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AERA President John Goodman Announces Retirement

Says Industry and Association Are In Good Shape, Plans to Focus on Family

After 9 years at the helm, Engine Builders Association (AERA) President John Goodman has announced his retirement, effective July 1, 2012.

 “John became president of AERA in October of 2003 rejoining an industry that he had briefly left to finish his Ph.D. in Engineering Management,” explained Jim Rickoff, associate editor of Engine Professional and AERA’s marketing consultant. “At AERA, John led the association through many changes of efficiency and professionalism. Having a professional technical guy at the helm for the last 9 years has been very beneficial for our association. The entire staff, members and associates of AERA thank him for his years of service and wish him and his family a great retirement.”

Goodman’s career in engine rebuilding began in 1980, in Salt Lake City, UT where, for four years, he ran an automotive machine shop specializing in foreign cars. He then moved to the machine tool industry, gaining skill in field engineering and sales, product development and the study and evaluation of manufacturing tools, abrasives, coolants, fixtures and honing processes

Goodman tells Engine Builder that he is confident in the strength of the association moving forward. “The Board of Directors reflects the hopes, the wants and the dreams of the association members. Over the last nine years we’ve been building the core value of the association – the technical side – and I think it’s definitely the kind of stuff it should be doing.”

He admits that loss of membership has been somewhat distressing, but believes it is a reflection of a long-term industry trend that, actually, isn’t entirely negative. “When you look at a consolidation of an industry like we’ve been going through, it can either be looked at as a negative or a positive. I’ve always felt the industry has been good. It’s been profitable for those who want to make it that way,” Goodman says. “Certainly, it’s cost-intensive but the rewards are there if you want to run it as a business.

He says shops around the country have a positive outlook. “Many have told us that they’re no longer just taking in work at low profits – they’re busy with high profit stuff again. It’s a normal business cycle – maybe it’s been expanded to a point where we’re not comfortable but frankly, it thins out the herd. What’s left are shops that have been set up from the beginning to be successful under these conditions and they’re busy and profitable. I can’t be unhappy about that either,” he says.

“AERA continues to work at reconstituting some of the things we lost when we had to set aside our trade show,” Goodman says. “We’re using what resources are out there to help rebuild that, specifically the networking aspect of it, which we all desperately miss. The regionals have been very, very good, and I think continuing partnerships with other trade shows and venues might help us get back a lot of those things we had going at the trade show.”

Could these partnerships include other industry associations as well? “There always seems to be a sweet spot for the timeliness of such relationships,” Goodman says. “We wouldn’t mind at all doing things on a partnership arrangement with any industry association like us. Maybe in the future we’ll be able to find common ground where neither side feels they’re being taken advantage of.”

Goodman says he believes the executive committee of AERA plans to take a more aggressive marketing approach to address memberships and that the search for his successor will reflect that. “My background is in tech, but the new president will likely come in with more emphasis on the marketing. I know the search has been going well. The search committee has found some viable candidates but the process continues. The industry will be in the hands of younger people and that’s a good thing. I just hope I’ve managed to lead AERA correctly, efficiently and effectively over these nine years,” he says.

 “At some point, I knew this day would come,” says Goodman. “It happens to everyone and now, retirement is happening to me. As with any event you don't want to think about, you just bury it away and go about your business. But I am told with age comes wisdom and I thought it wise to move my concentration away from career and focus on Shirley (my wife) and grandchildren. Life doesn't often give one a second bite of the apple but retirement can do just that. So, without looking back, Shirley and I decided that I should retire from a beloved industry that has given us so many good friends and memories. Given past history, I will stay active and still have a few things to contribute, but family gets the lion’s share."

The AERA Board of Directors continues its search for qualified candidates to succeed Goodman. For more information, visit www.aera.org.