By Kristopher Porter

After a milestone year, the SEMA Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) is gearing up for a monumental 2020 and encouraging its members to voice their opinions.

“TORA is committed to helping businesses overcome professional challenges by addressing new technologies and issues facing the truck and off-road industry,” said Erika Marquez, TORA chairperson. “The council made some significant advancements in 2019 and has a strong momentum going into the new year, and we’re hoping that members will share their thoughts on what educational priorities they have in 2020.”

During 2019, TORA grew its membership, expanded its market reach and introduced new programs and initiatives. The council is focused on education and seeking to provide its member companies with a program that includes valuable and relevant topics. Current plans for the educational program include focusing on marketing, advanced vehicle technology, social media best practices, business operations and more. TORA is encouraging members to share their thoughts about these topics and their priorities for educational programs in which they are most interested.

Aside from providing educational opportunities, TORA works year-round to serve and engage its members through networking opportunities at special events, council meetings and industry recognition at annual awards ceremonies.

TORA members are encouraged to email TORA Select Committee Chair Erika Marquez at marqueze@warn.com with their responses by January 31. To learn more about the benefits of being a TORA member, email Nathan Ridnouer, SEMA vice president, councils and membership. Not a TORA member? Sign up today!

By Richard Hail

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

Since 2015, the one-hour program has given curious viewers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the SEMA Show, including up-close footage of custom vehicles and exclusive interviews with builders as they share their journey to the world-renowned automotive trade event. SEMA Battle of the Builders is the chance for these artisans to prove they are among the elite in their field.

“As a trade-only event that is not open to the general public, the SEMA Show is where every car fanatic dreams of going,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA Ignited—the official SEMA Show after-party—has made it possible for consumers to participate in the excitement. The Battle of the Builders TV special also gives viewers who have never experienced the SEMA Show an opportunity to see what actually happens, while those who attended the Show get to relive the experience.”

The Young Guns (builders 27 years and younger) category continues to evolve and expand, providing the next generation of builders with an opportunity to get their vehicles into the Battle of the Builders competition. Industry experts RJ DeVera (Meguiar’s), Cam Miller (HS Customs) and Jeremiah Proffitt (Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers) acted as judges for the competition and narrowed down the field of nearly 300 entries to the Top 10 in four categories before selecting the Top 12 builds overall. The 12 finalists then took over judging duties and were responsible for naming the recipient of the Top Builder Trophy.

For more details about SEMA Battle of the Builders and the TV special airing January 26, at 9:00 a.m. (EST), visit www.semabotb.com.

By Richard Hail

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

Since 2015, the one-hour program has given curious viewers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the SEMA Show, including up-close footage of custom vehicles and exclusive interviews with builders as they share their journey to the world-renowned automotive trade event. SEMA Battle of the Builders is the chance for these artisans to prove they are among the elite in their field.

“As a trade-only event that is not open to the general public, the SEMA Show is where every car fanatic dreams of going,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA Ignited—the official SEMA Show after-party—has made it possible for consumers to participate in the excitement. The Battle of the Builders TV special also gives viewers who have never experienced the SEMA Show an opportunity to see what actually happens, while those who attended the Show get to relive the experience.”

The Young Guns (builders 27 years and younger) category continues to evolve and expand, providing the next generation of builders with an opportunity to get their vehicles into the Battle of the Builders competition. Industry experts RJ DeVera (Meguiar’s), Cam Miller (HS Customs) and Jeremiah Proffitt (Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers) acted as judges for the competition and narrowed down the field of nearly 300 entries to the Top 10 in four categories before selecting the Top 12 builds overall. The 12 finalists then took over judging duties and were responsible for naming the recipient of the Top Builder Trophy.

For more details about SEMA Battle of the Builders and the TV special airing January 26, at 9:00 a.m. (EST), visit www.semabotb.com.

By Richard Hail

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

The world premiere of the “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, Sunday, January 26.

Since 2015, the one-hour program has given curious viewers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the SEMA Show, including up-close footage of custom vehicles and exclusive interviews with builders as they share their journey to the world-renowned automotive trade event. SEMA Battle of the Builders is the chance for these artisans to prove they are among the elite in their field.

