Booth space is still available for the 2019 SEMA Show, November 5–8, in Las Vegas.

Registration for the 2019 SEMA Show is open.

SEMA News—August 2019

Congress Resorts to Old-School Lawmaking

An Inside Look at How a Massive Public Lands Bill Became Law

An Ultra4 racer competes in King of the Hammers at the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreational Area, which was expanded by 11,000 acres under the new law.

Those who say Congress never gets anything done and politicians are all talk and no action are frequently proven correct. The greatest obstacle to passing legislation in the 21st century in Washington, D.C., is the unwillingness to compromise. Every now and again, however, Congress comes together and embraces the philosophy of “a good compromise is when neither side is happy.”

Earlier this year, Congress passed a comprehensive public lands bill—the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act (S. 47), which contained more than 100 separate initiatives related to land use—and President Trump signed the bill into law in March. It reflected a delicate balance of providing recreational access to public lands, expanding wilderness protections, and authorizing federal lands to be transferred to state, local and private control to spur economic development in rural communities. The bill also designated six off-highway vehicle (OHV) areas in California while closing some trails to motorized recreation in Utah. It addressed priorities for a diverse group of public lands users.

Let’s take a deeper look at why compromise in Congress is so elusive and examine how this particular legislative sausage was made.

Our founding fathers intended for the legislative process to be deliberative and thoughtful, ensuring that public policies are well conceived. It’s hard to argue against that philosophy, although we now find ourselves in an era where Congress is unable to address even basic matters such as the country’s budget. The root cause of the stalemate is a fear that, by compromising, members of Congress will provide their political opponents with an opportunity to claim victory.

While most existing OHV routes within the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area in Emery County, Utah, were protected in the new law, several trails were lost.

Democrats and republicans alike have a strong desire to enact policies that are embraced by their supporters while making sure that the other side doesn’t chalk up too many victories. However, that philosophy wasn’t always pursued to the extent it is now, and compromise didn’t always have a negative connotation.

Considering the current dynamics, it was encouraging to see lawmakers return to a more old-school style of lawmaking, as members recognized that there was enough for their constituents to gain to make it worthwhile to accept provisions of the land-use bill that they didn’t fully support.

While S. 47 became law in early 2019—just two months into the new session of Congress—the bill was actually a combination of more than 120 different bills that had received scores of committee hearings and thousands of hours of debate in recent years. Lawmakers frantically tried to package and pass the bill at the end of the 2017–2018 session of Congress, but the government shutdown and subsequent battle over funding the federal government overshadowed and ultimately doomed the effort.

The momentum from the previous Congress to enact the lands package continued in early 2019. It was an extraordinary moment of rare agreement in time of equally astonishing partisan rancor, with lawmakers from each party determined to secure passage of the bill.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced S. 47 in January 2019. The bill was comprised of legislation sponsored by more than half of the members of the U.S. Senate during the previous session of Congress.

S. 47 passed the U.S. Senate by a 92 to 8 vote on February 12. Two weeks later, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 363 to 62. President Trump signed it into law on March 12.

This legislative sausage had all the ingredients needed to ensure passage with enough to make lawmakers happy or at least willing to look past portions they found objectionable.

There is an important lesson to be learned: It sometimes takes years to enact legislation, and a bill covering a single issue may lack enough support to ever get passed. Nevertheless, lawmakers periodically combine multiple bills into a single measure in order to create a winning package. It has happened many times in the past with land-use bills, and it will happen again in the future.

By Zane Clark

SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change. This diverse collection of highly successful, entrepreneurial people offers the ultimate opportunity for each participant to learn and be challenged. Find a few peer-led seminars below:

On Monday, November 4, Linda Spencer, SEMA’s senior director, international and government affairs, will lead three International seminars that will provide invaluable information on exporting to the Middle East, Australia/New Zealand and Latin American markets. Register for all three international seminars.

Dan Kahn, president and CEO of Kahn Media Inc., will host “EQ vs IQ: The Rise of Emotional Marketing & Branding,” Monday, November 4, from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Myles Kovacs, DUB president and cofounder, will host “Life and Business,” Monday, November 4, from 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., in LVCC room N258.

Megan Neal, vice president of content monetization for MotorTrend Group, will lead the panel “Platform-Specific Tips to Engage Your Social Audience,” Monday, November 4, from 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Sean Holman, content director, Truck & Off-Road Group at MotorTrend Group and co-creator/co-host of “The Truck Show Podcast” will host “Podcasting Do’s & Don’ts,” Tuesday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m., in LVCC room N252.

Christina Kwan, owner, Kwan International Marketing & Media, will host “Business Is Poker—How to Gain the Mental Edge and Bet on Yourself,” Tuesday, November 5, from 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Max Grundy, artist at Fear is the New Beauty, will join the panel “Art, Design and Cars,” Wednesday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Ellen McKoy, owner EMK Marketing, will lead the panel discussion “Up Your Game: Harness Your Marketing and Sales Skills, Powered by PRO,” Wednesday, November 6, from 2:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m., in LVCC room N254.

