By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) named Robert Cavanagh, senior product manager at AP Emissions Technologies--a manufacturer of emissions and exhaust technologies for light and commercial vehicles--as the network's newest spotlight member.
Get to know Cavanagh in his interview with SEMA News below.
SEMA News: What is the best advice you have ever received?
Robert Cavanagh: Two things stand out to me as particularly useful. One: less is more. Don't ramble, just present the facts and let them speak for themselves. Two: If you don't make a decision, a decision will make (or break) you. Make the call and keep moving forward, not deciding if something is the wrong decision.
SN: What keeps you in the industry?
RC: Someone famous once said "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." Sometimes it's not quite that literal, but it's worked out pretty accurately so far. I've loved cars since I was a little kid, and being able to bring to market the various parts that people need/want to work on their cars is an awesome experience. I would never want to work in any other industry.
SN: Where can you be found on a Saturday?
RC: Living that fixer-upper life working on house projects with my amazing wife, making something delicious on the smoker or grill, or relaxing and having an easy night in with friends.
SN: How do you prepare for an important meeting?
RC: Heavy research and note taking. I used to fear public speaking and presenting, but I've found that being an expert on anything you could possibly asked and having all the answers in your back pocket makes it an easy experience.
SN: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who would it be?
RC: I'm not sure I could pick just one, but if it were possible, I would love to sit down with one of the "founding fathers" of muscle cars like Lee Iacocca or Carroll Shelby. They--and those like them--basically invented our industry, and it would have been an awesome experience to get to talk to them.
Fill out an FLN member spotlight form to be eligible to be featured on FLN's social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates.