By SEMA Editors

Omix-ADA’s ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, built in conjunction with Petty’s Garage, will be auctioned for charity without reserve at Mecum Auctions, April 8, 2017, in Houston. All proceeds will be donated to Victory Junction Camp.

Omix-ADA’s ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, which was presented at the 2016 SEMA Show and built in conjunction with Richard Petty’s custom shop, is slated to be auctioned for charity without reserve at Mecum Auctions, April 8, 2017, in Houston. All proceeds will be donated to Victory Junction Camp—a charity organization founded by the Petty family to help care for children with special needs.

Representing the first-time collaboration between Omix-ADA and Petty’s Garage, this Hydro Blue Jeep Wrangler JK represents the fourth time that Omix-ADA has partnered with SEMA Cares to help make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Starting out as a stock ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, stock-car racing legend Richard Petty and his crew completed a total transformation of the Wrangler into a serious off-road contender, adding a full complement of Omix-ADA and Rugged Ridge interior and exterior accessories, including bumpers, light bars, wheels, a grille, tube doors and a winch.

All proceeds from the sale of the SEMA Cares Jeep Wrangler will be donated to the Victory Junction Camp in Randleman, North Carolina. For more auction details, visit Mecum Auctions’ website.

For more information about this build, read the article in the March 2017 issue of SEMA News.

Visit SEMA Cares’ website for more information about its ongoing work with local communities.

By SEMA Editors

Omix-ADA’s ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, built in conjunction with Petty’s Garage, will be auctioned for charity without reserve at Mecum Auctions, April 8, 2017, in Houston. All proceeds will be donated to Victory Junction Camp.

Omix-ADA’s ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, which was presented at the 2016 SEMA Show and built in conjunction with Richard Petty’s custom shop, is slated to be auctioned for charity without reserve at Mecum Auctions, April 8, 2017, in Houston. All proceeds will be donated to Victory Junction Camp—a charity organization founded by the Petty family to help care for children with special needs.

Representing the first-time collaboration between Omix-ADA and Petty’s Garage, this Hydro Blue Jeep Wrangler JK represents the fourth time that Omix-ADA has partnered with SEMA Cares to help make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Starting out as a stock ’16 Jeep Wrangler JK, stock-car racing legend Richard Petty and his crew completed a total transformation of the Wrangler into a serious off-road contender, adding a full complement of Omix-ADA and Rugged Ridge interior and exterior accessories, including bumpers, light bars, wheels, a grille, tube doors and a winch.

All proceeds from the sale of the SEMA Cares Jeep Wrangler will be donated to the Victory Junction Camp in Randleman, North Carolina. For more auction details, visit Mecum Auctions’ website.

For more information about this build, read the article in the March 2017 issue of SEMA News.

Visit SEMA Cares’ website for more information about its ongoing work with local communities.

By Amelia Zwecher

The SEMA Career Center will provide monthly job fair listings via SEMA eNews.

In addition to the recruitment tips found in SEMA eNews periodically, look out for monthly listings of five job fairs and online virtual career fairs focused specifically on the automotive aftermarket industry. The SEMA Career Center’s goal is to continue to enhance recruitment efforts so that hiring managers can find top talent. Effective recruiting requires diverse efforts, so let the SEMA Career Center be your resource to lessen the burden of researching new ideas and initiatives.

Notable Upcoming Events:

Wake Tech Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: April 9, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual (Raleigh, North Carolina)

External Fair: Women Engineers Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: April 12, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual (Columbia, South Carolina)

2017 MORE Career Expo

Event Date: April 13, 2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. (PDT)
City, State: Orange, California

Rio Hondo College: Job & Internship Fair

Event Date: April 19, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (PDT)
City, State: Whittier, California

Veterans Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: May 9, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual

Not hiring right now? Remember, these events offer a great opportunity for bringing awareness to your company and to the automotive aftermarket industry.

Career fair registrants will receive step-by-step guidance from SEMA Manager of Career Services Amelia Zwecher, PhD, PHR. Complete this form to receive specific event information relevant to your company’s needs.

By Amelia Zwecher

The SEMA Career Center will provide monthly job fair listings via SEMA eNews.

In addition to the recruitment tips found in SEMA eNews periodically, look out for monthly listings of five job fairs and online virtual career fairs focused specifically on the automotive aftermarket industry. The SEMA Career Center’s goal is to continue to enhance recruitment efforts so that hiring managers can find top talent. Effective recruiting requires diverse efforts, so let the SEMA Career Center be your resource to lessen the burden of researching new ideas and initiatives.