Zan Martin, president/CEO, Martin & Company Advertising, will lead a panel discussion on “Data-Driven Digital Marketing,” Wednesday, November 6, from 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., in LVCC room N252.

Ed Iskenderian of Isky Racing Cams will host “The Camfather—Ed Iskenderian,” Thursday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Sign Up. Show Up. Preview and register for the 2019 seminars.

Contact SEMA’s Senior Director of Education Zane Clark for additional information.

By Zane Clark

SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change. This diverse collection of highly successful, entrepreneurial people offers the ultimate opportunity for each participant to learn and be challenged. Find a few peer-led seminars below:

On Monday, November 4, Linda Spencer, SEMA’s senior director, international and government affairs, will lead three International seminars that will provide invaluable information on exporting to the Middle East, Australia/New Zealand and Latin American markets. Register for all three international seminars.

Dan Kahn, president and CEO of Kahn Media Inc., will host “EQ vs IQ: The Rise of Emotional Marketing & Branding,” Monday, November 4, from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Myles Kovacs, DUB president and cofounder, will host “Life and Business,” Monday, November 4, from 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., in LVCC room N258.

Megan Neal, vice president of content monetization for MotorTrend Group, will lead the panel “Platform-Specific Tips to Engage Your Social Audience,” Monday, November 4, from 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Sean Holman, content director, Truck & Off-Road Group at MotorTrend Group and co-creator/co-host of “The Truck Show Podcast” will host “Podcasting Do’s & Don’ts,” Tuesday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m., in LVCC room N252.

Christina Kwan, owner, Kwan International Marketing & Media, will host “Business Is Poker—How to Gain the Mental Edge and Bet on Yourself,” Tuesday, November 5, from 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Max Grundy, artist at Fear is the New Beauty, will join the panel “Art, Design and Cars,” Wednesday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Ellen McKoy, owner EMK Marketing, will lead the panel discussion “Up Your Game: Harness Your Marketing and Sales Skills, Powered by PRO,” Wednesday, November 6, from 2:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m., in LVCC room N254.

Zan Martin, president/CEO, Martin & Company Advertising, will lead a panel discussion on “Data-Driven Digital Marketing,” Wednesday, November 6, from 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., in LVCC room N252.

Ed Iskenderian of Isky Racing Cams will host “The Camfather—Ed Iskenderian,” Thursday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Sign Up. Show Up. Preview and register for the 2019 seminars.

Contact SEMA’s Senior Director of Education Zane Clark for additional information.

By Zane Clark

SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). SEMA Show Education offers Showgoers a unique chance to learn from industry peers and personalities who fuel the collective passion and drive meaningful business change. This diverse collection of highly successful, entrepreneurial people offers the ultimate opportunity for each participant to learn and be challenged. Find a few peer-led seminars below:

On Monday, November 4, Linda Spencer, SEMA’s senior director, international and government affairs, will lead three International seminars that will provide invaluable information on exporting to the Middle East, Australia/New Zealand and Latin American markets. Register for all three international seminars.

Dan Kahn, president and CEO of Kahn Media Inc., will host “EQ vs IQ: The Rise of Emotional Marketing & Branding,” Monday, November 4, from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Myles Kovacs, DUB president and cofounder, will host “Life and Business,” Monday, November 4, from 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., in LVCC room N258.

Megan Neal, vice president of content monetization for MotorTrend Group, will lead the panel “Platform-Specific Tips to Engage Your Social Audience,” Monday, November 4, from 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Sean Holman, content director, Truck & Off-Road Group at MotorTrend Group and co-creator/co-host of “The Truck Show Podcast” will host “Podcasting Do’s & Don’ts,” Tuesday, November 5, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m., in LVCC room N252.

Christina Kwan, owner, Kwan International Marketing & Media, will host “Business Is Poker—How to Gain the Mental Edge and Bet on Yourself,” Tuesday, November 5, from 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m., in LVCC room N256.

Max Grundy, artist at Fear is the New Beauty, will join the panel “Art, Design and Cars,” Wednesday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Ellen McKoy, owner EMK Marketing, will lead the panel discussion “Up Your Game: Harness Your Marketing and Sales Skills, Powered by PRO,” Wednesday, November 6, from 2:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m., in LVCC room N254.

Zan Martin, president/CEO, Martin & Company Advertising, will lead a panel discussion on “Data-Driven Digital Marketing,” Wednesday, November 6, from 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., in LVCC room N252.

Ed Iskenderian of Isky Racing Cams will host “The Camfather—Ed Iskenderian,” Thursday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m., in LVCC room N258.

Sign Up. Show Up. Preview and register for the 2019 seminars.

Contact SEMA’s Senior Director of Education Zane Clark for additional information.

