SEMA News—July 2015

Car-Care and Restyling Products From the 2014 SEMA Show

New Introductions That Change and Protect

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SEMA News—July 2015

Car-Care and Restyling Products From the 2014 SEMA Show

New Introductions That Change and Protect

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SEMA News—July 2015

Car-Care and Restyling Products From the 2014 SEMA Show

New Introductions That Change and Protect

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SEMA News—July 2015

Car-Care and Restyling Products From the 2014 SEMA Show

New Introductions That Change and Protect

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

VIEW ALL CAR-CARE AND RESTYLING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE 2014 SEMA SHOW NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Career Windows: Engaging the Next Generation of Aftermarket Professionals

	This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

The question of how to involve the next generation in the automotive specialty-equipment industry is a topic that comes up in nearly every SEMA membership meeting. Over the last year, the Board of Directors and staff have put quite a bit of thought and effort into developing youth-engagement initiatives. SEMA continues to expand its portfolio of resources to address what is commonly referred to as “a graying industry.” This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

“In talking to our members, one of their biggest challenges right now is finding qualified and eager employees,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We are launching this new tool to develop the next generation of industry leaders and ultimately help fill that void. After test driving a successful program at our headquarters last summer, we are excited to see how our member companies will benefit, too.”

The Career Windows program is a new kind of internship. Geared toward college students, the one-, two- or three-week program seeks to grow excitement in future employees and help them connect their own interests to positions in the automotive world. Through a unique structure of scheduled department visits, student participants gain a big-picture view of the industry and exposure to the variety of career options within a particular company.

While not a traditional job-training program, it allows SEMA-member companies to invest in the next generation of automotive industry leaders. Through tailored work experience, members can effectively create a talent pipeline for their own companies, test-driving possible future employees and expose their brands to new sets of eyes.

SEMA-member companies can apply to host students, and SEMA will assist with matching local interns. Host companies for Career Windows are responsible for providing the structure, goals and experience for the student, but SEMA has put together resources to help them launch successful internships.

SEMA experimented with the format at its Diamond Bar headquarters in June of 2014 and was pleased with the outcome. Ian Moon, a sophomore business major at the University of California, Berkeley, spent three weeks in the SEMA office. He learned from each of the association’s departments, including membership, SEMA Garage, special events, trade show, publications, marketing and public relations. Each department visit lasted between one and three days, depending on its size and scope. Moon met with key stakeholders and department leaders to gain an understanding of how each position fit into the greater purpose of the organization and then assisted with current projects.

Moon was first drawn to the program because of the opportunity to learn about business operations and management. Though he had not yet chosen an area of emphasis, he expressed an interest in one day leading his own organization.

“I was fortunate to sit in on a lot of meetings and have one-on-one conversations with George [Afremow, vice president and CFO], Chris [Kersting], Bill [Miller, senior vice president of operations] and all the heads of the departments,” said Moon. “These experiences helped me better understand SEMA and the inner workings of a company.”

The scope of the program was another thing that appealed to Moon from the beginning.

“Many of my friends tell me that they stuff envelopes for eight hours a day, five days a week and maybe learn something for 30 minutes,” he said. “During this internship, most of my time was spent learning. When I did do smaller, more tedious tasks, I was aware of the purpose and felt that I was really benefitting the team.”

Moon was not the only one who enjoyed the fresh format. Staff members also remarked on the strengths of the program and saw great opportunity for SEMA-member companies.

“I think it’s a really tremendous opportunity for members of the industry to open their doors and welcome students to their companies,” said Jamie Eriksen, SEMA’s special events director. “I think that the industry recognizes that bringing in and bringing up the next generation is really critical. It’s a high priority—we’ve heard that many times from companies. This is a really easy way for them to do that.”