Notable Upcoming Events:

Wake Tech Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: April 9, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual (Raleigh, North Carolina)

External Fair: Women Engineers Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: April 12, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual (Columbia, South Carolina)

2017 MORE Career Expo

Event Date: April 13, 2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. (PDT)
City, State: Orange, California

Rio Hondo College: Job & Internship Fair

Event Date: April 19, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (PDT)
City, State: Whittier, California

Veterans Virtual Career Fair

Event Date: May 9, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (EDT)
City, State: Online/Virtual

Not hiring right now? Remember, these events offer a great opportunity for bringing awareness to your company and to the automotive aftermarket industry.

Career fair registrants will receive step-by-step guidance from SEMA Manager of Career Services Amelia Zwecher, PhD, PHR. Complete this form to receive specific event information relevant to your company’s needs.

By Amelia Zwecher

Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness.

In the March 2 SEMA eNews article, “Tips for Attracting Top Talent: Step 1—The Job Description,” hiring managers were urged to develop strong job descriptions that truly depicted their positions and their companies. Once a job description is ready for posting, the next phase is recruitment. In addition to the many effective online and print job boards locally and globally that may be used for recruitment, there are additional techniques to help attract top talent to your organization.

Recruitment for top talent can be a very competitive, costly and time-consuming process. Grooming new talent may also be a wise approach to building a strong team and pipeline. College recruitment events are one approach to engaging this target market. Another less common approach is through company-sponsored scholarships.

Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness. Interacting with high-school seniors, college freshman and college sophomores are also essential techniques for influencing student academic majors and career outlook.

Reasons why offering a scholarship to students is an effective tool include the following:

• The cost of obtaining a college degree continues to increase; students are most appreciative of any assistance and recognition.
• Millennials are motivated by social rewards (i.e. public praise and mentorship) and money.
• It is a great public-relations opportunity for your company by building awareness and promoting community development.

Contact Amelia F. Zwecher, PhD, PHR, SEMA manager of career services, at ameliaz@sema.org for more information on developing successful scholarship opportunities for students.

By Amelia Zwecher

Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness.

In the March 2 SEMA eNews article, “Tips for Attracting Top Talent: Step 1—The Job Description,” hiring managers were urged to develop strong job descriptions that truly depicted their positions and their companies. Once a job description is ready for posting, the next phase is recruitment. In addition to the many effective online and print job boards locally and globally that may be used for recruitment, there are additional techniques to help attract top talent to your organization.

Recruitment for top talent can be a very competitive, costly and time-consuming process. Grooming new talent may also be a wise approach to building a strong team and pipeline. College recruitment events are one approach to engaging this target market. Another less common approach is through company-sponsored scholarships.

Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness. Interacting with high-school seniors, college freshman and college sophomores are also essential techniques for influencing student academic majors and career outlook.

Reasons why offering a scholarship to students is an effective tool include the following:

• The cost of obtaining a college degree continues to increase; students are most appreciative of any assistance and recognition.
• Millennials are motivated by social rewards (i.e. public praise and mentorship) and money.
• It is a great public-relations opportunity for your company by building awareness and promoting community development.

Contact Amelia F. Zwecher, PhD, PHR, SEMA manager of career services, at ameliaz@sema.org for more information on developing successful scholarship opportunities for students.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

Perry Lease

Perry Lease Named Vice President of Sales for Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels has named Perry Lease vice president of sales. Lease, who previously served as director of national retail sales, North America Tire Operations for Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., will be responsible for driving profitable sales and growing global market share for Mickey Thompson across all segments, including street, strip, racing, off-road and others. Lease reports to Mickey Thompson President Dominick Wycoff. Lease joined Cooper in 1996 as a management trainee and has held a number of positions with the company, including in roles in operations, finance and sales.

Tire Dealers Association of Canada Joins Automotive Social Portal

The Automotive Marketing Foundation (AMF) has announced that the Tire Dealers Association of Canada (TDAC) has joined its United States counterpart, the Tire Industry Association (TIA), as the latest association to join the Automotive Social Portal (ASP). The ASP, powered by Rallio, provides a cloud-based infrastructure that allows associations, manufacturers and other content providers to create and distribute consumer educational content, national, provincial, state and regional governmental issues through the dealer network to consumers. The ASP is free to all associations and independent dealers in North America. The ASP has multiple levels of participation that populate dealer social network sites, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, with pertinent content all from a single dashboard. Tire Dealers can request to join the portal by completing the online sign-up form.

