News | Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Award Winners Announced

Sun, 10/01/2017 - 10:51

SEMA Events

By SEMA News Editors

2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Award Winners Announced

The 2016 SEMA Memorial Scholarship winners at the SEMA Show with SEMA Immediate Past Chair Doug Evans (top row, far left), SEMA Chairman Wade Kawasaki (top row, second right) and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting (top row, right).

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $160,000 to 60 individuals this year, including 53 SEMA scholarships to current students and seven loan forgiveness awards to employees of SEMA-member companies.

“This year’s pool of scholarship winners represents the diversity of interests and disciplines that the automotive industry attracts,” said SEMA Board of Directors Chairman Wade Kawasaki. “SEMA is committed to offering support to the next generation of young men and women who will drive this industry for years to come.”

More than $2.2 million has been awarded to more than 1,300 deserving students since the program’s establishment in 1984. The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund and the SEMA Loan Forgiveness Program are dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators by helping them get off to a successful start in their education and automotive aftermarket careers.

Online applications for next year’s awards will be accepted from November 1, 2017, through March 1, 2018, at www.sema.org/scholarships.

For questions or additional information, contact SEMA Education Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or email julietm@sema.org.

2017 SEMA Loan Forgiveness Award Winners
Recipient	Employer	Institution Name	Major	Award Fund Supporter
Eric Burnett	Holley Performance Products	Western Kentucky University	Marketing	Custom Automotive Network (formerly PWA)
Collin Gentry	Meyer Distributing	University of Southern Indiana	Education
Grant Lago	MagnaFlow Exhaust Products	Arizona State University	Business	Custom Automotive Network (formerly PWA)
Robert Martin	Motor State Distributing	University of Northwestern Ohio	Business Administration
Angel Scharklet	Holley Performance Products	University of the Cumberlands	Business Administration
David Schenker	Greenspeed Research	Boise State University	Mechanical Engineering
Andrew Smallman	General Motors	Kettering University	Mechanical Engineering
2017 SEMA Scholarship Award Winners
Recipient	Institution Name		Major	Award Fund Supporter
Jennifer Allen	University of Northwestern Ohio		Diesel Mechanic	Leo Kagan
Albert A.	Teachers College–Columbia University		Applied Mathematics
Thomas Arlotta	Marquette University		Mechanical Engineering	Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council
Eduard Bertalan	Spokane Community College		Automotive Technology	Thurston Warn
Sheldon Caldwell	Cypress College		Automotive Technology
Samuel Carter	Ferris State University		Automotive Engineering
Arthur Cartwright	Clemson University		Automotive Engineering
Samuel Choi	Georgia Institute of Technology		Computer Engineering	Bernie Karp
Savannah Class	Community College of Baltimore County—Catonsville		Automotive Technology
Houston Comer	Georgia Institute of Technology		Mechanical Engineering
Sophia Dancel	Kettering University		Mechanical Engineering	Trudy Thompson
Justin Davis	Indiana University—Purdue University—Indianapolis		Automotive Engineering	Joe Hrudka
Nathan Day	Baker College of Owosso		Automotive Technology	Melvin Burton
Luis de Casenave	University of Puerto Rico—Mayaguez		Mechanical Engineering
Jacob Denny	Northcentral Technical College		Mechanical Engineering	Top Student
Austin Dowler	McPherson College		Automotive Restoration
Allison Elder	Massachusetts Institute of Technology		Business Management	Nat Danas
Dalton Ellis	Aims Community College		Automotive Technology
Almon Evans	University of Northwestern Ohio		Business Management	Manufacturers Representative Network
Benjamin Falconer	McPherson College		Automotive Restoration
Matt Fuka	University of North Dakota		Mechanical Engineering
Scott George	Utah Valley University		Auto Body—Collision Repair
Benjamin Hoertnagl-Pereira	John Hopkins University		Computer Engineering
Shannon Holsten	Linn State Technical College		Auto Body Collision Repair
Daniel Hott	Tennessee Technological University		Mechanical Engineering	Emerging Trends & Technology Network
Adam Lecznar	Kettering University		Industrial Engineering & Design
Adeline Longstreth	Georgia Institute of Technology		Mechanical Engineering	Truck and Off-Road Alliance
Gilberto Lopez	California State University—Los Angeles		Engineering Mechanics	K&N Engineering
Stacy Mann	Kettering University		Mechanical Engineering	SEMA Businesswomen’s Network
Heather McCallay	Red Rocks Community College		Engineering
Summer Miller	University of North Texas		Business Management	Hot Rod Industry Alliance—John Menzler
Dudley Moore	The University of Alabama		Mechanical Engineering
Peter Nelson	Spokane Community College		Automotive Technology
Hunter Pauloski	Minnesota State University-Mankato		Automotive Engineering
Masey Peone	Washington State University		Communications
Jeremy Peterson	University of Wisconsin—Platteville		Mechanical Engineering
Brighid Rancour	Cleveland State University		Electrical Engineering	Harlan Felder
Stephen Redlack	Clemson University		Automotive Engineering
Asa Reini	Clemson University		Mechanical Engineering
Chad Robbins	Saginaw Valley State University		Mechanical Engineering
David Robles	Cypress College		Automotive Technician
Joseph Rutledge Jr.	Wilkes University		Mechanical Engineering	Custom Automotive Network (formerly PWA)
Kaylyn Sneathen	University of Missouri—Columbia		Information Technology	Young Executives Network
Spencer Steele	Bradley University		Accountancy	Dan Borré
Nicole Stout	Indiana University—Purdue University—Indianapolis		Automotive Engineering	Wheel & Tire Council
Abraham Tazi	Hillsborough Community College		Engineering
Taylor Toftemark	Lower Columbia College		General Studies	Michael A. Kunzman
Lorenzo Vilches Jr.	Cuyamaca College		Automotive Technology	Wally Parks
Brian Walker	University of Central Missouri		Mechanical Engineering	Steve Woomer
Keaton Weingartz	Kettering University		Mechanical Engineering
William White-Griggs	University of Northwestern Ohio		Automotive Technology	Automotive Restoration Market Organization—Jeff Moses
Chase Wilderman	Indiana University—Purdue University—Indianapolis		Mechanical Engineering	Joseph B. Amato Sr.
George Williamson	De Anza College		Automation Technology	Jim A. Borré

