Distributors and retailers from throughout China gathered in Beijing to meet with 21 SEMA-member companies that were participating in the first SEMA China Business Development Conference. The hotel-based program held in Beijing in September was built around a series of one-on-one meetings with pre-selected Chinese buyers who traveled to the event from cities throughout China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Ha'erbin in the far north, Guangzhou in the south and Hubei in the center of the country. [Read more]

It was no accident that the NHRA brought the U.S. Nationals to Detroit in 1959. The Big Three were engaged in a growing horsepower war, and hot rodders were enjoying the spoils of that war, turning Detroit's big-inch, multi-carbed mills into quarter-mile terrors. Wally Parks, who at the time was both the editor of Hot Rod magazine and president of the NHRA, felt that there would be no better way to demonstrate the popularity of drag racing to the members of the Motown establishment than to have this national meet in their backyard. [Read more] 

 

It was no accident that the NHRA brought the U.S. Nationals to Detroit in 1959. The Big Three were engaged in a growing horsepower war, and hot rodders were enjoying the spoils of that war, turning Detroit's big-inch, multi-carbed mills into quarter-mile terrors. Wally Parks, who at the time was both the editor of Hot Rod magazine and president of the NHRA, felt that there would be no better way to demonstrate the popularity of drag racing to the members of the Motown establishment than to have this national meet in their backyard. [Read more] 

 

Services for Bob DeYoung will be held on Monday, December 20, at 1:00 p.m., at the Phoenix First Assembly of God – (Building H), in Phoenix, Arizona.

The industry mourns the loss of a lifelong friend Bob DeYoung. He was 59. Services for DeYoung will be held on Monday, December 20, at 1:00 p.m., at the Phoenix First Assembly of God – (Building H), in Phoenix, Arizona (602/867-7117).

For the past 24 years, DeYoung has been involved in the Cragar Wheel Brand of products. Prior to Cragar, he worked in the performance aftermarket for companies that include Chuck’s Speed Shop, Goosic Total Performance, Loper’s Performance and Tom Klein Racing Engines, to name a few.

DeYoung is well known for his love for racing of all types. He and partner Joe Faulkner raced an El Camino drag car in the late ’70s that is still remembered by many. He also raced several late-model oval track stock cars, being best remembered for the unique Cadillac Seville-bodied car that raced throughout the southwest United States.

DeYoung's dedication and enthusiasm are defined by his 45-plus years of participation in the specialty-equipment industry and the many friends he made along the way.

"I am very sad to hear of Bob's passing. A great guy. Always available to help when he could." —Vic Wood, MPMC Chair-Elect, Vice President of Sales, Hedman Performance Group

"Bob was truly passionate about his work and the industry. My heart goes out to the family." —Bill Floyd, Immediate Past Chair MPMC, President, Lucas Oil Change Centers

"Bob always had a smile, and a good word." —Steve LeSueur, President, Steve’s Fast Fuels

"Bob really knew how to handle the race group and also knew how to handle the 'suits.' On top of that, he was a real honest guy. He will be missed, but not forgotten." —Tom Curnow, CEO, Performance Products

"Bob was one of the all-time good guys and a best friend. He was instrumental in getting me my first job with a performance manufacturer (Mr. Gasket Exhaust) and meant the world to me. He was one of the people who was a positive influence in the lives of many and was always there when someone needed him." —Chris Thomson, SEMA Board of Directors, National Sales Manager, AIRAID Filter Company

The 2011 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund provides financial awards ranging from $1,000–$4,000 to students preparing for careers in the automotive industry.

Students preparing for careers in the automotive industry may be eligible to receive financial awards ranging from $1,000–$4,000 through the 2011 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The scholarship application, which is due April 1, 2011, and requires college transcripts and letters of recommendation, is now available at www.sema.org/scholarships.

“Paying for a high-quality education is a challenge for many, particularly in today’s tough economy,” said Jamie Eriksen, SEMA education director. “SEMA is pleased to play a part in helping students prepare for careers in an innovative and exciting industry.”

Unlike financial aid and student loans, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship is a one-time award that does not have to be paid back. Awards are granted to eligible applicants based on academic achievements, work experience, community involvement, essay content and recommendations. Students may re-apply each year, provided that they still meet the eligibility criteria. A loan forgiveness award is also available to recent graduates who are working for SEMA-member companies and paying off existing student loans. Details and applications for both the scholarship and the loan-forgiveness awards are available at www.sema.org/scholarships.

Winners will be notified in the summer of 2011. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the student’s college, university, trade or vocational school to help offset the cost of tuition. Loan-forgiveness payments are sent directly to the financial institutions.

For complete details, visit www.sema.org/scholarships or contact Juliet Marshall at julietm@sema.org, 909/978-6655.

