SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Senate joined the House of Representatives in reintroducing the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2017 (RPM Act) earlier this week. The bipartisan bill (S.203), introduced by Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and co-sponsored by 14 Senators, ensures that transforming street cars into race cars used exclusively in competition does not violate the Clean Air Act.

2017 marks a new session of Congress. Bills that did not become law at the end of 2016, like the RPM Act, must be reintroduced for consideration. Now that both the House and Senate have reintroduced the RPM Act, SEMA is calling on the entire enthusiast community and industry to take action and contact their legislators. Even if you have already sent a letter, the new Congress means that new letters are needed. It’s easy and only takes a minute. Use the form at www.sema.org/rpm.

“SEMA extends its thanks to Senator Burr and the other co-sponsors, and looks forward to working with Congress and the Trump administration to enact the RPM Act into law this year,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “We call on the entire enthusiast community to again reach out to their federal lawmakers to request support for the bill. The RPM Act is the only solution that will ensure that this time-honored tradition and livelihood for millions of Americans will be preserved for generations to come.”

When the RPM Act was first introduced in 2016, racing enthusiasts and Americans working in the motorsports parts industry flooded Congress with nearly 200,000 letters in support of the bill. The overwhelming response prompted more than 140 members of Congress to join as bill co-sponsors. However, the shortened election year schedule did not permit sufficient time for passage of the bill by the previous Congress.

You may be one of the thousands of supporters who contacted your legislators about the RPM Act in 2016. We appreciate your efforts and are in need of your support once again.  

Tell Congress to pass the RPM Act of 2017, and save racing from government threat!

Read more about the bill.

SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Senate joined the House of Representatives in reintroducing the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2017 (RPM Act) earlier this week. The bipartisan bill (S.203), introduced by Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and co-sponsored by 14 Senators, ensures that transforming street cars into race cars used exclusively in competition does not violate the Clean Air Act.

2017 marks a new session of Congress. Bills that did not become law at the end of 2016, like the RPM Act, must be reintroduced for consideration. Now that both the House and Senate have reintroduced the RPM Act, SEMA is calling on the entire enthusiast community and industry to take action and contact their legislators. Even if you have already sent a letter, the new Congress means that new letters are needed. It’s easy and only takes a minute. Use the form at www.sema.org/rpm.

“SEMA extends its thanks to Senator Burr and the other co-sponsors, and looks forward to working with Congress and the Trump administration to enact the RPM Act into law this year,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “We call on the entire enthusiast community to again reach out to their federal lawmakers to request support for the bill. The RPM Act is the only solution that will ensure that this time-honored tradition and livelihood for millions of Americans will be preserved for generations to come.”

When the RPM Act was first introduced in 2016, racing enthusiasts and Americans working in the motorsports parts industry flooded Congress with nearly 200,000 letters in support of the bill. The overwhelming response prompted more than 140 members of Congress to join as bill co-sponsors. However, the shortened election year schedule did not permit sufficient time for passage of the bill by the previous Congress.

You may be one of the thousands of supporters who contacted your legislators about the RPM Act in 2016. We appreciate your efforts and are in need of your support once again.  

Tell Congress to pass the RPM Act of 2017, and save racing from government threat!

Read more about the bill.

The SEMA Data Co-op has become “data central” for hundreds of specialty parts brands, representing millions of part numbers, and tens of millions of vehicle applications. This directory is designed to guide data users to brands that have successfully undertaken the challenge to manage their product data, and to continue to expand reference as more brands are added to the SDC repository.

https://www.sema.org/sema-news/2017/01/directory-of-data-innovators

The SEMA Data Co-op has become “data central” for hundreds of specialty parts brands, representing millions of part numbers, and tens of millions of vehicle applications. This directory is designed to guide data users to brands that have successfully undertaken the challenge to manage their product data, and to continue to expand reference as more brands are added to the SDC repository.

https://www.sema.org/sema-news/2017/01/directory-of-data-innovators

By Juan Torres

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network.

