By Ashley Reyes

Efficient delegation is more than just assigning tasks--it's a strategic tool that empowers teams, enhances collaboration and drives results. For both new and experienced leaders, knowing how to delegate efficiently can ensure that teams remain productive, engaged and aligned to achieve shared goals.

On Thursday, February 11, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. PST, the SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) will host a free webinar, in which industry experts will explore strategies to delegate efficiently and maximize everyone's success. Moderated by educator, author and wellness specialist Jenna Sage, the webinar will feature speakers Matt Beenen, president and founder of Mountech; Dan Bubniak, EOS coach at Outpace Enterprises; and Tadd Crayton, vice president, chief sales and marketing officer at COBB Tuning. Together, they will equip leaders with the tools needed to delegate with confidence while fostering growth, efficiency, and collaboration.

Key topics include:  

• The importance of delegation as a strategic tool to focus on high-priority tasks and empower your team.
• How to identify what tasks to delegate and how to delegate them effectively.
• How to ensure the assigned work aligns with team members' strengths and priorities.
• Strategies for assigning the right people to the right tasks, setting clear expectations to ensure success, and building trust and accountability within your teams.

The webinar will offer an opportunity to engage with the speakers, who each bring extensive experience in driving growth and building high-performance teams.

Register now.

By SEMA News Editors

In partnership with Ford Motor Company, the SEMA Garage has announced a measuring session for the all-new '25 Ford Maverick!

In addition, SEMA Garage is excited to announce that the event will also showcase the Ford Bronco Raptor and Ford Ranger Raptor. Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to interact with all of these incredible vehicles during the event next month. Click here to RSVP!

• 3D Scan and Measure
• Develop Products
• Test-Fit Prototypes
• Exclusive Close-Up Experience

February 10, 2025 & February 11, 2025
SEMA Garage Detroit, Michigan
14655 Jib St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
Click here to RSVP!

For more information, contact productdevelopment@sema.org.

By SEMA News Editors

SEMA is accepting submissions until January 31 for speakers for the 2025 SEMA Show, November 4–7, in Las Vegas. Innovative thought leaders and dynamic presenters who can share new skills and trends targeted at the automotive aftermarket are invited to apply at semashow.com/speakers.

Organizers are seeking experts who can facilitate new ideas, technologies and expertise at sessions that will help industry members take their businesses and careers to the next level.

Educational sessions are one of the key pillars of the SEMA Show, where thousands of industry professionals convene to learn new business strategies and best practices. The SEMA Show education program provides relevant, engaging and inspiring information on the industry's complex issues and topics.

Topics of focus for 2025 include:

• Aftermarket updates and future trends
• Emerging and executive leadership
• Legislative and regulatory
• Sales and marketing
• Small-business strategy
• Vehicle technology
• Industry segment-specific topics

Speaker proposals for the 2025 SEMA Show must be submitted by January 31 at semashow.com/speakers.

For more details, contact Gary Vigil, SEMA senior manager of professional development, at garyv@sema.org or 909-978-6738.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) named Brian Bossone, CEO of Boss One Media LLC, as the council's newest spotlight volunteer. Get to know Bossone in his interview with SEMA News below.  

SEMA News: What inspired you to pursue a career in the truck and off-road industry?   

Brian Bossone: I've been in the industry for 35 years, with the truck and off-road segment playing a significant role throughout my career. From parts sales to custom builds during the 20-plus years I owned my performance and installation center in Maryland, to working directly with manufacturers who have become marketing partners for our shows and streaming TV network, POWERtube TV, trucks have always been a big part of my professional journey. This will continue on with my involvement with TORA. 

SN: Why did you decide to volunteer for TORA?  

BB: I joined TORA to become more involved in the industry, support its growth and connect with like-minded professionals. Additionally, I aim to offer my services through POWERtube TV, providing builders and manufacturers a platform to showcase their products and services. With our multiple streaming platform partners on TV and mobile, we offer an elevated stage that goes beyond social media and YouTube, shining a spotlight on the incredibly talented individuals and the companies that support them. 

SN: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?   

BB: Surround yourself with smart, talented people in both business and life. Listen to them, learn from them and use their insights to shape your decisions and chart your path to success--whatever your goals may be! 

SN: What is your dream truck or off-road vehicle?    

BB: I'd like to build up a new Ford Bronco Raptor or Ram TRX. I own a modified Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and '53 Ford F-100 Pro Touring.

Fill out a TORA-member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the truck and off-road specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on TORA's social media, SEMA News and future TORA member updates.  

By Ashley Reyes

As towing best practices evolve to accommodate new vehicle modifications, understanding what may improve or hinder towing capability is essential. By staying informed on current standards, aftermarket companies can ensure that their products deliver optimal safety and performance. 

On Thursday, February 6, at 9:00 a.m. (PST), the SEMA Wheel, Tire, Suspension & Brake Council (WTSBC) will host a Coffee and Conversation virtual event. Attendees will engage with leading experts as they speak on a range of critical topics regarding towing best practices.

Connect with these industry experts in the conversation:

• John Rastetter, Tire Information Ambassador, Tire Rack
  • Expertise: Proper Tire Selection
• Ryan Rutledge, Director of Product Development, Air Lift Company
  • Expertise: Load Leveling
• Melanie White, CEO, Hellwig Products
  • Expertise: Sway Control

WTSBC Coffee and Conversations offer a fantastic opportunity to connect with professionals in the wheel, tire, suspension and brake sectors. You'll be able to share insights, discuss common challenges and build valuable relationships with industry peers.

