A fuel filter assembly comprising: a filter head defining fluid flow paths between an inlet and an outlet and directing fuel through filter media in a filter enclosure, said filter head defining a recess open to said filter enclosure; a housing defining a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said housing configured to mount to said filter head so that said pumping chamber is in fluid communication with said recess; a motor-driven pump assembly mounted in said pumping chamber and configured to pump fluid from the inlet to the outlet of said pumping chamber, a pump secured to a first axial end of a motor and connected to a shaft of said motor to receive rotational force generated by said motor, said pump and motor configured so that fluid flows axially through the motor and pump, said motor including a plurality of motor coils and a plurality of electrical connectors for receiving electrical energy to be delivered to said motor coils, said motor driven pump assembly configured to seat in said recess with said pump in said recess and said electrical connectors projecting from an axial end of said motor driven pump assembly opposite said pump, said motor driven pump assembly retained in said recess by said housing; a pocket defined on an exterior surface of said housing, a wall of said housing separating said pocket from said pumping chamber, the pocket being offset to one side of and axially overlapping with the motor-driven pump assembly; a motor drive circuit arranged on a printed circuit board mounted in said pocket, said motor drive circuit including heat generating electrical components in thermal communication with said PC board, said PC board including a plurality of electrically and thermally conductive lands; and a plurality of electrically and thermally conductive studs extending through the wall of said housing, a first end of each stud open to said pocket, and a shaft of each said stud projecting into said pumping chamber in an orientation substantially perpendicular to a rotational axis of said motor-driven pump assembly; wherein each stud is in electrical and thermal contact with each land, the shaft of each stud is received in one of said electrical connectors to deliver electrical energy from said motor drive circuit to said motor, and the shaft of each stud is bathed in fluid pumped through said pumping chamber, each stud defining a thermal path for heat from said PC board to be absorbed by fluid pumped through said pumping chamber, thereby cooling the heat generating components of said motor drive circuit. a filter head defining fluid flow paths between an inlet and an outlet and directing fuel through filter media in a filter enclosure, said filter head defining a recess open to said filter enclosure; a housing defining a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said housing configured to mount to said filter head so that said pumping chamber is in fluid communication with said recess; a motor-driven pump assembly mounted in said pumping chamber and configured to pump fluid from the inlet to the outlet of said pumping chamber, a pump secured to a first axial end of a motor and connected to a shaft of said motor to receive rotational force generated by said motor, said pump and motor configured so that fluid flows axially through the motor and pump, said motor including a plurality of motor coils and a plurality of electrical connectors for receiving electrical energy to be delivered to said motor coils, said motor driven pump assembly configured to seat in said recess with said pump in said recess and said electrical connectors projecting from an axial end of said motor driven pump assembly opposite said pump, said motor driven pump assembly retained in said recess by said housing; a pocket defined on an exterior surface of said housing, a wall of said housing separating said pocket from said pumping chamber, the pocket being offset to one side of and axially overlapping with the motor-driven pump assembly; a motor drive circuit arranged on a printed circuit board mounted in said pocket, said motor drive circuit including heat generating electrical components in thermal communication with said PC board, said PC board including a plurality of electrically and thermally conductive lands; and a plurality of electrically and thermally conductive studs extending through the wall of said housing, a first end of each stud open to said pocket, and a shaft of each said stud projecting into said pumping chamber in an orientation substantially perpendicular to a rotational axis of said motor-driven pump assembly; wherein each stud is in electrical and thermal contact with each land, the shaft of each stud is received in one of said electrical connectors to deliver electrical energy from said motor drive circuit to said motor, and the shaft of each stud is bathed in fluid pumped through said pumping chamber, each stud defining a thermal path for heat from said PC board to be absorbed by fluid pumped through said pumping chamber, thereby cooling the heat generating components of said motor drive circuit.