“As a trade-only event that is not open to the general public, the SEMA Show is where every car fanatic dreams of going,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “SEMA Ignited—the official SEMA Show after-party—has made it possible for consumers to participate in the excitement. The Battle of the Builders TV special also gives viewers who have never experienced the SEMA Show an opportunity to see what actually happens, while those who attended the Show get to relive the experience.”

The Young Guns (builders 27 years and younger) category continues to evolve and expand, providing the next generation of builders with an opportunity to get their vehicles into the Battle of the Builders competition. Industry experts RJ DeVera (Meguiar’s), Cam Miller (HS Customs) and Jeremiah Proffitt (Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers) acted as judges for the competition and narrowed down the field of nearly 300 entries to the Top 10 in four categories before selecting the Top 12 builds overall. The 12 finalists then took over judging duties and were responsible for naming the recipient of the Top Builder Trophy.

For more details about SEMA Battle of the Builders and the TV special airing January 26, at 9:00 a.m. (EST), visit www.semabotb.com.

By SEMA Editors

Builders age 27 or younger will have 13 opportunities to win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show as part of the SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns regional competition.

SEMA has expanded its partnership with event producers across the country by increasing the number of scheduled qualifying events to 13 nationwide. Young builders (age 27 or younger at the time of the 2020 SEMA Show) will have additional opportunities to participate in a regional event for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show held in Las Vegas.

Industry professionals who themselves have previously participated in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition will select one winner from each event to advance to the 2020 SEMA Show, taking place November 3–6, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All eligible runner-up candidates will have the opportunity to take part in an online fan vote in which the Young Gun with the most votes will take the final spot in the Battle of the Builders Young Guns competition.  

“We continue to see an increasing level of craftsmanship, ingenuity and dedication from the young builders competing at these regional events,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “It is so rewarding to see these Young Guns recognized for their abilities, and the opportunities that this competition can open up for them are huge.”

Since 2014, the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition has served as the automotive industry’s premier vehicle competition. Open exclusively to builders with vehicles on display at the SEMA Show, the contest expanded in 2017 to include a Young Guns regional competition that gave rising young builders an opportunity to participate. SEMA continues to look for young builders who demonstrate extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

The four finalists of this year’s Battle of the Builders competition will be highlighted along with other featured builders in a new TV special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” scheduled to debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, January 26, 2020. Check local listings for the schedule.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.sema.org/botb or www.semayoungguns.com.

By SEMA Editors

Builders age 27 or younger will have 13 opportunities to win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show as part of the SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns regional competition.

SEMA has expanded its partnership with event producers across the country by increasing the number of scheduled qualifying events to 13 nationwide. Young builders (age 27 or younger at the time of the 2020 SEMA Show) will have additional opportunities to participate in a regional event for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show held in Las Vegas.

Industry professionals who themselves have previously participated in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition will select one winner from each event to advance to the 2020 SEMA Show, taking place November 3–6, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All eligible runner-up candidates will have the opportunity to take part in an online fan vote in which the Young Gun with the most votes will take the final spot in the Battle of the Builders Young Guns competition.  

“We continue to see an increasing level of craftsmanship, ingenuity and dedication from the young builders competing at these regional events,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “It is so rewarding to see these Young Guns recognized for their abilities, and the opportunities that this competition can open up for them are huge.”

Since 2014, the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition has served as the automotive industry’s premier vehicle competition. Open exclusively to builders with vehicles on display at the SEMA Show, the contest expanded in 2017 to include a Young Guns regional competition that gave rising young builders an opportunity to participate. SEMA continues to look for young builders who demonstrate extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

The four finalists of this year’s Battle of the Builders competition will be highlighted along with other featured builders in a new TV special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” scheduled to debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, January 26, 2020. Check local listings for the schedule.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.sema.org/botb or www.semayoungguns.com.

By SEMA Editors

Builders age 27 or younger will have 13 opportunities to win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show as part of the SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns regional competition.

SEMA has expanded its partnership with event producers across the country by increasing the number of scheduled qualifying events to 13 nationwide. Young builders (age 27 or younger at the time of the 2020 SEMA Show) will have additional opportunities to participate in a regional event for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show held in Las Vegas.

Industry professionals who themselves have previously participated in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition will select one winner from each event to advance to the 2020 SEMA Show, taking place November 3–6, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All eligible runner-up candidates will have the opportunity to take part in an online fan vote in which the Young Gun with the most votes will take the final spot in the Battle of the Builders Young Guns competition.  