SEMA looks forward to working toward solutions alongside members. Companies interested in hosting a student are invited to contact Director of Education Zane Clark at zanec@sema.org to begin the matching process. Visit www.sema.org/career-windows for more information.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Career Windows: Engaging the Next Generation of Aftermarket Professionals

	This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

The question of how to involve the next generation in the automotive specialty-equipment industry is a topic that comes up in nearly every SEMA membership meeting. Over the last year, the Board of Directors and staff have put quite a bit of thought and effort into developing youth-engagement initiatives. SEMA continues to expand its portfolio of resources to address what is commonly referred to as “a graying industry.” This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

“In talking to our members, one of their biggest challenges right now is finding qualified and eager employees,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We are launching this new tool to develop the next generation of industry leaders and ultimately help fill that void. After test driving a successful program at our headquarters last summer, we are excited to see how our member companies will benefit, too.”

The Career Windows program is a new kind of internship. Geared toward college students, the one-, two- or three-week program seeks to grow excitement in future employees and help them connect their own interests to positions in the automotive world. Through a unique structure of scheduled department visits, student participants gain a big-picture view of the industry and exposure to the variety of career options within a particular company.

While not a traditional job-training program, it allows SEMA-member companies to invest in the next generation of automotive industry leaders. Through tailored work experience, members can effectively create a talent pipeline for their own companies, test-driving possible future employees and expose their brands to new sets of eyes.

SEMA-member companies can apply to host students, and SEMA will assist with matching local interns. Host companies for Career Windows are responsible for providing the structure, goals and experience for the student, but SEMA has put together resources to help them launch successful internships.

SEMA experimented with the format at its Diamond Bar headquarters in June of 2014 and was pleased with the outcome. Ian Moon, a sophomore business major at the University of California, Berkeley, spent three weeks in the SEMA office. He learned from each of the association’s departments, including membership, SEMA Garage, special events, trade show, publications, marketing and public relations. Each department visit lasted between one and three days, depending on its size and scope. Moon met with key stakeholders and department leaders to gain an understanding of how each position fit into the greater purpose of the organization and then assisted with current projects.

Moon was first drawn to the program because of the opportunity to learn about business operations and management. Though he had not yet chosen an area of emphasis, he expressed an interest in one day leading his own organization.

“I was fortunate to sit in on a lot of meetings and have one-on-one conversations with George [Afremow, vice president and CFO], Chris [Kersting], Bill [Miller, senior vice president of operations] and all the heads of the departments,” said Moon. “These experiences helped me better understand SEMA and the inner workings of a company.”

The scope of the program was another thing that appealed to Moon from the beginning.

“Many of my friends tell me that they stuff envelopes for eight hours a day, five days a week and maybe learn something for 30 minutes,” he said. “During this internship, most of my time was spent learning. When I did do smaller, more tedious tasks, I was aware of the purpose and felt that I was really benefitting the team.”

Moon was not the only one who enjoyed the fresh format. Staff members also remarked on the strengths of the program and saw great opportunity for SEMA-member companies.

“I think it’s a really tremendous opportunity for members of the industry to open their doors and welcome students to their companies,” said Jamie Eriksen, SEMA’s special events director. “I think that the industry recognizes that bringing in and bringing up the next generation is really critical. It’s a high priority—we’ve heard that many times from companies. This is a really easy way for them to do that.”

SEMA looks forward to working toward solutions alongside members. Companies interested in hosting a student are invited to contact Director of Education Zane Clark at zanec@sema.org to begin the matching process. Visit www.sema.org/career-windows for more information.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

Career Windows: Engaging the Next Generation of Aftermarket Professionals

	This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

The question of how to involve the next generation in the automotive specialty-equipment industry is a topic that comes up in nearly every SEMA membership meeting. Over the last year, the Board of Directors and staff have put quite a bit of thought and effort into developing youth-engagement initiatives. SEMA continues to expand its portfolio of resources to address what is commonly referred to as “a graying industry.” This summer, SEMA Education launched Career Windows—a new program designed to introduce college students to the industry.

“In talking to our members, one of their biggest challenges right now is finding qualified and eager employees,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We are launching this new tool to develop the next generation of industry leaders and ultimately help fill that void. After test driving a successful program at our headquarters last summer, we are excited to see how our member companies will benefit, too.”

The Career Windows program is a new kind of internship. Geared toward college students, the one-, two- or three-week program seeks to grow excitement in future employees and help them connect their own interests to positions in the automotive world. Through a unique structure of scheduled department visits, student participants gain a big-picture view of the industry and exposure to the variety of career options within a particular company.

