SEMA News—January 2013
PEOPLE
By Mike Imlay
Marla Moore Named 2012 SEMA Person of the Year
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Although a barrier-breaking champion of women throughout her career, Moore’s commitment to the specialty-equipment market has inspired both genders. Ask around the industry and you’ll soon learn that she knows the high-performance world inside and out. Thanks also to a keen understanding of consumers, she is especially recognized by peers as a skilled advertising leader.
No stranger to volunteer work for the industry, Moore has held seats on the Select Committees of the SBN and SEMA’s Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC). She was formerly a part of the SEMA Scholarship Fund Select Committee, and she contributes to a number of other industry organizations.
Throughout her career, Moore has worked closely with industry mentors, including such SEMA icons as Mark Heffington, Ron Coleman, Scooter Brothers, Jim McFarland and Amy Faulk. In fact, Faulk—who is a founding member of both the MPMC and the SBN—was one of the people who strongly encouraged Moore to get involved and become active with SEMA in the first place.
One of Moore’s most recent accomplishments with the SBN is her work as task force chairman for the SEMA Mustang Build—Powered by Women, which she sees as an historical endeavor.
“The hard work and dedication of the SBN Select Committee and the Mustang Build team made this project a huge success, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve with the incredible women on this project,” she told SEMA News.
The roots of Moore’s automotive passion reach to childhood.
“My dad, much to my mom’s dismay, was always rebuilding one car or another in the carport,” she said. “I had two brothers, but I was the one who helped my dad. A boyfriend later introduced me to dirt bikes. I bought a Suzuki 250 and started racing. I was totally hooked on anything fast—cars, bikes or boats.
“I became an art director and was hired by Auto Shack—now AutoZone—and then Competition Cams and finally Hypertech. My greatest moment in life was when I brought my dad to the SEMA Show and was able to introduce him to all his heroes: Carroll Shelby, Jack Roush, Vic Edelbrock Jr., Mark Heffington, Scooter Brothers and so many others. Everyone was kind and courteous to him.”
As she sat at the Industry Awards Banquet listening to emcee Dave McClelland describing the 2012 Person of the Year, saying it was a woman, Moore wondered who it might be.
“It could have been any one of the many outstanding women that I have had the pleasure to work with, especially on the SBN,” she said. “So when Dave named me Person of the Year, I was shocked, humbled and deeply honored to get an award for doing something I love with people I love. I have spent most of my life working in this industry and this recognition is the highlight of my career.”
“Marla Moore exemplifies all that makes our industry great,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “She is a person of passion, initiative, service and tireless volunteerism. I can’t think of an individual more deserving of SEMA’s 2012 Person of the Year Award, and we congratulate her on her achievement.”
