but if someone wants a chrome air cleaner, I get it. They look great, and they are a common characteristic of some old muscle cars. The completely exposed element offers the maximum amount of air flow necessary for the type of performance sought after in these cars.
The minor affect in driveability due to lack of a heat riser and less air velocity at low RPM is not missed on a car with straight line, high RPM performance in mind, and one that is most likely only driven in the summer. I do like to point out that there were a handful of top-dog muscle cars that came originally with chrome open-element air cleaners. On these cars, the crankcase ventilation was routed to the air filter base, and the aftermarket units generally have a stamped breakout in the base and come with a fitting so this can be reconnected. I always encourage them to reconnect these emission-related devices.
If your customer is replacing the air filter on an old vehicle with an OE air cleaner, it’s important to use a high-quality filter and always look it up for the application. You can’t see it when the lid is on, but the filter is designed to seal on the top and bottom so that all air flows through it. If a filter is installed that is even a little bit too short, unfiltered air will be drawn over the top of the filter into the engine, plus mice can fit through just about any small crack, and that carburetor is an awful inviting cubby to store the kibbles `n bits you keep in the garage.
Cold Air Intakes
Aftermarket “Cold Air Intakes” are the rage on newer cars and trucks, and these can offer performance benefits as well in terms of the flow, but there may be a sacrifice in driveability when ditching the original air box on a modern vehicle.
Modern air boxes also have provisions for warm air during cold starts. They have crankcase ventilation connectors, they reduce noise and they are designed to improve air velocity at low engine RPM, just as the original air cleaner on an old vehicle.
Another drawback to cold air intakes is they often drop very low in the engine compartment to pick up air. Most factory air boxes draw from above the radiator core support or from behind one of the front fenders, the point being they draw from high up. It doesn’t matter if a cold air intake picks up down low…that is, until there is a bad rainstorm and deep water. And, since a lowered suspension is popular on new cars, watch out!
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By Dorman Products
The real reason why the negative battery cable is disconnected first and connected last
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