Brian Daugherty Joins MEMA as New Chief Technology Officer

WASHINGTON –  The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Brian Daugherty as Chief Technology Officer. In this newly created position, Daugherty will drive MEMA’s strategic vision of advancing the business interests of the industry and its members by serving as senior technical advisor for MEMA’s executives and members relative to vehicle technology. He will provide forward-thinking insight and leadership on evolving mobility technologies, their uses and potential impact on the industry and a roadmap for the future.  

“Daugherty brings relevant technical expertise across a diverse portfolio of automotive products and technologies, making him a unique and valuable asset to the organization and our members,” said Steve Handschuh, MEMA President and CEO. “Emerging and advanced vehicle technologies are rapidly transforming our industry.  Brian will serve as a vital resource, providing technical education and understanding to policy makers on critical regulatory decisions impacting our industry and will serve as an influential thought-leader for the motor vehicle suppliers”.

Daugherty has extensive experience in existing and emerging vehicle technologies. Before joining MEMA, Daugherty was the Director of Global Intellectual Property for Visteon Corporation. At Visteon, he managed intellectual property and advanced development programs, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and vehicle-to-vehicle systems (V2X). Prior to that, Daugherty was Visteon’s Director of Global Advanced Development.  During his 16-year tenure, Daugherty was also responsible for blind spot detection (BSD) systems for Honda and Chrysler and led the team that developed a FlexRay-based, failsafe steer-by-wire system for GM’s Chevrolet Sequel. In addition, he has served as Visteon’s representative on the Original Equipment Suppliers Association’s (OESA) Product & Technology Council for the past three years. OESA is one of MEMA’s four divisions. 

Prior to Visteon, Daugherty spent ten years at Ford Motor Company where he worked on robotics and advanced manufacturing as well as the development of electronic power steering systems (EPS) and anti-lock braking systems (ABS). He received a B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin and a M.S. from Stanford University, both in mechanical engineering. 

Daugherty’s hire underscores MEMA’s clear strategic direction to provide leadership and a platform for industry dialogue in the area of emerging and advanced vehicle technologies. 

About MEMA

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) represents more than 1,000 companies that manufacture or remanufacture components and systems for use in motor vehicles and equipment in the light vehicle and heavy-duty, on- and off-highway commercial vehicle markets for the original equipment and aftermarket industries. Motor vehicle component manufacturers are the nation’s largest manufacturing sector with a total employment impact of 3.62 million employees—for every direct job in the motor vehicle supplier industry, another five jobs are created. MEMA represents its members through four divisions: Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA), and Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). For more information on the motor vehicle component supplier industry, visit www.mema.org.