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SEMA Hot Rod Council to Present Education Day at 2014 Detroit Autorama

By Della Domingo

education
HRIA Education Day will consist of 24 sessions, each led by a hot-rod parts manufacturer educating attendees about product features, benefits and installation guidelines.
The annual SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Education Day will be held, for the first time, in conjunction with the Detroit Autorama—the 60-year-old custom car show taking place in March 2014 at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The program will consist of 24 sessions, each led by a hot-rod parts manufacturer educating attendees about product features, benefits and installation guidelines.

“For more than 10 years, HRIA Education Day has proven to be a key event for helping manufacturers share detailed, and sometimes technical, information about their products with their customers,” said Jim Skelly, SEMA director of councils. “Holding the Education Day program at the Detroit Autorama will allow HRIA members to expand and reach a new audience.”

HRIA previously held its Education Day program at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show in Indianapolis. The move to the Detroit Autorama will enable manufacturers to reach a new, expanded audience. Autorama, which is well known for having the world’s most coveted hot rods, prestigious awards competitions, as well as top celebrities and student programs, attracts more than 150,000 individuals annually. Education Day will take place Thursday, March 6, 2014 (the day before Autorama officially opens), and is open to all hot-rod shops and businesses, as well as to all Autorama attendees.

“As one the nation’s premier indoor custom car show, the Detroit Autorama attracts thousands of businesses and enthusiasts who are passionate and deeply vested in new hot-rod products,” said Peter A. Toundas, president of Championship Auto Shows Inc.—promoter of the event. “The HRIA Education Day program will add a valuable element to the event, giving attendees an opportunity to connect directly with manufacturers, which would be difficult for them to do on their own.”

The list of participating manufacturers and schedule for HRIA Education Day will be available in August. All sessions will be one hour long.

The HRIA is a SEMA council dedicated to ensuring the future prosperity of the hot-rod industry and to advancing and promoting awareness of the hobby. Within this context, HRIA focuses on industry-specific issues, developing effective strategies and programs that will assist members in improving their business practices and procedures. HRIA also works with the HRIA legislative staff to address those legislative issues and/or regulatory matters, which may affect the hot-rod industry, and provides a forum—through participation in Hot Rod Alley, a special SEMA Show section—through which member companies can take advantage of new business and marketing opportunities.