Intellectual Property Committee

The IPC’s purpose is to advance the business interests of members by engaging the broader IP community and government officials and working with them to protect intellectual property rights.

IPC members with an interest or focus on IP protection meet on a regular basis to discuss current issues in IP protection and learn about, exchange ideas on, and discuss market challenges regarding trends that impact patents, copyright, trade dress and other intellectual property. The group has a common goal of providing relevant and interesting content for the IP community.

Advisory Group

• The IPC relies on a group of supplier leaders to provide direction and support and serve as a sounding board for MEMA government advocacy issues.
• Chair - Max Faistenhammer, Brand Protections / Security Manager, DRiV
• Vice Chair - Bob Stewart, Manager of Aftermarket Service Support and Global Brand Protection, AC Delco / General Motors
• Vice Chair - Antun Peakovic, Assistant General Counsel and Chief IP, Global Intellectual Property, Marelli
• Advisory Group - Diane MacDonald, Legal Counsel, NTN Bearing
• Advisory Group - Todd Pleiness, Senior IP Counsel, MAHLE 
• Advisory Group - Eliza Crowther Boenigk, Associate Counsel, Standard Motor Products

Ongoing Areas of Focus

• Counterfeit Goods
• IP Policies and Trends in Various Global Regions
• E-tailing, E-tailers, Online Marketplaces
• Government Agency Resources and Strategies — DOJ, ICE, FBI, USPTO, IPR Center
• Trade Show IP Policies
• What’s Happening — roundtable discussions of violator activities and best practices for addressing violations
• Technology Solutions

Committee Meetings

The IPC meets the second Wednesday of every other month (unless otherwise noted) to discuss current IP issues and hear from committee selected and recruited speakers. Please contact Holly Wolfe if you are interested in participating.

Membership Benefits

Members enjoy many benefits by participating in the IPC including:

• Access to monthly meeting content and discussions with Aftermarket peers.
• Potential additional conversations with government entities and e-tailers.
• Discounts to other MEMA events.
• Access to information and events from IPC industry partners. For more information on our partner organizations, or to become a partner organization, please contact Holly Wolfe.

Eligibility

• Membership is open to all MEMA members in our OE and Aftermarket groups (formerly AASA, HDMA, MERA or OESA). 
• Individuals must have responsibility for managing brands, trademarks, trade dress, patent protection, anti-counterfeit activities or related areas. 
• IPC members meet regularly to discuss advocacy efforts, have open discussions, and learn from guest speakers. They are expected to:
  • Attend 75% of monthly meetings or notify MEMA if unable to attend.
  • Contribute to and participate in the monthly meetings by securing speakers, contributing to the discussions and moving IPR initiatives forward.
• Members of this committee are recruited by current members or MEMA staff and must receive approval to join.

Annual Membership: Free