While not a traditional job-training program, it allows SEMA-member companies to invest in the next generation of automotive industry leaders. Through tailored work experience, members can effectively create a talent pipeline for their own companies, test-driving possible future employees and expose their brands to new sets of eyes.

SEMA-member companies can apply to host students, and SEMA will assist with matching local interns. Host companies for Career Windows are responsible for providing the structure, goals and experience for the student, but SEMA has put together resources to help them launch successful internships.

SEMA experimented with the format at its Diamond Bar headquarters in June of 2014 and was pleased with the outcome. Ian Moon, a sophomore business major at the University of California, Berkeley, spent three weeks in the SEMA office. He learned from each of the association’s departments, including membership, SEMA Garage, special events, trade show, publications, marketing and public relations. Each department visit lasted between one and three days, depending on its size and scope. Moon met with key stakeholders and department leaders to gain an understanding of how each position fit into the greater purpose of the organization and then assisted with current projects.

Moon was first drawn to the program because of the opportunity to learn about business operations and management. Though he had not yet chosen an area of emphasis, he expressed an interest in one day leading his own organization.

“I was fortunate to sit in on a lot of meetings and have one-on-one conversations with George [Afremow, vice president and CFO], Chris [Kersting], Bill [Miller, senior vice president of operations] and all the heads of the departments,” said Moon. “These experiences helped me better understand SEMA and the inner workings of a company.”

The scope of the program was another thing that appealed to Moon from the beginning.

“Many of my friends tell me that they stuff envelopes for eight hours a day, five days a week and maybe learn something for 30 minutes,” he said. “During this internship, most of my time was spent learning. When I did do smaller, more tedious tasks, I was aware of the purpose and felt that I was really benefitting the team.”

Moon was not the only one who enjoyed the fresh format. Staff members also remarked on the strengths of the program and saw great opportunity for SEMA-member companies.

“I think it’s a really tremendous opportunity for members of the industry to open their doors and welcome students to their companies,” said Jamie Eriksen, SEMA’s special events director. “I think that the industry recognizes that bringing in and bringing up the next generation is really critical. It’s a high priority—we’ve heard that many times from companies. This is a really easy way for them to do that.”

SEMA looks forward to working toward solutions alongside members. Companies interested in hosting a student are invited to contact Director of Education Zane Clark at zanec@sema.org to begin the matching process. Visit www.sema.org/career-windows for more information.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

From SBN Chair to the Board of Directors: Luanne Brown Gets It!

By Marla Moore

	Over the years, Brown has been very involved in fundraising events for SEMA Cares. Here she is at the Child Help banquet, next to a car that was auctioned to benefit the charity.

There have been only a handful of women on the SEMA Board of Directors (BOD), and four of them chaired the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) before rising to the Board. Luanne Brown is one of those women.

In June, Brown will have served her maximum terms and leave the BOD but not the many tasks and initiatives she helped. She served as chair of the SEMA Cares charitable committee, where she initiated the successful pinewood derby races to raise funds for Child Help and Victory Junction for disadvantaged youth. Brown is also a member of the SEMA Business Technology Committee and has become one of the industry’s leading experts, conducting numerous seminars on Internet marketing and advertising at the SEMA Show, the Aftermarket
eForum, the Off Road Impact Show, the Hot Rod and Restoration Trade Show, the Performance Racing Industry trade show and various AAIA (now the Auto Care Association) events. She is a true testament to how perseverance, getting involved and making connections will propel your career and take you places you never dreamed of.

Brown got her start in October of 2001 when a client of the multi-media firm she represented took her to the AAPEX show and introduced her to Martha Doyle, one of the founding members of the SBN. Doyle asked her: “Have you ever heard of SEMA and the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network?” Brown said: “No, what’s that?” Then Doyle introduced her to the women of the SBN. Brown became a member and shortly thereafter began writing “Quick Business Tips” for SEMA News.

