Moni Mevorach

A Life of Courage, Vision, and Entrepreneurship

Moni was a visionary entrepreneur and industry leader who built and led multiple companies in the automotive sector.

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1928, Moni's childhood was shaped by events far greater than himself. Moni was educated in a French Catholic school and little did he know that being educated in French would one day influence one of the most important decisions of his life.

The hardships of the Second World War shaped his character from an early age, instilling in him the perseverance, courage, and resilience that would define the man he became. Following the war in 1947, he left Bulgaria for Israel beginning a challenging journey that would eventually take him to new lands. In his early years, Moni built a successful career in the banking industry.

In 1963, he left the security of banking to join his brother-in-law in a small brake shoe business in Tel Aviv, a decision that launched a remarkable entrepreneurial journey. Over the next twelve years, Moni transformed the company to become Israel's leading remanufacturer of automotive parts. Moni had a deep passion for manufacturing, and his curiosity, determination, and innovative spirit enabled him to transform ideas into reality. In 1970, he took a bold step into the manufacturing of integrally molded brake pads, acquiring technology and equipment from Italy.

In 1975, Moni made a bold decision to immigrate to Canada and start all over again. Undaunted by the challenges of starting over, he founded a new company, Distex, with a clear vision for the future. Recognizing the growing potential of the imported vehicle market in North America, he set out to manufacture brake pads for imported vehicles. He chose Montreal as his new home, drawn by its French-speaking culture and the familiarity it offered as he embraced the next chapter of his life.

When he arrived in Montreal, he brought a business plan, and a commitment to the Quebec Ministry of Industry and Commerce was simple: create 20 jobs. Within 4 years he surpassed that promise, employing close to 100 people and supplying customers across the United States and Canada.

In 1980, a Quebec Crown corporation, Société Nationale de l'Amiante, started investing in the private sector and placed their trust in Moni by becoming a 50 percent partner in the business and creating Distex-SNA. One of Moni's greatest strengths was his ability to connect with people and build trust.  Moni’s nature was to be transparent and factual even when those facts weren't what people wanted to hear. That honesty earned him the respect of his new partners. 

Shortly after the new partnership was born, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was built in a 180,000 sq. facility in Ville d'Anjou just east of Montreal. The plant was 100% vertically integrated including a large steel stamping operation. By 1986, Distex-SNA became one of North America's leading manufacturers of brake products, supplying some of the biggest brands in the industry. Distex became a force in the North American brake industry, providing customers with advanced formulations, e-coat painting and many other new processes. Moni was a well recognized leader in the brake industry.   

When  SNA later decided to divest its holdings, Distex-SNA was sold to Echlin, the parent company of Raybestos. The transaction created more jobs, protected the facility, and rewarded years of growth, a good return for the Province of Quebec and Canada. Moni developed a close and trusting relationship with Fred Mancheski, the CEO of Echlin. Moni loved telling the story of how the deal was ultimately finalized in the wee hours and signed in the hallway at Echlin's headquarters in Connecticut. 

Echlin asked Moni to remain with the company for a year after the acquisition. Before the year was over, Moni had helped identify acquisition opportunities that ultimately led to Echlin purchasing 3 brake companies.

But by then, Moni had already started another company. In 1982, together with his son Ezer and daughter Taly, they founded ETNA Automotive. The company's name was created by combining the names of his two children.

ETNA focused on the Canadian aftermarket with a complete brake program and quickly gained traction. Competing against industry giants required determination, courage, and perhaps a little stubbornness. The company's success eventually attracted the attention of Echlin once again and ETNA's brake division was acquired by Raybestos in 1993. 

By then, however, ETNA had already established a thriving presence in another emerging automotive aftermarket segment: front-wheel-drive CV shafts and steering racks. Following the sale of the brake division, the company was restructured and rebranded as Mevotech, a name that would soon become synonymous with innovation and growth in the aftermarket industry.

Moni laid the foundation for Mevotech’s success and always remained deeply involved, contributing his knowledge, wisdom, and passion well into his nineties. He never truly retired because he never stopped caring. 

But what made Moni truly special wasn't simply what he built but how. He led by example and had the ability to inspire confidence, earn trust, and he created opportunities for others. Over time, he became more than a business leader, he became a mentor, coach, and trusted advisor to  a large number of  people, many of whom are with us here tonight.

And he did it all with humor, flair, and an unmistakable twinkle in his eye.

He was very decisive and quick to make a decision; we even coined the term “Moni time” because of the rapid speed at which he moved. 

In 2006 he was honoured by the AIA Quebec with the distinction of Industry Builder in the Manufacturing sector. A tribute to his success and contribution to our industry. 

Moni had numerous other start-ups and partnerships over the years, not mentioned tonight which had influenced the aftermarket. Moni passed away in 2024 at the age of 96, but his legacy remains very much alive. It endures through the businesses he built, the leaders he mentored, the family he cherished, and the countless lives he touched.