By Ashley Reyes
SEMA is accepting nominations for its prestigious industry awards recognizing companies and individuals within the automotive aftermarket whose leadership, innovation and service have left a meaningful impact. The nomination deadline is Friday, August 14, at www.sema.org/awards.
The SEMA Industry Awards are among the association's highest honors and recognize the recipient's outstanding contributions to the specialty equipment industry during the past year. The program recognizes honorees in five different categories: Channel Partner of the Year, Content Creator of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Person of the Year and the Visionary 8.
To be considered, a nominee must exhibit professionalism, service, integrity and ethics that help propel the industry forward.
Why Nominating Matters
It takes dedication, hard work and drive to build and grow an automotive specialty-equipment business, and even more so to grow an entire industry. Nominating a deserving candidate helps ensure that those who best embody SEMA's mission are recognized for their impact. In doing so, SEMA can inspire continuous innovation, encourage industry involvement and strengthen the businesses and people that keep the aftermarket thriving.
When considering a nominee, members should look for individuals and companies whose contributions extend beyond their own business and are helping advance the automotive aftermarket at large. Ideal candidates may include companies demonstrating outstanding business practices, individuals driving the industry forward through new innovations and ideas or volunteer leaders who dedicate their time to advancing industry initiatives and mentoring others.
If you know a company or individual that deserves industry-wide attention for their contributions, submit a nomination by Friday, August 14, at www.sema.org/awards.
2026 SEMA Show to Celebrate the Industry's Best
The 2026 SEMA Show, held November 3-6 in Las Vegas, will bring together automotive icons and next-gen disruptors to celebrate the past, present, and future of the aftermarket industry. The festivities shift into gear on Tuesday, November 3, with the Kickoff Breakfast, where 15 cutting-edge New Product Awards will be unveiled alongside top honors for Channel Partner of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year.
On Thursday, November 5, the highly anticipated Visionary 8 and SEMA's Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year winner will be announced live at SEMA Central. The momentum will continue during the SEMA Industry Honors, celebrated at the iconic Fontainebleau. This red-carpet-style gathering brings together the industry's biggest names to spotlight standout achievements, including Content Creator of the Year and Person of the Year.
Entries for Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year––a SEMA Industry Award that recognizes exceptional quality of engineering on a vehicle build––will open in August. Learn more at www.sema.org/awards.
