Poolside With the WTC at the SEMA Show

SEMA Member News—January/February 2013

Poolside With the WTC at the SEMA Show

Leaders in the wheel and tire industry met poolside at the Renaissance Hotel for their annual reception and networking mixer during the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) Select Committee, adorned in Hawaiian shirts, greeted guests with leis and invited them to enjoy libations, hors d’oeuvres and the company of their peers.

WTC 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Findeis (right) of Wheel Consultants/Ultimate Wheel & Tire Plus Sizing Guide celebrated the honor with (from second right) daughter Summer Pfarr and her husband Adam Pfarr, daughter Rachel Findeis and granddaughter Faith Hebert.

Outgoing Select Committee member Carl Robinson (left) of Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels was honored for his service to the WTC. On hand to present the plaque of appreciation was WTC Chair-Elect Joe Schaefer.

The evening also served to honor the 2012 WTC Hall of Fame inductee. The SEMA WTC Hall of Fame was founded to honor and recognize those outstanding individuals in the wheel and tire industry whose creativity, dignity, integrity, industriousness and accomplishments on a national basis have enhanced the status of the industry while significantly contributing to its growth, progress and professionalism.

Put plainly, the recipient of this prestigious award represents the best in the industry—a person who has committed him- or herself to doing things the right way and finding innovative means to make business better for all.

	SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting stopped by the WTC reception to add his congratulations to the honorees and to chat about the wheel and tire industry with attendees.

The deserving nominees were Joe Findeis of Wheel Consultants/Ultimate Wheel & Tire Plus Sizing Guide, John Luedeke of Carlisle Tire, and Matthew White of the Tire Industry Alliance. The winner was Joe Findeis, an enthusiastic car guy since birth and dedicated member of the industry for 35 years.

Findeis began his career as a truck driver for Parnelli Jones Wholesale Division. He soon progressed into sales and sales management in both the wholesale and retail segments. Focusing on the aftermarket custom wheel business, he held the position of director of wheel sales for Winston Tire and Discount Tire Centers. Seeing the need for reliable plus-size fitment data presented in a simple, easy-to-use format and knowing this information would help the industry sell more tires and wheels, he started Wheel Consultants Inc. and published the first edition of Ultimate Wheel & Tire Plus Sizing Guide in 2001.

In addition to the Hall of Fame induction for Findeis, the WTC honored outgoing Select Committee member Carl Robinson for his service.

The WTC Select Committee would like to extend a special thanks to all of the reception sponsors.

In addition to the awards presentations, WTC members and guests were afforded the opportunity to renew acquaintances and discuss the industry in an open and friendly atmosphere.