By Chad Simon
 Having been named SEMA's 2011 Person of the Year, John Menzler was highly regarded in the automotive aftermarket industry. | ||
John Menzler passed away October 3, 2013, after battling cancer.
“John was the SEMA Person of the Year two years ago because he cared so much about the industry and channeled that into action that made a positive difference,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA's president and CEO. “He was a spirited, funny and an enormously dedicated guy who will be deeply missed.”
In addition to being honored as SEMA's 2011 Person of the Year, Menzler, of the COMP Performance Group, was a longtime SEMA member as well as a Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) and Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) Select Committee member and mentor to many in the industry.
“Being named SEMA Person of the Year is the highlight of my automotive career; it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Menzler said upon receiving the award. “Nobody sets out to become Person of the Year, and you don’t do it for the accolades; you do it to help the industry. It’s all about giving back. I’ve been involved in the councils for 20 years; it’s the backbone of what SEMA is about. I always say that SEMA is the greatest organization in the world, and they also put on a Show.”
Having been involved in the automotive aftermarket for several decades, Menzler was the winner of the Mentor of the Year award in 2010. He also served on the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Select Committee from the council’s inception in 1995 until June 2010. He chaired the council from 2004–2006 and, when his tenure as immediate past chair/advisor was over in 2006, he immediately ran and was re-elected to the Select Committee. He is the only recipient of the MPMC Industry Recognition Award, presented to him in 2000, and he was inducted into the MPMC Hall of Fame in 2010. Menzler also owns a SEMA-member company called Inventive Marketing/MotoFeet.
Services for Menzler will be held Friday, October 18, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. at Greenwood Memory Lawn, Serenity Chapel (719 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009). A remembrance of Menzler's life will follow at his home after the services.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Menzler's name to the SEMA Scholarship Fund or Victory Junction.