By SEMA Editors

Dates and locations have been scheduled for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows, measuring sessions and activities.

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings around the country. Here are some of the latest jobs posted to the website.

Regional Sales Manager – East Coast
Rigid Industries is hiring a regional sales manager – East Coast experienced in the off-road or automotive aftermarket industry. This position is responsible for developing sales plans based on Rigid’s goals that will promote sales growth and customer satisfaction for the assigned region. He/she directs the actual distribution or movement of product to the customer and coordinates sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas and goals and training programs for sales representatives, and analyzes sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers. A bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA is a plus.

Demand Manager
RANDYS Worldwide is hiring a demand manager responsible for all forecasting activities associated with customers and products. This position creates and maintains forecast models for their customers, incorporating business intelligence and forecast information gathered from sales, marketing, finance and other sources. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) and more than eight years of related experience.

Northeastern Regional Sales Manager
Rhino Rack is hiring a Northeastern regional sales manager to grow sales and increase brand visibility, expand distribution, manage and enhance relationships with its current base of distributors, and to meet or exceed sales/revenue targets. The territory includes the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, with a special focus on eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The ideal candidate will ensure a coordinated approach to sales management and development across operations, be data-focused to analyze trends and competitive offerings and possess excellent communication skills.

Visit the SEMA Career Center for more job opportunities.

By SEMA Editors

SEMA eNews highlights SEMA-member companies’ websites weekly through the Hot Links to Cool Sites section. SEMA members: To be included in Hot Links to Cool Sites, email your company name and website to enews@sema.org. Note: Make sure to include “Hot Links” in the subject line of the email.

• Exedy
• Fullriver Battery USA
• G2 Axle and Gear
• Hellwig
• Hurst
• Insane Audio
• JMS Chip & Performance
• KC HiLites
• Lloyd Mats
• LOMAX Covers

By SEMA Editors

Iconic engine builder Sonny Leonard of Sonny's World Class Racing passed away January 10, at the age of 77, leaving behind an amazing legacy of innovation and success.

“Sonny Leonard’s passing is a huge loss for the racing industry. He will be missed not only for his engine-building skills and knowledge but also for his good nature and charisma,” said PRI President Dr. Jamie Meyer. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends and the entire motorsports community.”

Leonard gained notoriety in the racing world thanks to his engine-building skills, which powered many racers to victories and championships in various drag racing categories, including Pro Nitrous and Pro Modified. His name also became synonymous with big-inch mountain motors due to his success in racing categories such as Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Top Sportsman.

In addition to using his ingenuity to power racers to success on the track, he used his engine building prowess for charitable purposes, including the Sunnen Engine Charity Sweepstakes held every year during the PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis. Leonard’s donated engines in 2018-19 helped raise more than $220,000 for Victory Junction, a year-round camping facility in Randleman, North Carolina, for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.

“It was such an honor to have the opportunity to work with Sonny Leonard and his team as they generously volunteered their time to build an engine each year for the Sunnen Engine Charity Sweepstakes,” said PRI Trade Show Director Karin Davidson. “PRI’s condolences are with his family and team at Sonny’s Racing Engines.”

A service celebrating Leonard's life will be held on Thursday, January 14, at 1:00 p.m., at Thomas Road Baptist Church located at 1 Mountain View Road in Lynchburg, Virginia.

By Ashley Reyes

Wheel and tire industry members: Join the SEMA Wheel and Tire Council (WTC) for an informational seminar on “Tire Knowledge 201: Standards for Determining Rim Width and Load Capacity,” January 20, at 12:00 p.m. (PST).

As the third installment of the council’s webinar series, “Wheel and Tire Industry Insights, powered by WTC,” the online seminar will feature two of the industry’s leading tire technical experts as they address the specifics and differences between load index and load ranges, when and where they are applied on the vehicle and how to calculate the correct air pressure for certain applications.

Get your questions answered by participating in this live webinar.

Register here.

By Ashley Reyes

Asking for a raise or promotion is not always easy. While you may feel that your work is deserving, knowing how to effectively communicate your accomplishments and added value to the company is essential to landing that next promotion.

In the first session of the SEMA Virtual Education “Sharpen Your Soft Skills Series, powered by SBN,” owner of HR Culture Geek Elizabeth Jacobs will help attendees understand the best methods to connect with management to successfully attain salaries, raises and promotions and answer questions live on January 26, at 11:00 a.m. (PST).

The one-hour session “Navigating Career Advancement Conversations” will address how to avoid what can potentially be an uncomfortable conversation, and teach attendees how to be more confident, and focus the discussion on their work and not the finances.

Register here, and stay tuned to SEMA eNews and the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) Facebook page for announcements on future sessions from the “Sharpen Your Soft Skills Series, powered by SBN,” including:

• March 23 – Asserting Yourself in the Workplace
• May 25 – Securing Education and Skills Training for Current and Future Positions
• July 27 – Effectively Managing Conflict
• September 28 - Network Your Way to Beneficial Connections

The series is designed to help attendees learn about the interpersonal attributes needed to succeed in the workplace, and provide the opportunity meet and network with new peers in the industry through virtual breakout sessions.

By Ashley Reyes

Prepare for what to expect in 2021 as SEMA Market Research explores the industry’s path in the wake of disruption during an online webinar taking place January 27.

Participants will be able to ask questions and get live answers during the webinar, as presenters Gavin Knapp, SEMA director of Market Research, and Kyle Cheng, SEMA Market Research manager, use detailed data and stats to explore the pandemic and its path moving forward. They will touch on the overall economy (growth, unemployment), with a focus on what the automotive aftermarket industry can realistically anticipate in the new year. Find out what changes are expected to vehicle segment sales and market size.