SEMA News—August 2019

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT

By Chad Simon

Spartan 4x4

How a 21-Year-Old Business Major Is Building a Name for Himself in the Youth Off-Road Market

Spartan 4x4 built a RAM 2500 called “Leonidas” for Edge Products for the 2018 SEMA Show.

Spartan 4x4, which caters to the youth off-road market, was founded in 2015 by 17-year-old Robert Bowden III out of his parents’ garage in Atlanta. In 2017, Bowden relocated to a 600-sq.-ft. office in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Now 21 and an entrepreneurship major at Western Kentucky University, he expanded yet again in March to a 1,000-sq.-ft. facility with six employees and moved to a 6,000-sq.-ft. facility in July, which houses an office, a shop and a showroom—all under one roof. We recently interviewed Bowden about his progress.

SEMA News: How did you get started in the automotive aftermarket industry?

Robert Bowden III: In high school, I had a Jeep Wrangler that I wanted to modify, but I didn’t have the money to do it. So I started a social-media page where I promoted peoples’ builds from all over the country. Other companies started to reach out and told me they would send me free stuff if I promoted their products. Then I started moving products as a third-party drop shipper. I built my first website in fall 2015, and we had a handful of direct contracts with manufacturers whose products we installed and promoted on our website. They drop shipped, so we were just a third-party middleman.

I attended my first SEMA Show in 2016 and fell in love with the industry. When I saw how big the Show was and how much variety there was, it just blew me away. When I got back from the Show, I started working on vehicles out of my parents’ garage. When I moved the business up to Bowling Green in fall 2017, we opened our first official 600-sq.-ft. office with three employees. We were web-based only, selling apparel and our own privately labeled aftermarket off-road parts. We had about 20–30 contracts and we pushed out parts, but it hadn’t gotten to the point where we were installing parts for customers.

The Spartan 4x4 team includes (from left) Hunter Lee, Andrew Clark, Robert Bowden III, Alfredo Aubone and Hunter Cassity.

At the beginning of 2019, we opened our shop in Bowling Green, where we now do builds for customers. We did a handful of builds in the past year or two where we did what we were able to do before sending out the rest of the work to different shops, but now we’re at the point where we have our own equipment, bays and mechanics.

SN: How has your business grown?

RB: We are completely self-funded, and we more than doubled our growth in 2018. We went from an online business with two employees to having an office, a shop and five employees—all of whom are in their early 20s and are either college students or recent graduates of Western Kentucky University. We still do online retail, but now we have a physical shop where customers can come in and purchase parts directly, and we also do installations.

We also use resources offered by SEMA, whether it’s research, connections or the SEMA Data Co-op. We did a RAM 2500 build called “Leonidas” for Edge Products for the 2018 SEMA Show, which helped our credibility and gave us another level of prestige. We try to leverage that with customers and companies we work with as much as possible.

We probably do about 10–12 builds per month. We’ve done some high-profile builds as well, including for the son of Dr. Heavenly from “Married to Medicine.” We also built a truck for the son of one of the executives of Home Depot, and we consulted with the son of Big Boi Patton from OutKast for his Jeep.

Providing optimal customer service should be any company’s number-one priority in order to gain repeated long-term business.

SN: How can the industry keep the younger generation engaged?

RB: Making products readily available and acceptable, whether it’s through different manufacturers or direct. When we started out, the industry consisted mostly of older hobbyists, and then it started to bleed down to 20- and 30-year-olds. I think it’s just one of those things where people are able to express themselves by taking their vehicles and designs and building them however they want.

Social-media pages and websites offer variety, and trends and fads come and go because new ideas are constantly coming to market. It’s about knowing that more is coming because people consume so fast, and all of a sudden that train is gone and they’re waiting for the next big thing. It’s also about not shunning the industry, saying, “Oh, this is too loud or too big.” We live in a country where people have the ability to think and act how they want. These kids aren’t out doing drugs and getting into trouble. They’re building vehicles that might be loud or go fast, but it’s not the worst thing in the world.

SN: What is the biggest challenge you have faced?

RB: Differentiating ourselves from other companies. When you have builders who are in their teens and 20s, they get a lot of attention from the younger crowd because they are the ones who utilize online content. When they see younger people doing stuff that they wish they could be doing, it kind of fuels them. I’m 21, and I’ve only been building for four years, so when you compare what I’ve done to someone who’s 35 or 40 with five times the experience that I have, I have to be able to differentiate myself from them and prove myself.

On the business side, it’s challenging to get an older customer to come to me to get work done, because I’m half his age. If he’s got a $75,000–$80,000 truck and he’s putting $10,000 into it, he’s going to want someone who knows what he’s doing. Even though we’re young, I’m confident in our ability, but we have to be able to sell that to our customers—especially the
older ones.

Spartan 4x4 was located in a 1,000-sq.-ft. facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Bowden relocated to a 6,000-sq.-ft. facility in July.