Jesse Greening and his father Jeff have been doing two to three car builds a year for clients since establishing Greening Auto Company in 1999, and in addition to full builds, they offer custom machining service at their Cullman, Alabama, shop. For the 2016 SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, the Greenings entered a '61 Chevy Impala bubble top that they converted into a wagon for owner Joe Horisk. "GM never made a wagon like this," said Jesse, who has been modifying cars for 30 years.

Among the many modifications they did to the car was hand crafting a new top from sheet metal with the bubble top moved to the back and brought down a couple of inches. The bumpers are also hand-made, and the front end was extended 4 inches. The car has a Tremec five-speed transmission and flush-mounted AM Hot Rod Glass. No body panel was left untouched, and the countless machined parts include everything from wheels to lighting, 3D printed parts from interior accessories, and leather work by Paul Adkins.

Jesse was thrilled that their Impala wagon was named into the Top 10. "It means so much to all the guys in the company and anybody who was involved in this project over the years," he said. "I'm also proud to see the car owner use and enjoy it after having it for so many years."

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network. Mark your calendars, set your DVR and tell your friends not to miss the show!

For more information, visit www.semashow.com/botb.

By Juan Torres

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network.

Jesse Greening and his father Jeff have been doing two to three car builds a year for clients since establishing Greening Auto Company in 1999, and in addition to full builds, they offer custom machining service at their Cullman, Alabama, shop. For the 2016 SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, the Greenings entered a '61 Chevy Impala bubble top that they converted into a wagon for owner Joe Horisk. "GM never made a wagon like this," said Jesse, who has been modifying cars for 30 years.

Among the many modifications they did to the car was hand crafting a new top from sheet metal with the bubble top moved to the back and brought down a couple of inches. The bumpers are also hand-made, and the front end was extended 4 inches. The car has a Tremec five-speed transmission and flush-mounted AM Hot Rod Glass. No body panel was left untouched, and the countless machined parts include everything from wheels to lighting, 3D printed parts from interior accessories, and leather work by Paul Adkins.

Jesse was thrilled that their Impala wagon was named into the Top 10. "It means so much to all the guys in the company and anybody who was involved in this project over the years," he said. "I'm also proud to see the car owner use and enjoy it after having it for so many years."

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network. Mark your calendars, set your DVR and tell your friends not to miss the show!

For more information, visit www.semashow.com/botb.

By Juan Torres

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network.

Jesse Greening and his father Jeff have been doing two to three car builds a year for clients since establishing Greening Auto Company in 1999, and in addition to full builds, they offer custom machining service at their Cullman, Alabama, shop. For the 2016 SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, the Greenings entered a '61 Chevy Impala bubble top that they converted into a wagon for owner Joe Horisk. "GM never made a wagon like this," said Jesse, who has been modifying cars for 30 years.

Among the many modifications they did to the car was hand crafting a new top from sheet metal with the bubble top moved to the back and brought down a couple of inches. The bumpers are also hand-made, and the front end was extended 4 inches. The car has a Tremec five-speed transmission and flush-mounted AM Hot Rod Glass. No body panel was left untouched, and the countless machined parts include everything from wheels to lighting, 3D printed parts from interior accessories, and leather work by Paul Adkins.

Jesse was thrilled that their Impala wagon was named into the Top 10. "It means so much to all the guys in the company and anybody who was involved in this project over the years," he said. "I'm also proud to see the car owner use and enjoy it after having it for so many years."

Behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and stories of the 2016 Battle of the Builders competition will be showcased in an hour-long TV special that will air 10:00 p.m. (EST), February 6, on the Velocity Network. Mark your calendars, set your DVR and tell your friends not to miss the show!

For more information, visit www.semashow.com/botb.

By Amelia Zwecher

Need to know more about recruiting superior employees? Recruiting and hiring top-quality employees is often a challenge for hiring managers and recruiters. As a recruiter, it’s essential to think outside of the box and to be willing to try different methods to achieve optimal results. Hiring an intern may be just the answer you need. Here’s an interesting myth and truth about recruiting that may help.