Is Your Data Missing Pieces? Let Us Help You Complete the Puzzle

Sun, 10/01/2017 - 10:19

Successful manufacturers work hard to ensure that they deliver complete products along with the supporting materials needed for a successful assembly or installation. Business owners want happy customers, positive word of mouth and minimal returns. Missing parts can certainly be harmful to business; incomplete product data can be devastating.

Earlier this year, the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) launched a marketing campaign that asks the question, “You don’t distribute incomplete products; why would you distribute incomplete product data?” The campaign presents a series of incomplete jigsaw puzzles with a variety of common aftermarket parts as the subject matter. The graphic is eye-catching; the message is serious.

Incomplete product data is an all-too-common issue, causing frustration for consumers, grief for resellers, and lost sales for manufacturers. Online shoppers crave complete quality product data to make the best possible buying decisions. Missing images, poor descriptions and inaccurate fitment data will drive customers to competitors.

Product content-management firm Salsify conducted a study last year of more than 1,000 U.S. shoppers to better understand the importance of quality product descriptions to sales conversions. Product descriptions ranked first in importance in buying decisions, followed by reviews and price. Price was less important than descriptions and reviews. That should tell us something about the importance of quality product data.

Shotfarm, another product-management firm, surveyed more than 1,500 consumers and came to similar conclusions regarding the impact of product content on sales. Shotfarm found a clear connection between brand trust and quality content. Poor product content was responsible for 40% of online shoppers returning an item and 30% abandoning their shopping carts. The eye-opener in this study was that 87% of surveyed consumers said they would be unlikely to make a repeat purchase with a retailer who provided inaccurate product data.

The most common gaps we see are in product descriptions and digital assets. In the case of both product descriptions and digital assets, we advocate a “more is better” approach. Consumers crave complete, quality content.

Industry standards provide around 15 different description fields, each with its own use for product data. Two simple examples are the Short Product Description and the Invoice Product Description.

The short description is limited to 20 characters and describes the product at a simple level. An example of a good short description is “Alternator.” Simple.

An invoice description is used to describe a product for use in a receipt/invoice. This description will also usually show up in a resellers point-of-sale system as a reference for operators to qualify products. An example of a good invoice description is “AC Delco Alternator 90 Amp.”

As with descriptions, there are several varieties of digital asset types available for use. Some examples, each with its own place in the standards, are Logo, Installation Instructions, Out-of-Package Photo, In-Package Photo, Mounted Photo, Lifestyle Photo, and Brochure. Increasing the quantity and quality of digital assets improves product presentation, strengthens brand trust and simplifies the buying decision for consumers.

SDC recommends that manufacturers provide as much as possible in the way of descriptions, images and video content. If your data is incomplete or inaccurate, let us help. Our analysts are experts at finding the missing pieces and helping you complete your data puzzle. We stand ready to assist.

To learn more about how you can take control and manage your product data at the lowest possible cost, contact SEMA Data Co-op Membership Manager Allen Horwitz via email at allenh@semadatacoop.org or by phone at 888-958-6698 x9.