The 2011 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund provides financial awards ranging from $1,000–$4,000 to students preparing for careers in the automotive industry.

Students preparing for careers in the automotive industry may be eligible to receive financial awards ranging from $1,000–$4,000 through the 2011 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The scholarship application, which is due April 1, 2011, and requires college transcripts and letters of recommendation, is now available at www.sema.org/scholarships.

“Paying for a high-quality education is a challenge for many, particularly in today’s tough economy,” said Jamie Eriksen, SEMA education director. “SEMA is pleased to play a part in helping students prepare for careers in an innovative and exciting industry.”

Unlike financial aid and student loans, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship is a one-time award that does not have to be paid back. Awards are granted to eligible applicants based on academic achievements, work experience, community involvement, essay content and recommendations. Students may re-apply each year, provided that they still meet the eligibility criteria. A loan forgiveness award is also available to recent graduates who are working for SEMA-member companies and paying off existing student loans. Details and applications for both the scholarship and the loan-forgiveness awards are available at www.sema.org/scholarships.

Winners will be notified in the summer of 2011. Scholarship payments are sent directly to the student’s college, university, trade or vocational school to help offset the cost of tuition. Loan-forgiveness payments are sent directly to the financial institutions.

For complete details, visit www.sema.org/scholarships or contact Juliet Marshall at julietm@sema.org, 909/978-6655.

To determine which tactics to use, first determine which type of negotiation—competitive or collaborative—you are getting yourself into.

A conflict of interest must be present between two or more parties with an expectation of give and take to conduct successful business negotiations, according to Dr. Frank Morgan, president of Morgan Associates and former global director of executive development and leadership for Dow Chemical Company. Dr. Morgan presented the recent SEMA webinar entitled, “Successful Negotiations: Understanding Competitive and Collaborative Tactics,” and in it, he said that tangibles, including price, delivery and contract terms, are at stake, but the intangibles, which include saving face, winning and maintaining precedence, are more important and often get in the way of a successful negotiation.

Competitive Negotiations

There are two types of negotiations. The competitive (win-lose) negotiation is characterized by a one-time interaction. There is no desire or expectation to form a long-term relationship and the goal is to maximize your benefit by paying the lowest price. The other type is a collaborative (win-win) negotiation and is characterized by a long-term partnership, where the goal is to maximize joint gains. There is an expectation of ongoing interactions, and trust is critical.

“Negotiations often fail because we mix the competitive and collaborative, so it is critical to decide beforehand which type of negotiation you are getting into because this determines the tactics you will use,” Morgan said.

Competitive Tactics

The primary tactic for the seller in competitive negotiations is to maximize the price, and for the buyer, it is to pay the least. There is usually an opening bid from either side, more often the seller. Both sides have a target price in mind, and the zone of potential agreement is in between. Somewhere in there is the zone of likely agreement. The walk-away point is the point in which the seller will not sell if the price is too low or the buyer won’t buy if the price is too high.

Make the first move because you set the opening bid. If you are the seller, make it as high as possible, but within reason. If making the opening bid is not possible, counter by going as far away from the opening bid as possible, but again, within reason. Understand what your walk-away point is, and stick to it. Try to find out what the other person’s target is.

Collaborative Negotiations

The collaborative negotiation cannot work without trust. A key element includes focusing on the commonality between yourself and your partner rather than the differences, or the needs and interests of both parties involved.

“There are five elements to creating trust: truth telling, promise keeping, mutual respect, doing no conscious harm and fairness,” Morgan said. “It takes time to earn trust, but it can be destroyed in a millisecond by telling one lie, breaking one promise, disrespecting somebody once, doing them conscious harm or by treating them unfairly.”

Collaborative Tactics

The number-one collaborative tactic is to identify the problem, which should be mutually agreed upon. Step two is to generate alternative solutions. The third step is to select the alternative and consider the contingency. Check your partner’s perceptions by asking open-ended questions, using active listening skills, providing the rationale behind the proposal, allowing the other side to offer input, avoiding an immediate counter proposal, maintaining flexibility, not using defensive language, expressing your honest feelings, showing concern for the other person’s point of view and making the agreement operational to ensure it’s going to work.

SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $19.99 for non-members. Click here to purchase this webinar.

Click here for more SEMA webinars.

To determine which tactics to use, first determine which type of negotiation—competitive or collaborative—you are getting yourself into.

A conflict of interest must be present between two or more parties with an expectation of give and take to conduct successful business negotiations, according to Dr. Frank Morgan, president of Morgan Associates and former global director of executive development and leadership for Dow Chemical Company. Dr. Morgan presented the recent SEMA webinar entitled, “Successful Negotiations: Understanding Competitive and Collaborative Tactics,” and in it, he said that tangibles, including price, delivery and contract terms, are at stake, but the intangibles, which include saving face, winning and maintaining precedence, are more important and often get in the way of a successful negotiation.

