Bill Wild Named President and CEO of Midwest Independent Retailers Association

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Bill Wild
Courtesy of MIRA

West Bloomfield Township’s Midwest Independent Retailers Association (MIRA) Board of Directors has named Westland Mayor Bill Wild as the next president and CEO of the 110-year-old trade association and of the association’s nonprofit arm, the Midwest Independent Retailers Foundation (MIRF).

He officially starts his new position in mid-January of 2023.

“Serving as mayor of my hometown for the last 16 years has been the honor of my professional career and I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish during some of our nation’s toughest times,” says Wild.

“I’m a businessman and entrepreneur at heart and having the opportunity to lead such an historic association, representing some of the finest retailers in the Midwest is an incredible privilege.”

Wild, a former longtime small business owner in the automotive recycling industry has championed fiscally responsible, customer service-oriented practices in local government, since being elected mayor in 2007.

“Bill is a well-respected leader in southeast Michigan and has a proven track record for success,” says Cliff Denha, chairman of MIRA. “His dynamic leadership style that he demonstrated in Westland will translate effectively in our association. Our board is extremely excited about welcoming Bill to our team, and we know he has the energy, vision, and relationships to lead this association forward.”

Wild replaces retiring Ed Weglarz who has served as president and CEO since 2020. Weglarz spent his entire career in the petroleum and convenience store industry. Prior to taking his position with MIRA in 2006 as director of petroleum, Weglarz served as the president of the Great Lakes Petroleum Retailers Association and the executive director of the Service Station Dealers Association (SSDA).