SEMA Member News—September/October 2011

New Website, Product Showcase, Trademark Overview

ARMO Continues to Provide Value for Members

The new ARMO Trademark Licensing Overview is provided free of charge to ARMO members. It is the latest in a recent string of new and/or improved ARMO member benefits.

If you are in the automotive restoration industry and are looking for an edge in business, there is no better time to join the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO). In the first six months of 2011, ARMO launched four new and/or improved member benefits.

New Website

In late January 2011, ARMO launched a new website for the Take A Kid to a Car Show program. The new site includes features for kids and adults alike. Car show promoters can find helpful information and tips on how to promote an event to the local media and governments, find out why promoting Take a Kid to a Car Show is beneficial to their events and the industry, and download logos and public-service announcements. Kids will find coloring-book pages to download, a link to an iPhone app for more coloring fun and a photo gallery of cars and kids.

Both groups will find the Car Show Calendar to be a helpful feature, and there is also a contact page where anyone can forward information on cars shows as well as questions or testimonials about their experiences at car shows. More features will be added in the future.

Product Showcase

ARMO hosts a New Products Showcase each year at Spring Carlisle. ARMO-member companies may display their newest restoration products at no charge in front of the largest gathering of automotive restoration enthusiasts in the country. Each product is also professionally photographed, and the photographs are used in looping videos in the ARMO booth and at the ARMO awards reception at the SEMA Show. ARMO added yet another feature to this benefit in 2011, hosting the photographs with descriptions and company contact information on the ARMO webpages. For only the cost of shipping, ARMO members can enjoy a full year’s worth of prime exposure for their latest products.

Trademark Overview

Another project that has been in the works for some time is the ARMO Trademark Licensing Overview. ARMO Select Committee member Jim Christina of Dynacorn developed the idea after his own experience at obtaining trademark licenses from OEM automakers.

“This process can be very time consuming,” Christina said. “The OEMs are understandably protective of their brands, and there is no simple process. The OEMs not only want quality products for their names, but also to be sure the products come from quality companies. Our thought with this overview is to provide ARMO members with contact information and the basics of what they will need to pursue a trademark license with one of our automakers. While it does not provide everything needed to obtain a trademark license, it shows the member what types of information will be necessary and who to contact. Without this overview, a member has to start from Google like I did.”

Ford, GM and Chrysler each supported the idea for the overview and worked closely with ARMO and SEMA staff to produce the finished product. The overview is currently available only in hard copy and only to ARMO members. As of this writing, a copy has been mailed to each ARMO-member company and is provided to new ARMO members in their new-member kits.

Education

ARMO hosts education seminars each year at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show in Indianapolis. The seminars routinely get excellent reviews from attendees, which prompted ARMO leadership to look for a way to provide the benefit to all ARMO members. The council teamed with the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) to videotape the seminars and host them on both the eLearning Center website as well as through a direct link from the ARMO website (click on the “ARMO Education Seminars” link). Two seminars are available.

In session one, Dick Dixon presents “The Art of Selling.” Session two is a panel discussion on “How the Internet Can Help Your Business; Internet Marketing on a Budget,” moderated by ARMO Chairman Laura Bergan of American Collectors Insurance with panelists Tyler Tanaka of Cie Studios, Robert Basha of Auction 123 and Eric Saltrick of Steele Rubber Products. Each session is approximately one hour long.

Couple these four benefits to networking opportunities with other industry professionals and, as current ARMO members are fond of pointing out, “It’s the best $100 you can spend.” For more information, contact Jim Skelly at jimsk@sema.org.

All California automobile service providers are required to check tire pressures for every vehicle maintained or repaired at their facility as of September 2010. The law applies to auto maintenance/repair providers but not to auto-parts distributers/retailers, auto body/paint facilities, auto glass installers or wreckers/dismantlers. California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill to clarify the law. The bill would have required tire pressure gauges to be accurate within 2 psi and would have allowed the service provider to refuse to check the pressure if the tire is “unsafe” (for example, excessive tread wear) or damaged (for example, crack, bulge or ply separation).  

The Governor wanted regulators to have more flexibility in interpreting the law, such as potentially considering tire age as a safety issue. Under the existing law, service providers are required to inflate the tires to the recommended tire pressure rating. The provider must note on the invoice that the tire inflation service was completed and then keep a copy of the service invoice for at least three years. The customer may decline the check if the customer affirms that a check had already been done within the last 30 days, or they will have it checked within the next seven days. The rule applies to all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 lbs.

For more information, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

All California automobile service providers are required to check tire pressures for every vehicle maintained or repaired at their facility as of September 2010. The law applies to auto maintenance/repair providers but not to auto-parts distributers/retailers, auto body/paint facilities, auto glass installers or wreckers/dismantlers. California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a bill to clarify the law. The bill would have required tire pressure gauges to be accurate within 2 psi and would have allowed the service provider to refuse to check the pressure if the tire is “unsafe” (for example, excessive tread wear) or damaged (for example, crack, bulge or ply separation).  