Steven Levine

ITW Automotive Aftermarket Names Steven Levine as Vice President and General Manager of ITW Evercoat

ITW Evercoat has announced Steven Levine as the new vice president and general manager. In his role, Levine will have global responsibilities that include the Evercoat and Auto Magic businesses. Most recently, he was a vice president at The Chamberlain Group. He also held senior leadership roles at Newell Rubbermaid and The Stanley Works.

SuperTurbo Technologies, formerly VanDyne SuperTurbo, Announces New Board of Directors

VanDyne SuperTurbo Inc. has announced its corporate name change to SuperTurbo Technologies Inc. The company has also named Dan Hancock, Frans Westenbrink and Andy Savarie to the board of directors. Hancock is president of DMH Consulting LLC. He retired from General Motors after 43 years in powertrain engineering and general management. His most recent positions included vice president of global strategic product alliances, vice president of global powertrain engineering, CEO of Fiat-GM Powertrain and president of Allison Transmission. He was President of SAE International in 2014 and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Westenbrink is vice president and general manager for the Aftermarket, Power, Steam and Compressor (APSCS) business unit at Woodward Inc. He began his career with Woodward in Europe, where he was responsible for the European sales and engineering operations before moving to the United States in 1999. Before taking on his current role, he was responsible for the development of Woodward’s GT fuel-injection business with GE and Siemens.

Savarie has more than 25 years of investment banking and entrepreneurial business experience. He has led the automotive investment banking practices at Morgan Stanley, Banc of America Securities and Bear Stearns, where he advised clients on more than 100 M&A and financing transactions. He also spent four years as a co-founder and head of corporate development and strategy for Carbon Motors Corp., an early-stage automotive company.

The first graduating cohort of Caliber Collision’s Changing Lanes program with Monique Martin (center), recipient of the Recycled Rides vehicle the soldiers repaired.

Transitioning Soldiers in Caliber Collision’s Changing Lanes Program Graduate With New Collision Repair Career

Nine soldiers at Ft. Bragg will complete their military services and return to civilian life fully armed with a $2,500 toolbox, employment offer and a new career in the fast-growing collision industry. Developed in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) and Ft. Bragg’s Career Skills program, the Caliber Collision “Changing Lanes” program provides active-duty service members with training and employment opportunities in the collision-repair industry prior to transitioning out of the U.S. Armed Forces. Graduation ceremonies were held for the first cohort class of Changing Lanes on March 17 at FTCC. All nine members of this first graduating class have accepted employment offers at Caliber Collision locations in North Carolina, California and Florida. The 18-week hands-on-training course is offered free to transitioning soldiers. Participants earn industry accreditation I-CAR points through a combination of instruction at FTCC’s automotive collision-repair facility, along with an internship at one of the Caliber Collision’s Fayetteville production centers.

A highlight of the graduation ceremonies was the presentation of a ’10 Chevrolet Cobolt, donated by State Farm, which Changing Lanes participants repaired and refurbished for a military veteran. The vehicle donation is part of the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides program, in which collision repairers, insurance agents and partners team up to donate and repair vehicles to individuals in need of reliable transportation. The Caliber Recycled Rides recipient was Monique Martin, an honorably discharged Air Force reservist.

Fayetteville Technical Community College has donated a 2,100-sq.-ft. building for the program’s exclusive use as a training facility. Caliber is also building a 10,000 sq.- ft. permanent Changing Lanes training center. A second cohort is underway in Fayetteville with an early May graduation. Caliber’s Changing Lanes will also launch at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas, with the first cohort training beginning in mid-April.

Tenneco’s Walker Spring Rewards Gives Prepaid Cards to Service Professionals for Installation of Premium Emissions Control Products

This spring, Tenneco is offering automotive service professionals an opportunity to earn a $15 Visa Prepaid card mail-in rebate for each installation of qualifying Walker brand emissions-control products during the Walker Spring Rewards promotion, running from March 1–April 30. Service professionals can earn up to $500 through the promotion, delivered via Visa Prepaid cards after the promotion period. Products that qualify under the promotion include Walker direct-fit catalytic converters, Walker CalCat direct-fit catalytic converters and Walker Quiet-Flow SS mufflers or welded assemblies. Completed scorecards and copies of sales invoices must be postmarked by May 31, 2017.

