Gold Eagle adds former MEMA chief Bill Long to advisory board

Gold Eagle Company named Bill Long, the former president and CEO of MEMA, to its Advisory Board on July 16, 2026. The move brings decades of automotive aftermarket leadership and industry ties to Gold Eagle as it looks to strengthen brands and pursue long-term growth.

Why it matters: - Gold Eagle is adding a longtime industry leader with deep automotive aftermarket, supplier and motorsports experience to help guide strategy. - The appointment is meant to support growth, profitability, leadership development and long-term value creation.

What happened: - Gold Eagle Company appointed Bill Long, former president and CEO of MEMA, The Vehicle Suppliers Association, to its Advisory Board. - The company announced the appointment on July 16, 2026. - Long brings more than four decades of executive leadership, strategic insight and industry advocacy experience. - Gold Eagle said Long will help inform the company’s next phase of growth.

The details: - Long previously held senior leadership roles across the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. - At MEMA, Long worked to advance the interests of vehicle suppliers and promote innovation, collaboration and growth. - Long has served on the Automotive Hall of Fame Board of Directors, the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation, the National Automotive Service Task Force and the Northwood University Automotive Aftermarket Advisory Board. - Long has received Northwood University’s Outstanding Business Leader Award, the MEMA Triangle Award, the Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award and the Jack Arute Sr. Excellence in Motorsports Award. - Gold Eagle Chairman and CEO Marc Blackman said Long’s industry knowledge, relationships and leadership experience will help the company strengthen brands, expand its portfolio and accelerate profitable growth. - The Gold Eagle Advisory Board provides independent counsel and strategic guidance on growth, profitability, leadership development, market trends, organizational effectiveness and long-term value creation. - The board includes advisors with experience in the automotive aftermarket, consumer products, manufacturing, retail and corporate leadership. - Long said he has long admired Gold Eagle’s focus on innovation, quality and customer focus. - Gold Eagle said Long’s appointment reflects its commitment to drawing on outside expertise to support strategic decision-making. - Gold Eagle is a family-owned company founded in Chicago in 1932. - Gold Eagle’s portfolio includes STA-BIL, 303 Products, HEET, Hot Shot’s Secret and licensed Valvoline automotive performance chemicals. - Gold Eagle products are sold through automotive, mass retail, hardware, farm and fleet, marine and e-commerce channels across North America. - More information is available in Gold Eagle’s announcement.

Between the lines: - Gold Eagle is signaling that it wants board-level advice from people with broad industry credibility, not just internal management experience. - Long’s background suggests the company is prioritizing supplier relationships, aftermarket insight and operational discipline as it pursues growth.

What's next: - Long will begin advising Gold Eagle’s leadership team on strategic issues and long-term planning. - Gold Eagle is positioning the appointment as part of a broader effort to accelerate value creation and support future expansion.

The bottom line: - Gold Eagle is betting that a veteran industry executive can help sharpen strategy and open doors as the company pushes for its next stage of growth.