By SEMA News Editors
SEMA and the automotive aftermarket recently lost two longtime industry leaders, Joan Weiand and Bill Wagner, whose careers spanned decades of service to the industry.
Joan Weiand, SEMA Hall of Fame, 1995
Joan Weiand, the SEMA Hall of Famer and longtime leader of Weiand Automotive Industries, has reportedly passed away. Weiand was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1995, which was 20 years after her husband, Phil Weiand, was inducted in 1975.
Joan Weiand joined her husband's business, Weiand Automotive Industries, after they married in 1964. She left her job as a keypunch operator to work part-time in the company office, where her responsibilities quickly grew. She eventually became involved in nearly every aspect of the business, including advertising, production, product development and manufacturing scheduling.
When Phil passed away in 1978, Joan took over the company and served as its president for 20 years. Her experience and knowledge of the business positioned her to carry on the company's legacy while navigating the challenges of leading an automotive aftermarket manufacturer.
"You find yourself in a situation where you must go forward," she once said. "It's sink or swim, and I am not one to sink."
Beyond Weiand Industries, Joan was a dedicated supporter of the automotive aftermarket and SEMA. In 1984, she established the SEMA Scholarship Fund in memory of Phil with a $10,000 donation. The fund reflected her commitment to encouraging young people to pursue careers in the industry.
Phil founded Weiand Automotive in the early days of hot rodding, producing cylinder heads and intake manifolds for Flathead V8s before expanding into a broad range of speed equipment. A racer himself, Phil continued pursuing his passion for cars despite being paralyzed by polio.
Joan remained active in SEMA after her retirement and continued attending the annual SEMA Banquet (now known as Industry Honors).
Weiand Industries is now owned by Holley Performance Products.
Bill Wagner, Former SEMA Board Member and SEMA Show Chairman
W.S. "Bill" Wagner, a longtime automotive aftermarket sales and marketing executive and former SEMA Show chairman, has passed away. His career in the aftermarket spanned more than four decades, including 16 years with Winfield Consumer Products/Husky Liners.
Wagner entered the aftermarket in 1976 after working in the corrugated packaging industry. He joined Deflecta-Shield Corp. as a sales manager and helped grow the company from less than $1 million in sales to more than $28 million. He later served as vice president of sales and marketing for DFM Corp., Deflecta-Shield's parent company.
After becoming a marketing consultant in 1988, Wagner worked with companies including Auto VentShade and EGR Inc., developing sales and marketing programs. He later focused on the lifted off-road vehicle market before returning to plastic products and joining Husky Liners in 1994.
Wagner served on the SEMA Board of Directors and various committees, and was also chairman of the SEMA Show. He was also a U.S. Army veteran who served with NATO forces in Europe during the late '60s.
Wagner was known throughout the industry for his expertise in sales and marketing and his longstanding commitment to SEMA and the aftermarket.
For Wagner's full obituary, including information on an upcoming celebration of life, click here.
SEMA sends its condolences to the Weiand and Wagner colleagues, friends and families.
