By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) named Eric Ammerman, director of off-road at TYRI Lighting, as the council's newest spotlight member. Get to know Ammerman in his interview with SEMA News below.
SEMA News: What inspired you to pursue a career in the truck and off-road industry?
Eric Ammerman: I have always been a fan of the outdoors and of cars and trucks. What better way to earn a living than to enjoy both of those things? My dad set me on this path when I was a kid, even though he never worked in automotive.
SN: Why did you join the TORA council?
EA: Pretty quickly after starting my career in the off-road aftermarket, I realized the most incredible part of this industry is the people involved. Anything I can do to help the people and the companies succeed and support their families, I want to do it.
SN: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
EA: I've gotten a lot of advice over the years, so it's hard to pick just one. But one of the super important ones that I have not only gotten, but given as well, is to cultivate long-term relationships rather than short-term wins. It seems simple, but it's important. You never know what the future holds and stepping on one person to get the win may do more damage than it's worth.
SN: What is your daily driver?
EA: A V8 Nissan Titan Pro 4x Pickup. I have several heavily modified vehicles, so I really wanted a daily that I would have no interest in modifying. I need to pull a trailer, and I need to do truck stuff, so I bought it wholesale from a car dealer friend of mine. I wasn't even 5 miles away from the dealership before I reached out to Alpine to get a head unit so I could have CarPlay. I guess the moral of the story here is that working in this industry has ruined me, and I can't leave any car alone.
SN: What was the first vehicle you modified?
EA: A '74 VW Super Beetle. When I was 15, my dad told me if I wanted to have a car, I would have to work for it. Not only in the financial sense, but on the car as well. He drove me around with an envelope of the money I saved from mowing lawns to look at cars that I found in the local paper. We quickly realized all the CJ7s in my price range had been destroyed by Pennsylvania road salt, so I started looking at Beetles. Finally, we found one at a junkyard that was mostly in one piece. It was a little more than I had to spend, but he taught me how to negotiate a deal to take it home. Once we got it towed back, he handed me a repair manual and pointed to his toolbox and said, "You can get your license once it's running and driving. You can use all my tools and if you need something else, I'll buy it." I think that moment really set me on the path I am now.
Fill out a TORA-member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the truck and off-road specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on TORA's social media, SEMA News and future TORA member updates.