The Governor wanted regulators to have more flexibility in interpreting the law, such as potentially considering tire age as a safety issue. Under the existing law, service providers are required to inflate the tires to the recommended tire pressure rating. The provider must note on the invoice that the tire inflation service was completed and then keep a copy of the service invoice for at least three years. The customer may decline the check if the customer affirms that a check had already been done within the last 30 days, or they will have it checked within the next seven days. The rule applies to all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 lbs.

For more information, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation that would give small-business owners a voice on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) was passed by the California Assembly and Senate and sent to Governor Jerry Brown to be enacted into law. Introduced by Assemblymember Curt Hagman, who represents the Diamond Bar district in which SEMA headquarters is located, the bill would create a requirement for one CARB member to be an owner within the past five years of a small business. CARB is a department within the California Environmental Protection Agency that is charged with the task of attaining and maintaining healthy air quality, protecting the public from exposure to toxic air contaminants and issuing air pollution rules and regulations. 

The current 11-person Board does not represent the interests of the small businesses that comprise the regulated community. In light of hard economic times and California’s continued commitment to clean air and green business practices, it is essential that small-business owners be included in important discussions and decisions made by CARB. The SEMA-supported measure recognizes that the regulations issued by the Board directly affect small businesses and would ensure that the rights of small-business owners are represented. 

For more information, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation that would give small-business owners a voice on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) was passed by the California Assembly and Senate and sent to Governor Jerry Brown to be enacted into law. Introduced by Assemblymember Curt Hagman, who represents the Diamond Bar district in which SEMA headquarters is located, the bill would create a requirement for one CARB member to be an owner within the past five years of a small business. CARB is a department within the California Environmental Protection Agency that is charged with the task of attaining and maintaining healthy air quality, protecting the public from exposure to toxic air contaminants and issuing air pollution rules and regulations. 

The current 11-person Board does not represent the interests of the small businesses that comprise the regulated community. In light of hard economic times and California’s continued commitment to clean air and green business practices, it is essential that small-business owners be included in important discussions and decisions made by CARB. The SEMA-supported measure recognizes that the regulations issued by the Board directly affect small businesses and would ensure that the rights of small-business owners are represented. 

For more information, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The designated SEMA primary contact for your company should have received an e-mail on September 13 from the association's immediate-past chairman Rick Rollins and current chairman Scooter Brothers about a revision to the SEMA Bylaws.

The SEMA Board of Directors recently approved a motion to decrease the size of the Board. The bylaw revision initiative reflects their consensus that a smaller Board would improve the quality of discussion and reduce cost.

The current SEMA Board meetings total 26 individuals. A smaller group would be able to have more productive discussions, see each other eye-to-eye, be prepared and held accountable. Board members in a smaller group setting are often more comfortable stating what they believe or know, voicing an “unpopular” point of view and asking questions. The result is higher quality input, analysis and better Board decisions and guidance.

We are sending this communication now to be certain that our message reached the right person in every SEMA-member company. Only the designated SEMA “primary contact” may register a vote.

If you are the SEMA primary contact for your company, and did receive our e-mail, please give us two minutes and record your vote now, using your member number and password to vote online.

If voting instructions have not been received by your company’s primary contact, please advise that person to e-mail support@directvote.net in order to receive materials necessary to log your company’s vote.

If you do not know who the SEMA primary contact is for your company, e-mail Arlene Wood or call 909/978-6689.  

For a more complete review of the arguments for and against the proposal, SEMA members are invited and encouraged to visit www.sema.org/voteNOW/faq.

Your company’s vote is important. The Board-approved changes are needed to make the Board more productive for the SEMA membership. We thank you for supplying your company’s input on this important matter.

The designated SEMA primary contact for your company should have received an e-mail on September 13 from the association's immediate-past chairman Rick Rollins and current chairman Scooter Brothers about a revision to the SEMA Bylaws.

The SEMA Board of Directors recently approved a motion to decrease the size of the Board. The bylaw revision initiative reflects their consensus that a smaller Board would improve the quality of discussion and reduce cost.

The current SEMA Board meetings total 26 individuals. A smaller group would be able to have more productive discussions, see each other eye-to-eye, be prepared and held accountable. Board members in a smaller group setting are often more comfortable stating what they believe or know, voicing an “unpopular” point of view and asking questions. The result is higher quality input, analysis and better Board decisions and guidance.

We are sending this communication now to be certain that our message reached the right person in every SEMA-member company. Only the designated SEMA “primary contact” may register a vote.

If you are the SEMA primary contact for your company, and did receive our e-mail, please give us two minutes and record your vote now, using your member number and password to vote online.

If voting instructions have not been received by your company’s primary contact, please advise that person to e-mail support@directvote.net in order to receive materials necessary to log your company’s vote.