Myth: “Hiring interns is for employers who have a large staff, not for small business owners who are often short staffed and too busy to dedicate time to a student.”

Truth: Employers who rush to hire for open positions often find themselves looking for new talent months later. According to Forbes, a bad hire could cost a business at least $30,000 (there’s a formula to obtain this number!). A bad candidate can be worse than no candidate, so choose your employees wisely.

What’s the resolution? Maybe hiring an intern temporarily can minimize expensive bad hiring decisions, but cutting expenses shouldn’t be the only reason to hire interns.

Here’s 6 reasons you should hire an intern:

1. New perspective and fresh ideas on company issues
2. Millennials are technologically savvy
3. The position can remain short-term or become more (part-time/full-time)
4. Gain a brand advocate and positive word of mouth
5. Help to start or complete projects and other tasks that never made it to the top of your priority list
6. Giving back to the community and to youth: Supporting the future of the automotive industry is most important

Posting internships are free for all employers (SEMA members and non-members) on www.sema.org/jobs.

For more information, contact Amelia F. Zwecher, TAS, manager, career services, at ameliaz@sema.org. Also join the SEMA Employer Services LinkedIn Group for daily recruitment updates.

By SEMA Show Management

Buyers and exhibitors participating in the 2017 SEMA Show are encouraged to book hotels early for the best selection and rates.

Buyers and exhibitors participating in the 2017 SEMA Show are encouraged to book hotels early for the best selection and rates. SEMA Show management negotiates travel discounts and secures a limited number of reduced-rate hotel rooms to make Showgoers’ trip to Las Vegas affordable.

The official SEMA Show Housing Services provider is OnPeak, and booking through OnPeak provides Showgoers with benefits, such as:

1. Guaranteed low rates
2. No penalties for adjustments or changes to reservation
3. No booking, change or cancelation fees

The SEMA Show Travel & Lodging page features a frequently updated, real-time listing of the hotel deals and discounts available for the 2017 Show.

Read more about the benefits of booking through the Show’s official housing provider. 

Note: Attendees and exhibitors should be vigilant if approached by companies or services other than OnPeak that implies or claims to be an official housing provider of the SEMA Show. Management is aware of other housing companies and travel agencies that may be aggressively pursuing you or your company to book your guest rooms through their company at supposedly significant discounts.

Reservations made through an agency other than OnPeak are at your own risk. Exhibitors and attendees contacted by another housing company trying to sell hotel rooms should notify SEMA Show Management at 909-396-0289.

By SEMA Show Management

Buyers and exhibitors participating in the 2017 SEMA Show are encouraged to book hotels early for the best selection and rates.

Buyers and exhibitors participating in the 2017 SEMA Show are encouraged to book hotels early for the best selection and rates. SEMA Show management negotiates travel discounts and secures a limited number of reduced-rate hotel rooms to make Showgoers’ trip to Las Vegas affordable.

The official SEMA Show Housing Services provider is OnPeak, and booking through OnPeak provides Showgoers with benefits, such as:

1. Guaranteed low rates
2. No penalties for adjustments or changes to reservation
3. No booking, change or cancelation fees

The SEMA Show Travel & Lodging page features a frequently updated, real-time listing of the hotel deals and discounts available for the 2017 Show.

Read more about the benefits of booking through the Show’s official housing provider. 

Note: Attendees and exhibitors should be vigilant if approached by companies or services other than OnPeak that implies or claims to be an official housing provider of the SEMA Show. Management is aware of other housing companies and travel agencies that may be aggressively pursuing you or your company to book your guest rooms through their company at supposedly significant discounts.

Reservations made through an agency other than OnPeak are at your own risk. Exhibitors and attendees contacted by another housing company trying to sell hotel rooms should notify SEMA Show Management at 909-396-0289.