Brown was greatly inspired by the women she met and started her own company, eTool Developers, in December 2001. Early on, Matt Agosta, Steve Cole, Dick Van Cleve and John Towle mentored her and introduced her to numerous other key figures in the industry. She began volunteering her time and networking through SEMA to become known in the industry.

Working in a male-dominated industry wasn’t always easy, but Brown found that most men were very approachable and willing to show her the ropes.

“The hardest thing for me was to be taken seriously as a woman and not just typecast as some ‘girly girl,’” Brown shared. “You need to become a respected leader in the industry by doing what you say you are going to do and by getting involved in the councils and committees of SEMA. The key for me was to become an expert in the field of Internet marketing to gain respect as a trustworthy individual. Once others in the industry start believing in you and trust you, they will listen to you.”

eTool Developers continues to thrive today. Brown is grateful to have a team of experts that developed software platforms to serve websites, dealer portals and provide do-it-yourself data management for her friends and clients in the automotive aftermarket.

“When you can help your friends increase their bottom line, it’s a win-win relationship,” she exclaimed.

The SBN is very proud of the success of our former chair and awarded her the SBN Athena Award in 2007. The Women’s Automotive Association International honored her recently with the Spirit of Leadership award.

One of her most memorable moments in the aftermarket was participating in a “Night with the Demon” party with Barry Grant and his team. They gave all guests rides in the “Richard Petty Experience.” She’ll never forget suiting up, then crawling through the window of a racecar and being driven around the racetrack at neck-breaking speed by a professional driver.

“I was thrilled to death and understood what the excitement of our industry was all about,” she said. “I crawled back out of that window saying, ‘I get it now! I get it now!’”

Luanne Brown definitely got it, and we’re glad that she took the opportunity to join the SBN and be a leader in our industry.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

From SBN Chair to the Board of Directors: Luanne Brown Gets It!

By Marla Moore

	Over the years, Brown has been very involved in fundraising events for SEMA Cares. Here she is at the Child Help banquet, next to a car that was auctioned to benefit the charity.

There have been only a handful of women on the SEMA Board of Directors (BOD), and four of them chaired the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) before rising to the Board. Luanne Brown is one of those women.

In June, Brown will have served her maximum terms and leave the BOD but not the many tasks and initiatives she helped. She served as chair of the SEMA Cares charitable committee, where she initiated the successful pinewood derby races to raise funds for Child Help and Victory Junction for disadvantaged youth. Brown is also a member of the SEMA Business Technology Committee and has become one of the industry’s leading experts, conducting numerous seminars on Internet marketing and advertising at the SEMA Show, the Aftermarket
eForum, the Off Road Impact Show, the Hot Rod and Restoration Trade Show, the Performance Racing Industry trade show and various AAIA (now the Auto Care Association) events. She is a true testament to how perseverance, getting involved and making connections will propel your career and take you places you never dreamed of.

Brown got her start in October of 2001 when a client of the multi-media firm she represented took her to the AAPEX show and introduced her to Martha Doyle, one of the founding members of the SBN. Doyle asked her: “Have you ever heard of SEMA and the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network?” Brown said: “No, what’s that?” Then Doyle introduced her to the women of the SBN. Brown became a member and shortly thereafter began writing “Quick Business Tips” for SEMA News.

Brown was greatly inspired by the women she met and started her own company, eTool Developers, in December 2001. Early on, Matt Agosta, Steve Cole, Dick Van Cleve and John Towle mentored her and introduced her to numerous other key figures in the industry. She began volunteering her time and networking through SEMA to become known in the industry.

Working in a male-dominated industry wasn’t always easy, but Brown found that most men were very approachable and willing to show her the ropes.

“The hardest thing for me was to be taken seriously as a woman and not just typecast as some ‘girly girl,’” Brown shared. “You need to become a respected leader in the industry by doing what you say you are going to do and by getting involved in the councils and committees of SEMA. The key for me was to become an expert in the field of Internet marketing to gain respect as a trustworthy individual. Once others in the industry start believing in you and trust you, they will listen to you.”

eTool Developers continues to thrive today. Brown is grateful to have a team of experts that developed software platforms to serve websites, dealer portals and provide do-it-yourself data management for her friends and clients in the automotive aftermarket.