Register here.

By Ashley Reyes

Attendees of the 2025 Grand National Roadster Show at the Pomona Fairplex (Pomona, California) will have an exciting opportunity to connect with a panel of hot-rod-industry experts as they discuss the evolution of automotive design during a panel discussion on Friday, January 31, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. PST in Building 9. 

Hosted by the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance, the discussion will be moderated by award-winning automotive fabricator, entrepreneur and TV host Brad Fanshaw. He will be joined by an incredible group of panelists, including:  

• Eric Brockmeyer: Renowned automotive designer and award-winning car builder. 
• Larry Erickson: Magna Exteriors' global director of exteriors with 25 years of experience in production car design. 
• Dave Marek: Executive creative director for Acura, where he is responsible for designs of the Acura brand. 
• Sean Smith: Founder of Sean Smith Designs, a creative studio specializing in the bespoke automotive industry.

Attendees will hear from the panelists as they give a behind-the-scenes look into the world of automotive design and insights into their expertise in the hot-rod world. Registration is not required.

By Ashley Reyes

Impactful leadership is far more than a title or a position. Leadership that builds is a combination of competency, excellence and influence.  

To help SEMA members gain essential insights into how to be a better leader in their company, the SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) will host a Lunch and Learn webinar on January 30, at 10:30 a.m. PST.

During the workshop, Dale Carnegie Trainer Brett Campbell will help attendees craft a compelling personal vision, evaluate their leadership style, identify core competencies and strengthen their ability to connect with and support those who they are leading. With practical tools in hand, attendees will leave the webinar poised to add significant value to their organization. 

Campbell is a master trainer and leadership coach with Dale Carnegie. He trains both corporate clients and the general public in leadership development and public speaking, as well as prepares trainer candidates for the Dale Carnegie certification process.  

The first 20 members to pre-register for the webinar will receive and Uber Eats Voucher to be used the day of the webinar.

Register here.  

By Ashley Reyes

Each year, SEMA receives requests from a variety of organizations seeking contributions to support their activities. To address this need, SEMA is accepting applications for its Annual Contribution Program, which helps to fund initiatives that benefit the automotive aftermarket industry.

Through the Annual Contribution Program, SEMA seeks to build relationships with organizations dedicated to driving positive change through their mission, projects, or awareness of important issues.

SEMA will allocate funds for the 2025 cycle following a review of all applications. Applications are due by February 10 at this link.

By Chris Shelton 

The world is a complicated place. The automotive world, probably even more so--the technology that carmakers employ to meet safety, emission and fuel-economy standards simply boggles the mind. The seemingly infinite number of chassis, powertrain and trim variations within just a single year, make and model threaten to make the automotive landscape intractable by mere mortals.  

Yet artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing list of practitioners are showing us how to navigate this complexity. The technology that lets computers and machines simulate human traits is transforming whole industries by streamlining workflow, enhancing productivity and unlocking new levels of innovation.  

At the 2023 event in Las Vegas, for example, one vendor showed how it used Generative AI to create structural components that employed materials so efficiently that the products looked more like spiderwebs than car parts. These were organic-looking components designed to withstand intense loads without wasting any material in the manufacturing process.  

To read the complete article for free, sign up for a digital subscription to SEMA magazine on Zinio here.   

Once you download the Zinio mobile app or are logged into Zinio on a desktop browser, you will gain immediate access to more than a year's worth of content, including "AI Hits the Show Floor" here and more SEMA Show coverage in the January/February 2025 issue here. 

From the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

President Donald Trump kept a key campaign promise yesterday, using his executive powers on day one of his new administration to halt federal electric vehicle (EV) mandates.

SEMA, on behalf of its more than 7,000 members in the automotive aftermarket industry and the nation's millions of automotive enthusiasts, applauds and thanks President Trump for keeping this important promise.

The organization now calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to meet its obligation to the American people by sending the Clean Air Act waivers granted to California to Congress to begin the Congressional Review Act oversight process. These waivers are not narrowly focused, as some in the EPA claim; rather, these waivers have broad, national implications, and Congress should have the opportunity to review the final rules and overturn any waiver that grants California the power to set national policies on carbon emissions.

"On day one of his new administration, President Trump reclaimed the nation's freedom of vehicle choice, proclaiming the authority of the United States of America, rather than the so-called United States of California, to set national policies. SEMA thanks President Trump for his bold, decisive actions to deliver the will of the American people: a commitment to innovation, a belief in the freedom of vehicle choice and a strong faith in the power of American ingenuity," said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. "SEMA now urges the EPA to submit the California waivers over to Congress so our lawmakers can utilize their Congressional Review Act authority to pull the plug on dangerous EV mandates."

SEMA champions a technology-neutral approach that fosters innovation and ingenuity. The association will continue efforts to preserve Americans' rights to vehicle choice and the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to design, manufacture and bring to market products that help solve the emissions challenge.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, SEMA, through the Driving Force Action SuperPAC, educated voters about the damaging impact of EV mandates, and the profound importance of empowering the automotive aftermarket to develop innovative solutions to carbon emissions using American ingenuity.