If you do not know who the SEMA primary contact is for your company, e-mail Arlene Wood or call 909/978-6689.  

For a more complete review of the arguments for and against the proposal, SEMA members are invited and encouraged to visit www.sema.org/voteNOW/faq.

Your company’s vote is important. The Board-approved changes are needed to make the Board more productive for the SEMA membership. We thank you for supplying your company’s input on this important matter.

The designated SEMA primary contact for your company should have received an e-mail on September 13 from the association's immediate-past chairman Rick Rollins and current chairman Scooter Brothers about a revision to the SEMA Bylaws.

The SEMA Board of Directors recently approved a motion to decrease the size of the Board. The bylaw revision initiative reflects their consensus that a smaller Board would improve the quality of discussion and reduce cost.

The current SEMA Board meetings total 26 individuals. A smaller group would be able to have more productive discussions, see each other eye-to-eye, be prepared and held accountable. Board members in a smaller group setting are often more comfortable stating what they believe or know, voicing an “unpopular” point of view and asking questions. The result is higher quality input, analysis and better Board decisions and guidance.

We are sending this communication now to be certain that our message reached the right person in every SEMA-member company. Only the designated SEMA “primary contact” may register a vote.

If you are the SEMA primary contact for your company, and did receive our e-mail, please give us two minutes and record your vote now, using your member number and password to vote online.

If voting instructions have not been received by your company’s primary contact, please advise that person to e-mail support@directvote.net in order to receive materials necessary to log your company’s vote.

If you do not know who the SEMA primary contact is for your company, e-mail Arlene Wood or call 909/978-6689.  

For a more complete review of the arguments for and against the proposal, SEMA members are invited and encouraged to visit www.sema.org/voteNOW/faq.

Your company’s vote is important. The Board-approved changes are needed to make the Board more productive for the SEMA membership. We thank you for supplying your company’s input on this important matter.

The designated SEMA primary contact for your company should have received an e-mail on September 13 from the association's immediate-past chairman Rick Rollins and current chairman Scooter Brothers about a revision to the SEMA Bylaws.

The SEMA Board of Directors recently approved a motion to decrease the size of the Board. The bylaw revision initiative reflects their consensus that a smaller Board would improve the quality of discussion and reduce cost.

The current SEMA Board meetings total 26 individuals. A smaller group would be able to have more productive discussions, see each other eye-to-eye, be prepared and held accountable. Board members in a smaller group setting are often more comfortable stating what they believe or know, voicing an “unpopular” point of view and asking questions. The result is higher quality input, analysis and better Board decisions and guidance.

We are sending this communication now to be certain that our message reached the right person in every SEMA-member company. Only the designated SEMA “primary contact” may register a vote.

If you are the SEMA primary contact for your company, and did receive our e-mail, please give us two minutes and record your vote now, using your member number and password to vote online.

If voting instructions have not been received by your company’s primary contact, please advise that person to e-mail support@directvote.net in order to receive materials necessary to log your company’s vote.

If you do not know who the SEMA primary contact is for your company, e-mail Arlene Wood or call 909/978-6689.  

For a more complete review of the arguments for and against the proposal, SEMA members are invited and encouraged to visit www.sema.org/voteNOW/faq.

Your company’s vote is important. The Board-approved changes are needed to make the Board more productive for the SEMA membership. We thank you for supplying your company’s input on this important matter.

The designated SEMA primary contact for your company should have received an e-mail on September 13 from the association's immediate-past chairman Rick Rollins and current chairman Scooter Brothers about a revision to the SEMA Bylaws.

The SEMA Board of Directors recently approved a motion to decrease the size of the Board. The bylaw revision initiative reflects their consensus that a smaller Board would improve the quality of discussion and reduce cost.

The current SEMA Board meetings total 26 individuals. A smaller group would be able to have more productive discussions, see each other eye-to-eye, be prepared and held accountable. Board members in a smaller group setting are often more comfortable stating what they believe or know, voicing an “unpopular” point of view and asking questions. The result is higher quality input, analysis and better Board decisions and guidance.

We are sending this communication now to be certain that our message reached the right person in every SEMA-member company. Only the designated SEMA “primary contact” may register a vote.

If you are the SEMA primary contact for your company, and did receive our e-mail, please give us two minutes and record your vote now, using your member number and password to vote online.

If voting instructions have not been received by your company’s primary contact, please advise that person to e-mail support@directvote.net in order to receive materials necessary to log your company’s vote.

If you do not know who the SEMA primary contact is for your company, e-mail Arlene Wood or call 909/978-6689.  

For a more complete review of the arguments for and against the proposal, SEMA members are invited and encouraged to visit www.sema.org/voteNOW/faq.

Your company’s vote is important. The Board-approved changes are needed to make the Board more productive for the SEMA membership. We thank you for supplying your company’s input on this important matter.