The FMU Team

OJ Lopez
Title: Owner/Founder

A Chicagoland native, OJ is co-founder and co-owner of FMU. For three full years, he attended the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), pursuing his undergraduate business degree, but his automotive education and experience began at Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) in 2004. He mastered basic automotive classes as well as specialized courses, like chassis fabrication and high performance engines.

After graduating from WyoTech, he was selected for the BMW STEP OS program, which he completed successfully. He was selected to work with nationally recognized Perillo BMW in Chicago, where he began as a journeyman. To no one’s surprise, he quickly worked his way up the ranks and, in just eight months, was responsible for the keys to Perillo’s used car warehouse. Through Perillo, he gained most of his BMW experience and in one year achieved Master Tech status (making him the youngest Master Tech in Perillo’s history). During that time, his nighttime side project grew into a fully fledged business, so he left Perillo and chose to focus his efforts on growing FMU. Subsequently, he completed EFI (electronic fuel injection) classes, completing both beginner and advanced levels. He also took master class training with Haltech, giving him a strong knowledge base of their standalone engine management systems.

OJ continues to gain as much experience and training as he can get his hands on. His technical knowledge and skills are as impressive as his revolutionary ideas, which keep FMU on the cutting edge. Through 2010, OJ did everything from diagnostics to basic oil changes, but his specialty is electronic diagnosis, custom exhaust product development, and aesthetic styling. While he supports FMU at every level, he also manages the entire team. He is constantly raising the bar for all FMU family, and projects the drive and creativity on which the company is built.

Favorite car? Whatever car he is working on at the time.

Marilynn Lopez
Title: Shop Mom

Marilynn is OJ’s mother and the official ‘shop mom.’ She currently heads the front office and is most likely the first person you will see upon entering Fluid MotorUnion.

Marilynn, a Illinois native, is FMU’s major investor. She comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs and business owners, with a strong work ethic embedded in her DNA. She began her career as a Registered Nurse, graduating from Lewis University, and then her post graduate work at Northern Illinois University with a specialty in head and neck cancer and worked in the main Veteran’s Administration Hospital as Assistant Head Nurse. She is also a Certified Hospice Nurse. Becoming frustrated with bureaucratic processes and leadership, she decided to put her sharp business mind and nursing skills together to start her own nursing business. Founded in 1990, she grew the business to annual revenues exceeding $7M.

Being a quick study, and starting FMU with minimal knowledge of cars, she has rapidly become familiar with virtually every conceivable part (for ordering purposes) and can diagnose customer vehicle problems herself. However, it is her people skills that are most noteworthy, and bring great value to both FMU and its clients. Crafted from her years of working as a nurse, she treats customers, vendors, and employees as her own family, and her maternal instincts and caring qualities add a unique and missing touch to an otherwise male-dominated industry. She is responsible for all day-to-day operations and is truly the heart of FMU. She’s here before everyone else in the morning, and leaves after everybody else at night.

Favorite car? Bentley Bentayga

Marisa Lopez
Title: Manager

Marisa, is a manager of several departments at FMU. She learned of WyoTech during a high school auto shop class, and recommended her brother OJ enroll. This led to a meeting of the minds between OJ and Craig Hegland, in turn sowing the seeds that would blossom into FMU. She studied Communications at DePaul University in Chicago, from where she graduated with honors. Marisa has worked in the hospitality industry for over ten years; in a five star hotel, as well as two three Michelin star restaurants, as well as Chicago’s (and one of the nation’s) top grossing independent restaurants, grossing $25.4M in 2019. Needless to say she has learned how to cater to customers and employees alike in a luxury setting.

Favorite car? Pagani Huayra

Mike Keller
Title: Foreman

Mike Keller is the longest-standing employee of Fluid MotorUnion, aside from the owners. He heads the service department acting as our lead technician/foreman and has proven time and again that his determination and skill in problem solving are factors that have proven helpful to the growth of the company.

Known typically by his last name only, Keller has his automotive degree from Lincoln Tech, and was a co-worker with OJ at Perillo BMW in Chicago. He is our resident Lamborghini specialist and holds a wide range of ASE certifications and is both Saab and BMW certified, as well. His photographic memory and ability to pull up customer’s names, vehicles, and previous services performed is a remarkable asset. His attention to detail and goal of fixing each and every issue from the deepest level on up, with no shortcuts, has become our shop mantra.