Competitive Negotiations

There are two types of negotiations. The competitive (win-lose) negotiation is characterized by a one-time interaction. There is no desire or expectation to form a long-term relationship and the goal is to maximize your benefit by paying the lowest price. The other type is a collaborative (win-win) negotiation and is characterized by a long-term partnership, where the goal is to maximize joint gains. There is an expectation of ongoing interactions, and trust is critical.

“Negotiations often fail because we mix the competitive and collaborative, so it is critical to decide beforehand which type of negotiation you are getting into because this determines the tactics you will use,” Morgan said.

Competitive Tactics

The primary tactic for the seller in competitive negotiations is to maximize the price, and for the buyer, it is to pay the least. There is usually an opening bid from either side, more often the seller. Both sides have a target price in mind, and the zone of potential agreement is in between. Somewhere in there is the zone of likely agreement. The walk-away point is the point in which the seller will not sell if the price is too low or the buyer won’t buy if the price is too high.

Make the first move because you set the opening bid. If you are the seller, make it as high as possible, but within reason. If making the opening bid is not possible, counter by going as far away from the opening bid as possible, but again, within reason. Understand what your walk-away point is, and stick to it. Try to find out what the other person’s target is.

Collaborative Negotiations

The collaborative negotiation cannot work without trust. A key element includes focusing on the commonality between yourself and your partner rather than the differences, or the needs and interests of both parties involved.

“There are five elements to creating trust: truth telling, promise keeping, mutual respect, doing no conscious harm and fairness,” Morgan said. “It takes time to earn trust, but it can be destroyed in a millisecond by telling one lie, breaking one promise, disrespecting somebody once, doing them conscious harm or by treating them unfairly.”

Collaborative Tactics

The number-one collaborative tactic is to identify the problem, which should be mutually agreed upon. Step two is to generate alternative solutions. The third step is to select the alternative and consider the contingency. Check your partner’s perceptions by asking open-ended questions, using active listening skills, providing the rationale behind the proposal, allowing the other side to offer input, avoiding an immediate counter proposal, maintaining flexibility, not using defensive language, expressing your honest feelings, showing concern for the other person’s point of view and making the agreement operational to ensure it’s going to work.

SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $19.99 for non-members. Click here to purchase this webinar.

Click here for more SEMA webinars.

Background: Every year there are a handful of vehicles that become the stars of the SEMA Show. To celebrate these standouts, SEMA officials will announce three SEMA Awards, Hottest Car, Hottest Truck and Hottest 4x4-SUV for the very first time ever.

Contender Criteria: The vehicle must be new or significantly redesigned, involved in one or more SEMA OEM programs, and incorporate a new technology. SEMA officials gathered a panel of industry experts who have looked at several indicators of what SEMA Show exhibitors are eyeing as the trend-leading vehicles this year through Show pre-registrations of feature vehicles, participation levels in the prior year’s SEMA vehicle Measuring Sessions, design data downloads from our SEMA Technology Transfer program and magazine covers of industry project vehicles to determine a contenders list.

What do you think will be the "hottest" truck, 4x4, and car at this year's show?

Stay tuned to SEMA News announcements to see what the exhibitor’s choice will be and when and where the winners will be announced at the SEMA Show.

What vehicles do you think will win? Vote now for a chance to win a VIP trip to the SEMA Show!

More Information:

• SEMA Award Press Release
• SEMA Award in eNews
• More information about the SEMA Show.
• SEMA Award Contact: Kelly Clancy at kellyc@sema.org.

Background: Every year there are a handful of vehicles that become the stars of the SEMA Show. To celebrate these standouts, SEMA officials will announce three SEMA Awards, Hottest Car, Hottest Truck and Hottest 4x4-SUV for the very first time ever.

Contender Criteria: The vehicle must be new or significantly redesigned, involved in one or more SEMA OEM programs, and incorporate a new technology. SEMA officials gathered a panel of industry experts who have looked at several indicators of what SEMA Show exhibitors are eyeing as the trend-leading vehicles this year through Show pre-registrations of feature vehicles, participation levels in the prior year’s SEMA vehicle Measuring Sessions, design data downloads from our SEMA Technology Transfer program and magazine covers of industry project vehicles to determine a contenders list.

What do you think will be the "hottest" truck, 4x4, and car at this year's show?

Stay tuned to SEMA News announcements to see what the exhibitor’s choice will be and when and where the winners will be announced at the SEMA Show.

What vehicles do you think will win? Vote now for a chance to win a VIP trip to the SEMA Show!

More Information:

• SEMA Award Press Release
• SEMA Award in eNews
• More information about the SEMA Show.
• SEMA Award Contact: Kelly Clancy at kellyc@sema.org.