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Grote Elected Chairman of MEMA Board

4 November 1997

Grote Elected Chairman of MEMA Board

    LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4 -- William D. Grote III, president of Grote
Industries, Inc., has been elected to a one-year term as chairman of the board
of directors of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, the trade
association representing more than 700 manufacturers of automotive replacement
and original equipment parts, chemicals, tools and equipment.
    He succeeds Richard A. Snell, chairman, president, and chief executive
officer of Federal-Mogul Corp. Snell will serve on the MEMA executive
committee and the board in his ex-officio capacity for the coming year.
    Grote was vice chairman of the association for the past year.
    Byron Pond, Jr., chairman of the board and CEO, Arvin Industries, Inc.,
was elected the association's vice chairman for the coming year.
    John M. Reiss, president and CEO, The Gates Rubber Company, continues as
MEMA secretary, and John P. Gardell, president, Marvel Oil Company, Inc.,
continues as treasurer.  Robert R. Miller is MEMA president, and Eugene
Ezzell, chairman of the board and CEO, Crane Technologies Group, is ex-officio
of the board.
    MEMA chairmen and officers are elected from the group's board of directors
after the association's annual board of directors election held during the
third quarter of every year.
    Grote assumed the presidency of Grote Industries, Inc., in 1989.  Prior to
his presidency, he served as vice president of sales and marketing, director
of OEM sales, OEM manager Detroit, manager of marketing services, and
aftermarket district manager.  He was elected director and secretary of the
company in 1969 and continued in that position until elected president.
    A past president of the Transportation Safety Equipment Institute (TSEI),
he previously served as director of the Heavy Duty Business Forum and the
Automotive Sales Council.  Grote serves on the board of Euclid Industries,
Inc., and is a founding director and vice president of Friends of Shawe and
Pope John XXIII schools.
    Grote received a bachelor's degree from Xavier University, Cincinnati,
Ohio.  He resides in Madison, Ind., with his wife Terry and their six
children.
    Founded in 1904, MEMA represents and serves more than 700 U.S.
manufacturers of motor vehicle components, tools and equipment, automotive
chemicals, and related products used in the production, repair, and
maintenance of all classes of motor vehicles.  MEMA is headquartered in
Research Triangle Park, N.C., and has offices in Washington, D.C.; Yokohama,
Japan; Brussels, Belgium; Mexico City, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

SOURCE  Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association