Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Devin Hart | |
Devin Hart Joins The Marx Group as New President and Co-CEO; Also Named Executive Vice President of Marx Group Advisors
Devin Hart, a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket, has joined The Marx Group as the firm’s new president and co-CEO. In addition, Hart will become executive vice president of Marx Group Advisors. Tom Marx, founder, president and CEO of The Marx Group since its inception, has been named co-CEO and chairman. He will continue as CEO of Marx Group Advisors.
Most recently, Hart served as president and general manager of CADNA Rubber Co., owned by Continental AG/ContiTech. Hart led the sale of CADNA—an aftermarket supplier for replacement belts, hoses and hose accessories, and metal components—to Continental in 2014. He served the subsequent three quarters in an interim executive leadership position for Continental to facilitate the smooth transfer of management to the new owners. Hart was a major shareholder and board member at CADNA. He served as its president and CEO from 2009 to 2014, helping to complete a turnaround of the company and its eventual sale. In addition, he served in various key management roles for more than 14 years with Federal-Mogul Corp.
SEMA Wins Two PR Daily 2015 Nonprofit PR Awards
 Seymour Profits | |
SEMA was recognized as a Ragan’s PR Daily 2015 Nonprofit PR Award winner in the Best Marketing Campaign category for its Seymour Profits—The Official Nerd of the SEMA Data Co-op marketing initiative. SEMA also won the award for Best Social Media Campaign for the 2014 SEMA Show. Entries came in from around the globe consisting of success stories from nonprofit organizations, the agencies that represent them and from individual PR specialists.
KFLA AddsS “Rev’n” in Los Angeles; “Rev’n” Adds Valvoline Racing Radio
Luken Communications LLC has announced an affiliation agreement between Luken’s latest network offering, “Rev’n,” and KFLA – Los Angeles (DMA 2). KFLA, a long-time affiliate of Luken’s Retro TV, will launch “Rev’n” on July 1, 2015. Los Angeles-area viewers will be able to find “Rev’n” over the air on channel 8.6, in addition to Retro TV on 8.3. “Rev’n” officially launched December 1, 2014, with an initial reach of 26 affiliates in 24 markets estimated to have more than 37 million homes.
“Rev'n” has also announced the addition of Valvoline Racing Radio to its programming lineup. Valvoline Racing Radio on “Rev'n”— a NASCAR talk show produced by Whitfield Media Group—will be found on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. (EDT) and Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) starting July 8, 2015. Valvoline Racing Radio features Shawn Whitfield, executive producer and host; Casey Orr, host; and “Big Daddy” Kyle, producer, giving all of the updates and stories pertinent to NASCAR fans. Wednesday’s episodes feature a recap of the racing action and points standings from the previous weekend while Saturday’s episodes look ahead to that weekend’s race.
 Shannon Campbell | |
Shannon Campbell Elected to Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame
Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. has announced that Team Nitto driver Shannon Campbell has been chosen to be inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) and has the distinction of being the first-ever rocksports competitor to be inducted. As one of the few members of the off-road community who excels as a driver, technological innovator and an ambassador for motorized off-pavement recreation, Campbell received a unanimous vote from the selection committee.
One of the few two-time King of the Hammers “Kings” (2008, 2011), Campbell has also been W.E. Rock Champion (2006, 2007, 2008), XORRA Champion (2006, 2008, 2009), Ultra4 Series Champion (2011, 2013) and JCRA (Japan) Champion (2011). His other honors include DirtSports Magazine Driver of the Year (2005), DirtSports Rockracer of the Year (2013) and Ultra4 Sportsman of the Year (2013).
Technologically, Campbell and Campbell Enterprises are best known for introducing the IFS buggy to rock racing in 2002. Campbell Enterprises also pioneered the single-seat buggy when he chose to drive solo and be his own spotter/winch-cable puller about a decade ago. Additionally, Campbell Enterprises builds the race vehicles for Bailey and Wayland Campbell and other Ultra4 and BITD competitors.