SN: What risks have you taken along the way?

RB: The biggest risks I’ve taken are knowing when to grow and when to add employees and also moving the business from Atlanta to Bowling Green. All my contacts and connections and everything I knew were in Atlanta. Opening the shop cost quite a bit of money just in equipment, the facility, mechanics and tools. We want to make sure we’re not biting off more than we can chew. We’re definitely biting off a lot, and we have to be sure we are able to come through at a high level
of expectation.

SN: What draws people to your store?

Robert Bowden III started Spartan 4x4 out of his parents’ garage in Atlanta when he was just 17 years old.

RB: The brand. Enthusiasts between the ages of 16 and 35 relate to us. People want to work with others when they can see themselves because they’re not too much older or younger than us. That level of relatability is something that we can leverage.

Everyone is in business to make money, but we never screw people over. The automotive and technological industries are where people can get absolutely taken advantage of because of their lack of knowledge. A customer can walk in and you know you can just sell him anything and double or triple your price, and he’s going to go for it because he doesn’t know any better. You see it happen a lot. That’s something that we just don’t do. It’s all about transparency, relatability and accountability.

SN: How do you market yourself?

RB: Social media is the most cost-effective form of marketing for us since we are targeting a younger crowd. We also host our own 4x4 event series called “Grits n’ Gravel.” The first event is a meet-and-greet, kind of like Cars and Coffee. The second and third events will have sponsors and vendors. We want to get our name and story out there any way we can, but we also want to be known locally.

In this industry, you’re either a lower-end mom-and-pop or a more expensive, high-end business that doesn’t offer much in the way of customer service unless you’re spending a lot of money. My philosophy is “Why not both?” Let’s have that affordable family feel while also offering a high-end experience.

We do something called personal build consulting, where we sit down with the customer and help them plan out their build. We’ll even come to their house, pick up their vehicle, bring it back to our shop, do all the work, and drop it back off at their door. It’s kind of a white-glove service we provide.

SN: What do you attribute your success to?

RB: Customer service needs to be your priority, because without customers, you’ve got no business. When I was younger, I always paid attention to how other companies treated me because I was young and didn’t know much. How is the initial contact? I tell my guys—and it’s stamped into their heads—the customer is always first. Even if you’ve been asked the question 100 times, answer it positively and be friendly. We want their business repeated and long-term, not just right now. It’s the initial interaction and the follow-up.

I tell my customers I’m available to them 24/7. Obviously, I might not always be able to offer that as we get bigger, but that’s one of the things that really stuck with me when I was younger. Be available to your customers to provide real information. Business ethics is important, because if you do that correctly you’re going to get more business. It’s a cycle. Growing but staying true to our roots I think is the biggest thing.

SN: What advice would you offer to a younger guy just getting started in the industry?

RB: Connections are everything, and don’t let the big fish intimidate you. People will tell you that you can’t do something, and a lot of times it’s because they don’t want you to do it. You have one life to live, and if you have a dream and you want to chase it, the only person stopping you is yourself. Pursue with passion. Things get hard sometimes, but don’t give up. Stay on course.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Don Walsh Jr. in his Corvette pulled off the win with a 3.72 over Randy Adler, who was not far behind with a 3.77 in his Bel Air.

NMRA Race Wrap: 14th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing Presented by FST Carburetors

NMCA and NMRA drivers teamed up to put down twice as much power in the Prairie State for the 14th Annual Nitto NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing presented by FST Carburetors, July 25–28 at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.

VP Racing Fuels Xtreme Pro Mod: Don Walsh Jr. in his Corvette pulled off the win with a 3.72 over Randy Adler, who was not far behind with a 3.77 in his Bel Air.

NMCA Mickey Thompson Street Outlaw and NMRA VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw: The final round belonged to Shane Fisher and Shawn Pevlor and their Mustangs. When the tree came down, both drivers recorded comparable reaction times, and Fisher flew to the win with a 4.45 over Pevlor’s 7.91.

Holley EFI Factory Super Cars: Bill Skillman in his Mustang Cobra Jet sailed to a 7.98 to win over Terry Munroe, who turned in an 8.06 in his COPO Camaro.

ARP Nitrous Pro Street: Tony Gillig and his Cutlass faced reigning category champion Jordan Ensslin and his Trans Am, and Gillig, who had a slightly better reaction time, took the win on a holeshot after both drivers put identical 4.41 runs on the board.

NMCA Edelbrock Xtreme Street and NMRA Edelbrock Renegade: Making it to the final were NMCA newcomer Mike Thompson and Paul Smith and their Camaros. Thompson took it all the way to the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle with a 4.72 to Smith’s 4.83.

FST Carburetors NA 10.5: Leonard Long and his Mustang made it all the way to the final round of eliminations where, in the heat of the day, he recorded a 7.95 to win over Dwight Ausmus, who wheeled his wheel-standing Firebird to an 8.10.

Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center: Haley Burkhammer in her Camaro won in the final round with a 10.23 to Jesse Wilson’s 10.32.

Coan Engineering Stock/Super Stock Combo: The final round featured Jeffrey Frees and his Drag Pak Challenger and Terry Knott and a Dart. In the double-breakout race, Frees picked up the win with a 9.84 on a 9.86 dial, while Knott was 11.17 on an 11.20 dial.

Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock: Kevin Gass in his Chevelle took the win in the final with a 9.77 on a 9.75 index over Tim Frees, who drove to a 10.56 on a 10.50 index in his Savoy.

Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle Car: Andy Warren in his Caprice made it to another final round where he broke out with a 10.23 on a 10.25 index, but still earned the win as Audrey Baize also broke out with an 11.72 on an 11.75 index.

MagnaFuel Open Comp: Kurt Anderson in his Camaro won with a 9.98 on a 10.01 dial over Scott Williams, who was 8.48 on an 8.53 in his Chevelle in the double-breakout bout.

NMCA Gear Vendors True Street: Eric Olson stood out as the overall winner with an 8.54 average in a Ranger, and Randy Thomas was the runner-up with an 8.72 average in a Mustang Shelby GT500. Bill Unkel ran to the nine-second win in a Mustang, Heinz Stock picked up the 10-second win in a Mustang, Robert Ball drove to the 11-second win in a Mustang and Mike Baker picked up the 12-second win in a Mustang. Rounding out the category were Jeff Buck, who was the 13-second winner, Wayne Haley, who was the 14-second winner and Belinda Moore, who was the 15-second winner.

Dodge // Mopar HEMI Shootout at NMCA: Victor Cervantes was the overall winner with a 10.11 average, while Derrick Roderweiss was the runner-up with an 10.16 average. John Ridings was the 11-second winner, Pat Baldezier was the 12-second winner, Ken Mason was the 13-second winner and Dana Baker was the 14-second winner. Brandon Alley wrapped things up as the 15-second winner. Then, after the eight quickest drivers in the category came together for the Arrington Performance HEMI Quick 8 presented by Red Line Oil, Wade Atchison arrived at the win with a holeshot and a 10.41 in his Demon over Derrick Roderweiss, who was 10.22 in his Demon.

Chevrolet Performance Street Car Challenge: Louis Truffa was the overall winner with a 9.22 average in his Monte Carlo, while Kevin Rowand was the runner-up with an 11.03 average in his Corvette. Robert Peter picked up the 12-second win in his Camaro, Greg Jessup pushed to the 13-second win in his Camaro, Jeremy Billecki was the 14-second winner in his Camaro and Steve Weigl was the 15-second winner in his Caprice.

NMCA Gear Vendors True Street, NMRA QA1 True Street, Chevrolet Performance Street Car Challenge and Dodge // Mopar HEMI Shootout drivers who wanted even more track-time were able to take part in the True Street Bracket. Six rounds later, Rodney Ward wrapped up the win with a 15.12 on a 15.10 dial, while Keith Saymore was the runner-up with a break out time of 10.65 on a 10.69.

To begin the newly named Bob Curran Memorial Super Bowl Shootouts featuring NMCA and NMRA drivers who won in their categories, Bob Curran's son, Jeremy Curran, slowly drove his late father's Xtreme Street Corvette down track, as his mother, Sue Curran, and fellow racers watched. Then, drivers faced off as flocks of fans rooted for their favorite series. After the last pair of cars had trampled the track, Team NMRA earned the title for the 10th time.

Next up on this year’s NMCA tour is the highly anticipated 18th Annual NMCA All-American Nationals, August 22–25 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.

SEMA News—August 2019

INTERNET

By Joe Dysart

Getting Cloud Security Right

A Game Plan Offers a Solution

Companies need to provide their own security guarantees. You’ll need to be sure that ID and passwords on your local network are hacker-deterred.

Businesses looking to move to the cloud can ensure that their security is world class with a game plan developed by one of the leading nonprofits in the space: the Cloud Security Alliance (www.tinyurl.com/cloudsecurityalliance-org).

The Alliance’s free, 53-page e-book—a collaboration from some of the best minds in cloud security—offers an extremely detailed, extremely thorough look at every aspect of security to consider before you make the jump to cloud computing. If you’re looking for a guidebook completely devoid of fluff and packed with insights on how to ensure you nail your cloud security concerns cold, this is the e-book for you.

“We developed the guidelines with cloud customers in mind, especially for small and medium enterprises that lack professional security teams to design, deploy and operate secure cloud services in various cloud environments,” said Dr. Chen Kai, cybersecurity specialist at Huawei Technologies and a lead author on the e-book. “These guidelines will help cloud customers make informed decisions on selecting cloud service providers that best complement their organizations’ specific needs.”