By attending the seminar and downloading the latest free reports from SEMA Market Research, including “State of the Industry – Fall 2020” and “State of the American Consumer – Fall 2020,” attendees will gain knowledge to help them make better business decisions.

Register for “2021: What Now? Industry Path in the Wake of Disruption.”

By Richard Hail

Representing the innovation and ingenuity of the automotive aftermarket industry, the annual “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special is back and will premiere on A+E Networks’ History Channel, Sunday, February 7, at 9:00 a.m. (EST).

Adrienne “AJ” Janic and Tanner Foust return to their hosting duties as a new group of builders compete against one another for a chance at being named the best of the best and receiving the Top Builder Trophy. Hear from the builders in exclusive interviews, see their builds up close and watch the Top 12 judging.

“With no physical SEMA Show taking place in 2020, the Battle of the Builders competition took place during SEMA360, the automotive industry’s exclusive online trade-only event,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We made some tough decisions in 2020, but we were determined to go forward with a safe and exciting competition—not only for our builders, but also for our industry.”

The judges, industry experts RJ DeVera (Meguiar’s), Cam Miller (HS Customs), Jeremiah Proffitt (Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers) and 2019 Battle of the Builders Champions Mike and Jim Ring (Ringbrothers), were tasked with narrowing down the field of more than 300 vehicles to the Top 10 in each of the four categories—Hot Rod, Sport Compact, Truck/Off-Road and Young Guns—before choosing the Top 12 builds.

The Top 12 competitors judged each other in the final round to determine the top build in each category and then the top build overall. These builders knew what to look for when it came to superior automotive craftsmanship, and they judged their peers accordingly. Experience all the action and cheer on your favorite builds on A+E Networks’ History Channel, Sunday, February 7. Check your local listings for times in your area.

For more information about the SEMA Battle of the Builders program, visit the SEMA Battle of the Builders website.

By Fredy Ramirez

SEMA eNews highlights new products from industry companies each week. To have your product considered for upcoming issues, send product press releases to editors@sema.org.

Diablosport Sprint Auto Stop/Start

Diablosport announces the release of its Sprint Auto/Stop Start disabler on late-model Ford F150 trucks. The 3.5L Ecoboost, the 5.0L V8 and the 3.0L Diesel are supported. Plug in the disabler into the OBD-II port and it should stop the Auto Start/Stop feature indefinitely as long as it remains plugged into the vehicle. To revert to stock, simply unplug the disabler.

866-404-614
www.diablosport.com
PN: S1000A

Flowmaster FlowFX Cat-Back Exhaust System

Flowmaster introduces its FlowFX cat-back exhaust system for the ‘07–‘14 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The system is manufactured using 409 stainless-steel throughout and features 2.50-in. mandrel bent pipes for better exhaust gas flow, and a FlowFX "straight-through" muffler designed for better sound and maximum performance. The system is finished off with a 3.50-in.-diameter black ceramic-coated 304S stainless-steel tip. The system uses all the existing factory hanger locations and includes installation instructions and all necessary hardware for an easy installation.

866-464-6553
www.holley.com
PN: 717433

Aluminum Swivel Water Necks For Mopar Gen III Hemi Engines

Holley launches its swivel water necks for Mopar Gen III Hemi engines. Since the swivel allows adjustment to accommodate custom radiator hoses, the necks are designed to be ideal for use in engine swaps. The billet aluminum with a black anodized finish is manufactured to prevent corrosion. Choose from outlets with a 45-degree or 90-degree angle (both swivel 360 degrees before bolts are tightened up).

866-464-6553
www.holley.com
PN: Vary

Curt Quick Pin Trailer Coupler

Curt Manufacturing introduces its QuickPin trailer coupler. The coupler is engineered to answer the problem of complicated hinging components on a traditional latch-style coupler. The coupler uses a single hitch pin designed to secure the coupler onto the ball. The simple pin design is constructed to provide a secure vehicle-trailer connection.

877-287-8634
www.curtmfg.com
PN: Vary

Oracle GT-R ColorSHIFT

Oracle Lighting announces the launch of the new GT-R ColorSHIFT “Lightning Bolt” RGB+W headlight DRL upgrade for the ‘15–’21 Nissan GT-R. The boards feature a “True White LED” which is designed to create pure white tones, giving the user a crisp white DRL and the ability to instantly switch over for 100%-legal road driving. The kit includes: ColorSHIFT RGB+W DRL PCBs for driver- and passenger-side headlights, constant current LED driver hubs with DRL trigger wires and heavy-duty IP67 wiring adapters.

800-407-5776
www.oraclelights.com
PN: Vary

By SEMA Editors

SEMA is now accepting applications for the 2021 SEMA Memorial Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Program. Scholarships are available to students pursuing a degree or certification that leads to a career in the automotive industry, and loan forgiveness is available to employees of SEMA-member companies.

“It’s no secret that this past year has had its challenges. Now more than ever, SEMA is available to help support future industry innovators by providing financial assistance to current students and recent graduates who have outstanding student debt,” said SEMA Senior Manager of Professional Development Gary Vigil. “There are thousands of talented, hard-working individuals seeking careers in the automotive aftermarket. The SEMA Scholarship is designed to support this next generation and allow them to focus on their studies and work, rather than be burdened with tuition costs. The Loan Forgiveness program is intended to provide financial assistance to employees of SEMA-member companies with outstanding student loans.”

Awards of up to $5,000 are available to qualified individuals. Complete details and the online application are available until March 1.  

For more information, contact SEMA Project Manager, Member Services Byron Bergmann at 909-378-4859 or byronb@sema.org.