“When you can help your friends increase their bottom line, it’s a win-win relationship,” she exclaimed.

The SBN is very proud of the success of our former chair and awarded her the SBN Athena Award in 2007. The Women’s Automotive Association International honored her recently with the Spirit of Leadership award.

One of her most memorable moments in the aftermarket was participating in a “Night with the Demon” party with Barry Grant and his team. They gave all guests rides in the “Richard Petty Experience.” She’ll never forget suiting up, then crawling through the window of a racecar and being driven around the racetrack at neck-breaking speed by a professional driver.

“I was thrilled to death and understood what the excitement of our industry was all about,” she said. “I crawled back out of that window saying, ‘I get it now! I get it now!’”

Luanne Brown definitely got it, and we’re glad that she took the opportunity to join the SBN and be a leader in our industry.

SEMA Member News—July/August 2015

From SBN Chair to the Board of Directors: Luanne Brown Gets It!

By Marla Moore

	Over the years, Brown has been very involved in fundraising events for SEMA Cares. Here she is at the Child Help banquet, next to a car that was auctioned to benefit the charity.

There have been only a handful of women on the SEMA Board of Directors (BOD), and four of them chaired the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) before rising to the Board. Luanne Brown is one of those women.

In June, Brown will have served her maximum terms and leave the BOD but not the many tasks and initiatives she helped. She served as chair of the SEMA Cares charitable committee, where she initiated the successful pinewood derby races to raise funds for Child Help and Victory Junction for disadvantaged youth. Brown is also a member of the SEMA Business Technology Committee and has become one of the industry’s leading experts, conducting numerous seminars on Internet marketing and advertising at the SEMA Show, the Aftermarket
eForum, the Off Road Impact Show, the Hot Rod and Restoration Trade Show, the Performance Racing Industry trade show and various AAIA (now the Auto Care Association) events. She is a true testament to how perseverance, getting involved and making connections will propel your career and take you places you never dreamed of.

Brown got her start in October of 2001 when a client of the multi-media firm she represented took her to the AAPEX show and introduced her to Martha Doyle, one of the founding members of the SBN. Doyle asked her: “Have you ever heard of SEMA and the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network?” Brown said: “No, what’s that?” Then Doyle introduced her to the women of the SBN. Brown became a member and shortly thereafter began writing “Quick Business Tips” for SEMA News.

Brown was greatly inspired by the women she met and started her own company, eTool Developers, in December 2001. Early on, Matt Agosta, Steve Cole, Dick Van Cleve and John Towle mentored her and introduced her to numerous other key figures in the industry. She began volunteering her time and networking through SEMA to become known in the industry.

Working in a male-dominated industry wasn’t always easy, but Brown found that most men were very approachable and willing to show her the ropes.

“The hardest thing for me was to be taken seriously as a woman and not just typecast as some ‘girly girl,’” Brown shared. “You need to become a respected leader in the industry by doing what you say you are going to do and by getting involved in the councils and committees of SEMA. The key for me was to become an expert in the field of Internet marketing to gain respect as a trustworthy individual. Once others in the industry start believing in you and trust you, they will listen to you.”

eTool Developers continues to thrive today. Brown is grateful to have a team of experts that developed software platforms to serve websites, dealer portals and provide do-it-yourself data management for her friends and clients in the automotive aftermarket.

“When you can help your friends increase their bottom line, it’s a win-win relationship,” she exclaimed.

The SBN is very proud of the success of our former chair and awarded her the SBN Athena Award in 2007. The Women’s Automotive Association International honored her recently with the Spirit of Leadership award.

One of her most memorable moments in the aftermarket was participating in a “Night with the Demon” party with Barry Grant and his team. They gave all guests rides in the “Richard Petty Experience.” She’ll never forget suiting up, then crawling through the window of a racecar and being driven around the racetrack at neck-breaking speed by a professional driver.

“I was thrilled to death and understood what the excitement of our industry was all about,” she said. “I crawled back out of that window saying, ‘I get it now! I get it now!’”

Luanne Brown definitely got it, and we’re glad that she took the opportunity to join the SBN and be a leader in our industry.