Added Jim McDonough, vice president of inside sales at ThreatStack (www.threatstack.com), an IT security firm that provides third-party security services for cloud computing: “Security is a top concern in the cloud—and everywhere else these days—so it’s critical to ask detailed and explicit questions that relate to your unique use cases, industry, regulatory requirements and any other concerns you may have. Consider what security features are offered free out of the box for each vendor you’re evaluating, which additional paid services are available from the providers themselves, and where you may need to supplement with third-party partners’ technology.”

Most companies today are only 20% along their cloud journey,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM’s CEO. “The next 80% is about unlocking real business value and driving growth.”

Of course, moving to the cloud does involve some trade-offs. More than a few businesses are uneasy with the idea of entrusting their data to a cloud service provider, no matter how noble the provider’s reps may seem during face-to-face meetings. There can also be a latency problem, where software that performs wonderfully on your desktop computer may run more slowly—or sometimes much more slowly—when accessed via the cloud.

Agreeing to use software provided by a cloud service provider can also mean relinquishing your right to decide when you’d like to upgrade to the newest version of a software package. For example, sometimes when a cloud service provider decides its time to change to the latest version of Microsoft Word, you’re also going to have to change—whether you like it or not.

But even with those caveats, it’s been very tough for legions of businesses to resist the siren call of cloud computing, given its ability to enable companies to significantly reduce computing costs, offload computer hardware purchasing headaches to a cloud provider, and turn over much of the maintenance and service problems associated with computing to a cloud service provider.

In fact, 96% of IT pros surveyed in January 2018 said that they were using the cloud in some way, according to Right Scale’s “2018 State of the Cloud Survey” (www.tinyurl.com/info-flexerasoftware-com-SLO). And 26% of the 997 IT pros surveyed for the study said that their companies were spending more than $6 million annually on public cloud services (clouds that are shared by more than one company). Another 52% in that same group said that their companies were spending more than $1.2 million annually on public cloud services.

“Most companies today are only 20% along their cloud journey,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM’s CEO. “The next 80% is about unlocking real business value and driving growth.”

That certainly sounds promising, but you need to be sure you’ve got your back covered from a security standpoint to ensure that value and growth truly materialize. One of the key insights of the Cloud Security Alliance’s e-book is that security is actually a shared responsibility when a company moves to the cloud, with the cloud provider on the hook for some vulnerabilities and the company responsible for others, according to the Alliance’s Kai.

For example, any cloud service provider worth its salt will ensure—in writing—that it will provide physical security for all the computer equipment it’s using, provide backup and recovery for your data, and have a clear disaster-management plan in place should your cloud services go sideways for any reason, according to Kai.

But companies also need to provide their own security guarantees. You’ll need to be sure that ID and passwords on your local network are hacker-deterred, for example. And you’ll need to ensure that the software and applications you’re using to access the cloud from your premises are also secure, according to the Cloud Security Alliance.

Meanwhile, businesses with deep pockets may want to take an even deeper dive into cloud security with the Cloud Security Alliance/One Trust VRM Tool (www.tinyurl.com/cloudsecurityalliance-arti). A software-driven solution, the tool offers businesses the ability to access reviews on how more than 4,000 cloud service providers stack up when it comes to security and privacy.

Essentially, the solution automates the entire management of cloud service providers for companies, including onboarding and offboarding cloud service providers, triaging providers and maintaining records needed for accountability and compliance. With the tool, companies can:

• Choose from prepopulated Cloud Security Alliance assessment templates.
• Modify existing templates or create custom questionnaires.
• Distribute assessments internally and to external vendors.
• Populate vendor information from the tool’s database.
• Identify, track and mitigate vendor risks through workflows.

“We want to give privacy and security professionals the power to automate and simplify what can be an overwhelming task of managing and monitoring vendor risk,”said Kabir Barday, CEO of OneTrust, which is a privacy software company.

The only hitch: You need to be a member of the Cloud Security Alliance to get free access to the tool. For a standard membership, that runs a cool $10,000.

Besides the above offerings, the Cloud Security Alliance also enables a cloud service provider to be certified as employing security best practices after undergoing a thorough evaluation by the Alliance. Like a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, security certification from the Cloud Security Alliance lets a company know that a cloud service provider has the very latest technology in cloud security—and knows how to use it.

For those across the pond, a similar certification service is offered by the British Standards Institution (www.bsigroup.com/en-us).

Joe Dysart is an internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan. Contact Dysart at 646-233-4089, joe@joedysart.com and www.joedysart.com.

SEMA News—August 2019

PEOPLE

SEMA Announces Board Election Results

By Mike Imlay

The SEMA Board of Directors is composed of industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by all SEMA-member companies and represent the trade association’s key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ representatives, and services. There were five open seats on the Board for the 2018 election cycle, including the chairman-elect position. Online voting opened May 14 and concluded May 28 with the following results:

Chairman-Elect Category

James Lawrence
CEO, Power Automedia

James Lawrence of Power Automedia has been elected chairman-elect and will help the SEMA Board of Directors lead the association over the next few years. Lawrence fills the position held for the past two years by Tim Martin of Aftermarket Advisors. Martin will begin his term as chairman in July. Melanie White of Hellwig Products and Kathryn Reinhardt of Pilot Automotive were also voted onto the SEMA Board of Directors, while Chris Douglas of Comp Performance Group and Les Rudd of Bob Cook Sales were re-elected to serve another term.