 Tom Kenny | |
Yokohama Tire Corp. Announces New Director of Technical Service
Tom Kenny, a 33-year tire industry veteran, has taken over for Dan Guiney as Yokohama Tire Corp.'s (YTC) director of technical service. Guiney recently retired after 43 years in the tire business, the last 13 with Yokohama. During his time at YTC, Guiney held leadership assignments in all aspects of customer technical support. He also served as chairman of the RMA Tire Policy Committee, and represented Yokohama on the Tire and Rim Board of Trustees and the Tire Society. These responsibilities will be passed on to Kenny.
Kenny previously worked for companies such as Cooper, Continental and Hankook, where he was vice president of R&D. His responsibilities at Yokohama include technical engineering and service support for all products.
WELD Awards $1,000 Prize to Kansas City Art Institute Student in Wheel Design Contest
WELD has awarded a $1,000 prize to Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) student Noah Geiger for his directional on-spoke wheel design. Geiger captured the top prize in the first-annual WELD KCAI Performance Design Challenge contest, which was open to students enrolled in the virtual sculpture design program at KCAI. The contest was conducted in conjunction with the KCAI Art of the Car Concours event held last weekend at the school campus in Kansas City, of which WELD is a sponsor. Geiger, a native of Rapid City, South Dakota, is studying sculpture at KCAI and will be a junior in the fall. Geiger designed his wheel to be coated in black except for the exterior face, which is polished.
 Scott Shea | |
CRP Industries Names Scott Shea as New Chief Operating Officer
CRP Industries Inc. has named Scott Shea as its new chief operating officer. Daniel N. Schildge, CEO of CRP Industries Inc., who noted that this was a newly created executive role in the company, made the announcement. As COO, Shea will be responsible for supply-chain management, operations, the CRP Industrial Group and CRP de Mexico. Shea comes to CRP Industries after serving as the COO for Astriva LLC since 2010. Prior to that, Shea worked for CSS Industries Inc., serving as the divisional president for Berwick Offray LLC. Before joining CSS Industries, Shea spent 14 years at E.I. DuPont where he held several management and engineering positions.
TruckVault Hires David McInturf
TruckVault Inc. has announced the hiring of longtime industry professional David McInturf to work closely with its growing upfitter, commercial fleet and sport markets. McInturf previously worked with Bedslide as an independent rep and managed the SE territory from 2000–2007. He then took on the role of vice president of sales and marketing at Bedslide from until 2010, after which he founded CargoGlide in St. George, Utah, where he is currently based. He will immediately start to work on TruckVault's Southern California LE upfitter business and with key accounts in the company's expanding commercial fleet and sport divisions.
VP Racing Fuels Partners With Desert Fuels, Sandri Energy
Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Desert Fuels is the newest distributor to partner with VP Racing Fuels in its retail branding program. With operations in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado and Michigan, Desert Fuels services more than 60 retail sites, including 11 that it owns and operates, of which six are to be converted to the VP Racing Fuels brand during the program’s initial phase.
VP Racing Fuels also has introduced Greenfield, Massachusetts-based Sandri Energy as a retail branding partner. With operations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, Sandri is expected to accelerate the expansion of the VP Racing Fuels brand in the Northeast. While Sandri currently supports 115 retail locations, it plans to leverage the VP Racing Fuels brand as it seeks to expand its business through the acquisition of wholesale supply at new stations.
Tint World Hires Renowned Audio Installer Calvin Thomas
Tint World has expanded its Roswell, Georgia, location with the addition of 12-volt industry veteran Calvin Thomas. A past finalist for Mobile Electronics magazine’s Installer of the Year award, Thomas brings decades of car audio, fabrication and integration experience to the Automotive Styling Centers location. Thomas has also been named one of the Top 100 Installers by Mobile Electronics. His past experience includes work as a master fabricator, having built a number of International Auto Sound Challenge Association world-champion-winning vehicles.
NGK Spark Plug Co. Completes Acquisition of Wells Vehicle Electronics Business
NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. has announced the closing of its acquisition of Wells Manufacturing L.P. and the Wells Vehicle Electronics business from UCI Holdings Limited. Wells is a global manufacturer and supplier of advanced vehicle electronics components for automotive original-equipment and replacement applications.
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