“We continue to see an increasing level of craftsmanship, ingenuity and dedication from the young builders competing at these regional events,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “It is so rewarding to see these Young Guns recognized for their abilities, and the opportunities that this competition can open up for them are huge.”

Since 2014, the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition has served as the automotive industry’s premier vehicle competition. Open exclusively to builders with vehicles on display at the SEMA Show, the contest expanded in 2017 to include a Young Guns regional competition that gave rising young builders an opportunity to participate. SEMA continues to look for young builders who demonstrate extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

The four finalists of this year’s Battle of the Builders competition will be highlighted along with other featured builders in a new TV special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” scheduled to debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, January 26, 2020. Check local listings for the schedule.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.sema.org/botb or www.semayoungguns.com.

By SEMA Editors

Builders age 27 or younger will have 13 opportunities to win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show as part of the SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns regional competition.

SEMA has expanded its partnership with event producers across the country by increasing the number of scheduled qualifying events to 13 nationwide. Young builders (age 27 or younger at the time of the 2020 SEMA Show) will have additional opportunities to participate in a regional event for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2020 SEMA Show held in Las Vegas.

Industry professionals who themselves have previously participated in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition will select one winner from each event to advance to the 2020 SEMA Show, taking place November 3–6, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All eligible runner-up candidates will have the opportunity to take part in an online fan vote in which the Young Gun with the most votes will take the final spot in the Battle of the Builders Young Guns competition.  

“We continue to see an increasing level of craftsmanship, ingenuity and dedication from the young builders competing at these regional events,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “It is so rewarding to see these Young Guns recognized for their abilities, and the opportunities that this competition can open up for them are huge.”

Since 2014, the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition has served as the automotive industry’s premier vehicle competition. Open exclusively to builders with vehicles on display at the SEMA Show, the contest expanded in 2017 to include a Young Guns regional competition that gave rising young builders an opportunity to participate. SEMA continues to look for young builders who demonstrate extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs.

The four finalists of this year’s Battle of the Builders competition will be highlighted along with other featured builders in a new TV special, “SEMA: Battle of the Builders,” scheduled to debut on A+E Networks’ FYI and HISTORY’s DRIVE block, January 26, 2020. Check local listings for the schedule.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition or the SEMA Young Guns program, visit www.sema.org/botb or www.semayoungguns.com.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

CAD Technician
EMPI Inc. is hiring a CAD technician to operate Solid Works at a high level of competence and manipulate drawings to perform analysis as requested by the development/engineering staff.  This person must be able to receive CAD files from outside suppliers and vendors and convert them to EMPI files for engineering use. Also required is the ability to create solid models for casting, injection mold tool creation and 3D models from existing product either by measurement or use of scan files. Candidates must have experience with 3D printing.

Salesperson
Smokey Mountain Truck Outfitters is hiring a salesperson responsible for creating and tracking sales leads both inside and outside sales, tracking jobs in-house, providing customer service and building relationships. Candidates must have at least a high school diploma or GED and a minimum of one year of sales experience. Knowledge of trucks, SUVs and Jeeps is required.

Digital Marketing Specialist
Powertrain Products Inc. is hiring a digital marketing specialist responsible for the overall success of the company’s digital marketing efforts, including administration and support of website development, maintenance and enhancement and online advertising. This position will take a comprehensive approach to understanding the company’s current capabilities and the needs of the organization from a digital marketing perspective. They will develop concepts that best translate to various digital marketing outlets and use available software programs to create and deploy those marketing pieces, and also develop social media campaigns to include banner, text and video ads based around current and new products. Candidates should have three to six years of digital marketing experience.

Following are dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

• YEN General Membership Call, January 15, 2020
• MPMC Media Trade Conference, January 21–23, 2020, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Santa Ana, California
• SBN Biannual General Membership Call, February 4, 2020
• 2020 SEMA Middle East Business Development Conference, March 31–April 7, 2020, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• YEN General Membership Call, April 15, 2020
• WTC Ambassador (WTCA) Call, May 6, 2020
• SEMA Nordic Business Development Conference, August 29–September 2, 2020, Stockholm, Sweden
• 2020 SEMA Show, November 3–6, 2020, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstore.com) at Travel Store USA, 949-930-9268.