The entire 2019–2020 SEMA Board of Directors will be honored at the SEMA Installation & Gala in July. At the same time, outgoing SEMA Immediate Past Chair Doug Evans of Crower Cams & Equipment Co. Inc. and Board member Kyle Fickler of Aeromotive Inc. will be recognized as they conclude
their terms.

The following pages include biographical information and statements from the newly elected Board members regarding their views on issues facing the industry as well as the personal priorities they hope to bring to their work.

I am grateful and humbled to have been elected chairman-elect of SEMA thanks to the efforts of so many of you that care so deeply about our industry. I am proud to stand along side each and every one of you as we grow and we protect our future.

The real work has just begun. I appreciate deeply the kind words. At the same time, I hope that in four years we will look back, and together with the SEMA Board of Directors, we can truly appreciate THEN what we will have accomplished with SEMA and PRI.

My commitment to SEMA and PRI, SEMA members and our industry is to lead with passion and kindness. Change isn’t easy, and there are many big projects ahead of us. Only working together for a common goal will we achieve greatness. There are tough decisions that will need to be made, and every project can’t be a priority.

While it’s not a part of SEMA’s official mission statement, SEMA is in many ways the protector, leader and driver of innovation for the entire automotive aftermarket. YES, SEMA exists to support the membership. YES, SEMA exists to produce world-class trade shows. But there is something bigger than that—a stewardship of this automotive life which so many of us love so dearly. When my wife and I look at our kids and their budding love of cars, we want SEMA to be there for them to make sure that they’ll get to enjoy the same opportunities so many of us had.

I am looking forward to working together with the SEMA Board of Directors, SEMA leadership team, SEMA staff, SEMA members and automotive enthusiasts everywhere to collaborate on this mission. We will need you. This isn’t something that can be done alone.

I want to thank Russell Stephens—my fellow candidate for chair-elect—who has given so much to this industry. It has been a pleasure to go through this process with you, and I thank you for your service. Thank you to Wade Kawasaki and Tim Martin—whom I served under the last two years on the SEMA Board—who encouraged me in my volunteerism, provided me opportunities and projects, and urged me to make
a difference.

Finally, thanks to my family who endured the many late nights I spent time on this campaign and dream, but always had my back understanding that this is what I was destined to do with my life and the sacrifices weren’t always mine to make. This also includes my work family at Power Automedia who has helped me through my SEMA volunteer efforts, and has encouraged and supported me through this entire process.

Let’s make a difference.

Manufacturers Category

Chris Douglas
COO, COMP Performance Group

It’s been my honor to serve SEMA over the last three years on the Board of Directors. During my first term, I fought for the industry while pushing for greater transparency and responsiveness from the association. However, the job isn’t finished, and the years ahead will bring additional political, economic and industry evolution challenges.

As SEMA navigates these uncertain times, I seek to continue serving the membership by bringing 25 years of diverse aftermarket experience, proven leadership and accountability. My priorities include:

Legislative Affairs: I will ensure that SEMA takes a strong leadership role by proactively working with federal/state governments to eliminate and/or negate misguided regulations. We must recognize threats sooner and work to mitigate them before they threaten our membership.

Industry Growth: We must define/engage the next generation of customers and employees. As a marketer and father of two young children, I can help SEMA better understand the minds that will power the industry forward. We must also work smarter to expand engagement with the industry, domestically and abroad.

Member Value: From the SEMA Show to market research to international business programs, I will advocate for using our collective strength to create impactful resources and provide a voice for all members, particularly the small independent businesses.

I grew up in this industry, and it has shaped who I am today. From a successful career as a professional racer to earning a B.A. in marketing, the business of motorsports has been my lifelong focus. My current position as Comp Performance Group COO involves leading hundreds of team members as well as financial guidance and responsibility for many iconic brands in the aftermarket.

My accomplishments include:

• COO for Comp Performance Group, ’17–current
• Partner/COO at Xceleration Media, ’15–’18
• Vice President of Marketing for Comp Cams, ’03–’17
• Operations Director at Race-On Performance Driving School, ’00–’02
• Professional Race Car Driver (Karts, ASA, ARCA and NASCAR), ’85–’03

I’ve also served in elected leadership positions on the SEMA Board, the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council and the Young Executives Network.

Kathryn Reinhardt
Vice President of Marketing, Pilot Automotive

I ran for the SEMA Board of Directors first and foremost as an automotive enthusiast. I was born in Detroit, raised in Georgia, and have spent the last 17 years helping move aftermarket companies forward by creating successful marketing programs.

