Ira Gabriel

Industry veteran Ira Gabriel is vice president of marketing. He works from SEMA's headquarters in Diamond Bar, California, where he oversees strategic marketing initiatives for the association and supervises the marketing department staff and support teams.

In addition to optimizing marketing for association events and activities, he works to coordinate marketing assets to match association programs and services with individuals at member companies most likely to use them.

Immediately prior to joining SEMA, Gabriel served as vice president, executive director of the Motor Trend Certified Vehicle Service Program, an Atlanta, Georgia-based division operating under license from Motor Trend.

Gabriel also served as the publisher of Hot Rod Magazine, responsible for managing the iconic media brand along with the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour and Hot Rod Television. Following Hot Rod Magazine, Gabriel joined Motor Trend as the publisher and later became the executive vice president, group publisher of the Motor Trend Automotive Group, which included Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine, Motor Trend Classic, Truck Trend and the Motor Trend Auto Shows.

Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in technical journalism from Oregon State University and MBA from the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.