Welcome to the Emerging Trends and Technology Network (ETTN), SEMA's newest network, which is an evolution of the Street Performance Council (SPC) and even earlier Sport Compact Council.
In recent times, the SPC experienced success on the cutting edge of emerging trends and technology and often led the way for other SEMA councils and member companies. While this proved to be of great value to members, it was not easy to draw an intuitive connection with the council's name and mission. "Street performance" was just too broad, and the council was more narrowly focused on exploring cutting-edge technology. Therefore, it made sense to change the name from SPC to ETTN and reboot.
The SEMA Board of Directors met with SPC leadership and SEMA staff, reviewed the proposal, and agreed with the ETTN direction. The ETTN would like to thank all of the members and supporters of SPC, SCC and SEMA's Board and staff for their unwavering support and encouragement.
So what can you expect from the new ETTN? There is actually a pretty easy answer, and you need only look at the name ETTN and the group's mission statement for the answer.
ETTN's mission statement: Identify, understand and communicate emerging trends and technologies to help members improve. The network will do that by:
- Building and fostering a community of like-minded members who share an interest in learning and gaining competitive advantages to help their businesses improve. This community may extend beyond the automotive aftermarket, enabling collaboration and learning from examples beyond our familiar niche.
- Answering questions such as: Is the new technology important enough to warrant a closer look by you or your company? Does it make sense for your company to invest in this technology? What is this newer technology replacing, and why should you change to it? For instance, the ETTN's will write a story on the sweeping effect of inexpensive 3D printing and how it will likely change the industry.
- Digesting information being provided by SEMA and other SEMA councils and providing additional details and information that only true experts can deliver, including more research and deeper understanding.
- Providing in-depth interviews and analysis from leaders outside of our own industry. Articles will be presented in a way that they can be easily understood, and we will show how the lessons learned can be applied to our industry.
- Working closely with SEMA staff and other SEMA councils to identify the latest new trends. For instance, one issue currently under discussion by the ETTN is ethanol in gasoline and the effects it is having on engines, both automotive and recreational.
How Can You Get Involved
Any employee of a SEMA-member company can join, and there are no dues. It's free! Our hope is that all new members will be actively involved in the network. A network is only as good as the sum of its members. You can and should make a difference.
The ETTN is now in full force. We are energized and working hard to make this new network a driving force in the industry for years to come. To learn more about the ETTN, please visit www.SEMA.org/ettn or reach out to us via ETTN's Liaison Bryan Harrison at bryanh@SEMA.org.