I want to be a fierce voice for every small business by providing resources for all our companies to prosper, working to stop regulatory overreach and growing our industry for the next generation of consumers. I will work hard to increase awareness and the benefits of existing SEMA programs and provide creative new opportunities to help serve your business needs.

Experience:

• Manufacturing: Having worked for a series of aftermarket manufacturers, I can relate to new product development, tariffs and regulations.
• Distribution: The speed and accuracy of distribution is deeply affected by ever-changing consumer buying habits.
• Marketing: I have my finger on the pulse of how to effectively market to consumers and create cross-marketing opportunities with fringe industries.
• Legislation/Regulation: I have firsthand experience lobbying elected officials on regulations and working with task forces to reduce government overreach.

Leadership:

• Vice President of Pilot Automotive
• Director of Marketing for MagnaFlow
• LTAA Chairwoman, 2017–2019
• SEMA Cares Committee (Pinewood Drags)
• Auto Care Scholarship Committee

Achievements:

• SEMA Person of the Year, 2015
• YEN Vanguard Award, 2015
• SBN Woman of the Year, 2014
• LTAA Chairman’s Award, 2015
• SEMA News 35 Under 35, 2013

I am prepared to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors and be your champion for change. Let’s take our $43 billion industry and work together to make it $53 billion! I will bring the vision and the drive to achieve goals and create transparency so that every member knows what SEMA is doing to support business growth.

Melanie White
President, Hellwig Products

I ran for the SEMA Board of Directors to protect the little guy, to focus on the small businesses that built this industry, and because SEMA members deserve a Board that understands what they are going through and that will fight for their needs.

Protecting Our Legacy: I am the fourth generation of my family to run Hellwig Products, which was founded by my great-grandfather in 1946. We have exhibited at the SEMA Show since its inception. My family has been committed to this industry for more than 70 years, and I am committed to ensuring that we have a bright future for years to come.

Experience: I worked my way up from sales to the shop floor to being the first female president of my company. I live in steel-toe boots and have worked the line. After running a family manufacturing company and working daily with small shops and major OEMs, I know the challenges our members face every day.

A Seat at the Table: Outside interests are reshaping SEMA and the way it represents our needs. Small businesses and real manufacturers who still make products in America need a voice on the SEMA Board. I will be the voice of small and family businesses.

Taking the Long View: Our industry tends to “ride the wave” up and down; we have been too reactive to Washington, the OEMs and changing consumer tastes. Are we prepared? Are our members? I want to make sure that both the association and our members have the tools they need to survive.

SEMA Leadership: I was the 2018 SEMA Person of the Year, and have served as chair of the Light Truck Accessory Alliance and SEMA Cares. I participated in SEMA Board meetings as a Council Board Liaison, served on six councils and networks, was a key stakeholder in the program with SEMA and Clemson University that studied stability control and suspension modifications, and I fought for the RPM Act on Capitol Hill.

Having been elected, I will fight for small businesses on the SEMA Board.

Manufacturers’ Representative Category

Les Rudd
President/CEO, Bob Cook Sales

I am honored to have this opportunity to continue my service as an incumbent on the SEMA Board of Directors. With your support we will—together—make a better SEMA!

With an impartial mindset, I will strive to support all SEMA members with vision, integrity, loyalty and honesty as we face the key issues that lie before us today. There are threats against us that many cannot see and are not aware of. In turn, I will maintain a key mindset on these issues and seek opportunities that will lead us toward a more prominent and secure future. Here is my background:

Professional Employment:

• Bob Cook Sales, ’91–present
• Representative, ’91–’03
• Partner/Principal, ’04–’13
• President, ’14–current
• National Sales Manager for TCI Automotive, ’85–’91
• Manager at Bloomfield Auto Parts and Speed, ’83–’85

Outstanding Career Achievements and SEMA Involvement:

• SEMA Board of Directors, ’16–current
• SEMA Manufacturers Rep Network Chair, ’02–’04 and ’14–’16
• SEMA Political Action Committee Presidents Club
• More Than 22 Years of SEMA Council and Network Involvement
• Certified Professional Manufacturers Rep
• Previous CAN (PWA) Board of Directors Liaison
• Member of Bob Cook Sales for Seven SEMA Rep of the Year Awards
• Numerous Rep of the Year Awards From Manufacturer Clients and Customers
• Goodguys Pros Pick, ’07 and ’08
• Super Chevy Editor’s Choice, ’08; Outstanding ’55 Award, ’08
• Numerous Committees, Task Force Memberships and Industry Recognitions

Although our industry, by choice, is a large part of my everyday life, I do spend time on other interests as well. I am an avid outdoorsman. I am a regular volunteer at my church. My wife and I have been blessed with the task of raising our two granddaughters; her patience and support allows for me to seek my dreams. Your confidence in me is an honor and is greatly appreciated.