Strengthen Your Company Through Community
No matter what niche you're in—rods, restoration, racing, restyling, reps, trucks or wheels and tires—there's a SEMA council or professional network that's right for your company. SEMA councils and networks offer members a variety of market-specific programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular industry segment.
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| Visit YEN's website |
 Aaron Vaccar |  Darren Lane |
Meet the YEN Power Tour Participants
The Young Executives Network (YEN) will hit the road this summer with 10 members to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour. The YENsters will stop in seven cities, starting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with the finish line in Kansas City, Kansas. Each stop attracts hundreds of local car enthusiasts, students and automotive professionals. YEN members will interact with students, showing them around the “traveling car show,” and discussing career paths in the automotive aftermarket industry.
You can follow them along their journey via the hashtag #YENPowerTour. Let’s meet one of the teams!
 Vaccar will pilot a highly customized, twin-turbo ’15 Ford Edge Sport concept by Vaccar, which debuted at last year’s SEMA Show in the Ford booth. |
Driver – Aaron Vaccar, The Aaron Vaccar Company, President
The Aaron Vaccar Company manages several businesses within the industry. The Vaccar brand designs promotional creations for events such as the SEMA Show for companies, including Ford. “AutoLife Tour” works with other client services as a traveling roadshow. “Blood & Grease” is a car-culture-inspired clothing line.
Vaccar’s knack for business started in high school, purchasing wholesale candy and reselling to students until the administration forced him to stop. Now, helping other companies build brands is how he spends his time, possibly preceded by his automotive hobby. His passion for cars was spurred as a father-son pastime, with his first custom in 2006 being featured in eight magazines. With a shelf of OEM achievements, shop full of work, and consulting brands he admires, 29-year-old Vaccar is just getting started.
“I want gain experience from a new perspective, network and build relationships, and most importantly, turn around and apply valuable business practices and ideas toward the future of our industry,” he said, of attending the YEN Power Tour.
Vaccar will pilot a highly customized, twin-turbo ’15 Ford Edge Sport concept by Vaccar, which debuted at last year’s SEMA Show in the Ford booth.
Passenger – Darren Lane, Motor State Distributing, Export and Fulfillment Sales Manager
For more than a decade, Lane has represented the third generation of Motor State Distributing—a premiere aftermarket performance distributor celebrating its 52nd anniversary in 2016. As a multi-channel distributor, Motor State Distributing has experienced tremendous growth since its founding in 1964, now stocking more than 90,000 products representing more than 600 product lines. A six-time SEMA “WD of The Year” award winner, Motor State has solidified its reputation for delivering superior service within the ever-expanding global markets it serves.
Contributing to all facets of the business, Lane’s career path has led him through tenures within each functional area of company, all while receiving a bachelor’s of business administration in finance at Western Michigan University. Both his education and experience have provided him with a deep understanding of the complex daily operations of the business, and will undoubtedly poise him for an increased leadership role within the company.
Moreover, an avid racer in his youth, Lane has cultivated a personal connection with motorsports enthusiasts behind the wheel of karts and various circle-track cars throughout the Midwest. Although he no longer races, you can often find him at a race track or industry event interacting with customers and other performance enthusiasts.
Lane is excited to connect with performance enthusiasts as a member of SEMA’s YEN Power Tour.
For more information on the YEN Power Tour, visit www.sema.org/yen-power-tour.
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| Visit PRO's website. |
PRO to Host Long-Range Planning Meeting in Detroit
The Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) is hosting its annual Long-Range Planning (LRP) meeting June 15–16 in the nation’s car capital—Detroit. The annual LRP is an opportunity for council members to address restyling industry issues and challenges and weigh in on the needs of its member companies. Employees of PRO-member companies are encouraged to attend to gain insight into council initiatives, contribute their ideas to push the restyling industry forward and mingle with Select Committee members and SEMA staff to learn how PRO resources can help their businesses grow.
As an added bonus, attendees will tour the innovative Mobility Transformation Facility, more commonly known as Mcity, at the University of Michigan. The 32-acre facility is located on campus and is the first of its kind in testing new automated vehicle technologies and their capabilities to safely maneuver actual roadways. Public access to Mcity is limited, but LRP attendees will enjoy a guided, private tour of the facility.
The meetings kick off Wednesday, June 15, at the Detroit Metro Airport Marriot, and will break late morning for the Mcity tour and lunch. The meeting will reconvene back at the hotel after the tour for a group discussion and breakout sessions. A PRO-hosted dinner will take place that evening. The Thursday agenda includes a continental breakfast, breakout sessions, lunch and group project planning, and is slated to end at 3:00 p.m.
For questions on this event, contact Senior Manager of Councils Allan Keefe at 909-978-6696 or allank@sema.org.