Design Engineering Inc. Parts Now Searchable on CatalogRack.com

Design Engineering Inc. (DEI) has joined DCi—a leading source for connecting sellers and buyers with comprehensive electronic cataloging services. Effective immediately, all DEI-branded products, including DEI protective thermal and insulating products, Boom Mat acoustic and sound-deadening products, CryO2 cryogenic intake systems and accessories, and the company’s full line of performance coolant additives are featured on CatalogRack.com. CatalogRack works as a password-protected website that allows qualified automotive aftermarket resellers to search and source top automotive aftermarket brands.

Robert Struble

Robert Struble Named CEO of Directed

The Board of Directors of DEI Holdings Inc., parent Company to Directed, has announced the appointment of Robert J. Struble as CEO of Directed, effective immediately. Most recently the CEO and founder of iBiquity Digital, Struble’s appointment was the culmination of an extensive national search by DEI. Struble will sit on and report directly to the DEI Board and will be based at the company’s Vista, California, headquarters. He will lead a team of more than 200 associates in the United States and Canada. Prior to leading iBiquity, Struble managed several technology businesses at Westinghouse and was a strategy consultant at McKinsey and Company. 

Eibach is celebrating its 30th U.S. anniversary with factory tours on April 6.

Eibach Celebrates 30th U.S. Anniversary

To celebrate its 30th anniversary in the United States, Eibach will host an open house, Thursday, April 6, at its facility located at 264 Mariah Circle, Corona, CA 92879. Factory tours and refreshments will be available from 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. RSVP with expected time of attendance to jsilva@eibach.com.

Lear Corp. Selected by Wyoming Department of Transportation for Connected Vehicle Pilot Program

Lear Corp., a global supplier of automotive seating and electrical systems, has announced that it has been selected by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) as its exclusive partner to supply advanced vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure road-side units and on-board units. In addition to supplying all related safety applications to this pilot program, Lear’s E-Systems will supply its Locomate Roadstar product with features such as dedicated short-range communications, high-precision GPS, Wi-Fi, security and more.

ididit’s new logo.

ididit Launches New Logo, Branding and Website

ididit has launched both a fresh, modern logo and an all-new website, providing resources for dealers, installers and drivers. The new ididit tech center, one click away from any page, features nearly 50 useful tech tips covering both general and model-specific topics, a growing library of video tutorials and exclusive content, downloadable instructions for every ididit product, custom column diagrams and FAQs. Additionally, the new site features dedicated product pages for ididit’s catalog while providing a complete spec list, special notes plus recommended and applicable accessories for each product.

Turn 14 Distribution Adds Advanced Clutch Technology to Line Card

Turn 14 Distribution has added Advanced Clutch Technology’s (ACT) lineup of clutch and driveline products to its line card. The products manufactured by ACT are proven on the street by its customers, and at the track by a wide range of champions in many forms of racing competition.

Off-road racing professional Corry Weller is featured in Optima’s “The Power of Legends” video series.

Optima Batteries’ Virtual Reality Series Named a Cynopsis Sports Media Awards Finalist

OPTIMA Batteries is among the finalists at the 2017 Cynopsis Sports Media Awards in the Virtual Reality category for its 360-video series, “The Power of Legends.” The annual awards series celebrates the best of the best in the sports industry, specifically focusing on companies, professionals or organizations who inspired audiences and turned viewers into fans in the past year. Finalists in this category were judged on their ability to create a game or sports virtual reality video that allowed users to experience the sports world in an up-close and immersive way. The five “Power of Legends” videos debuted at the 2016 SEMA Show in the OPTIMA Batteries booth and featured five OPTIMA PowerPro Ambassadors:

• James Clay, founder/owner of BimmerWorld
• Edwin Evers, 2016 Bassmaster Classic champion
• Lucas Murphy, competitive rock crawler
• Mark Stielow, GM program engineer and Camaro expert
• Corry Weller, off-road racing pro

The winners will be announced at the final awards ceremony in New York City, April 13, 2017. For more information, visit www.cynopsis.com. To view the “Power of Legends” videos and also access more exclusive video content from The Ultimate Power Source, visit www.optimabatteries.com.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

SDC Suppliers can now automatically transfer their product information to Advance Auto Parts without having to prepare a separate load sheet.

The SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) has developed a new feature to deliver manufacturers’ data directly to Advance Auto Parts in their required Basic Item Set-up Sheet (BISS) and Product Information Load Sheet (PILS) formats. Now SDC Suppliers can automatically transfer their product information to Advance Auto Parts without having to prepare a separate load sheet.

“This is a great feature for suppliers selling to Advance Auto Parts,” said Stephanie Jones, SDC director of eBusiness. “Through the SDC, members will be able to deliver data in the required BISS and PILS formats simply by publishing the information in the SDC Product Information Management System (PIMS). Once published, the SDC system will automatically deliver the PILS file to Advance Auto Parts.”

Craig Schmutzler, SDC vice president of operations, noted, “The SDC is designed to work around the members’ individual needs, and we will continue to develop data delivery processes to simplify and enhance member benefits. I encourage all manufacturers to join the co-op and experience our expert customer support and state-of-the-art technology.”

The SEMA Data Co-op is an industry-owned and -operated project designed to bring full product data-management capabilities to participating suppliers at the lowest possible cost. Features include a secure, industry-standards-based centralized data repository, extensive on-boarding tools, expert live training and technical assistance, and unlimited standard or fully customized data exports. With more than 500 manufacturers included in the repository, the SDC is the largest openly accessible industry product data repository. 

To learn more about the program, visit www.semadatacoop.org or contact Allen Horwitz at AllenH@semadatacoop.org or call 888-958-6698, ext. 9.

By SEMA Editors

SDC Suppliers can now automatically transfer their product information to Advance Auto Parts without having to prepare a separate load sheet.

The SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) has developed a new feature to deliver manufacturers’ data directly to Advance Auto Parts in their required Basic Item Set-up Sheet (BISS) and Product Information Load Sheet (PILS) formats. Now SDC Suppliers can automatically transfer their product information to Advance Auto Parts without having to prepare a separate load sheet.

“This is a great feature for suppliers selling to Advance Auto Parts,” said Stephanie Jones, SDC director of eBusiness. “Through the SDC, members will be able to deliver data in the required BISS and PILS formats simply by publishing the information in the SDC Product Information Management System (PIMS). Once published, the SDC system will automatically deliver the PILS file to Advance Auto Parts.”

Craig Schmutzler, SDC vice president of operations, noted, “The SDC is designed to work around the members’ individual needs, and we will continue to develop data delivery processes to simplify and enhance member benefits. I encourage all manufacturers to join the co-op and experience our expert customer support and state-of-the-art technology.”

The SEMA Data Co-op is an industry-owned and -operated project designed to bring full product data-management capabilities to participating suppliers at the lowest possible cost. Features include a secure, industry-standards-based centralized data repository, extensive on-boarding tools, expert live training and technical assistance, and unlimited standard or fully customized data exports. With more than 500 manufacturers included in the repository, the SDC is the largest openly accessible industry product data repository. 

To learn more about the program, visit www.semadatacoop.org or contact Allen Horwitz at AllenH@semadatacoop.org or call 888-958-6698, ext. 9.

By Chad Simon

The 2017 SEMA Show will feature more than 2,400 exhibiting companies, including veteran manufacturers and first-timers, who will display their latest and most innovative new products.

Companies that submit booth space applications for the 2017 SEMA Show prior to Friday, March 31, are eligible to participate in the Priority Space Selection process. The space selection process, beginning May 1, provides exhibitors with the opportunity to secure the best location for their Show display.

On April 25, each company will be contacted via email with their booth selection date and time range. The email will be sent to the person listed as the exhibitor’s primary SEMA Show contact.

Be Prepared. About an hour prior to the time to select, exhibitors are encouraged to be prepared by viewing the 2017 Show’s online floorpan. Updated every 30 minutes, exhibitors can see as the Show begins to take shape and monitor their desired section to gain a general idea of where they want to display.

Check Email. On April 25, each primary contact should take time to check their email, including their “junk” folders. Companies that have not received a correspondence by April 27, or that want to change the primary Show contact listed on the application should email sales@sema.org or call 909-396-0289.

Making The Pick. During the exhibitor’s time to pick, the SEMA Show account representative will call the primary SEMA Show contact and help locate and assign the exhibit space that best suits the company’s needs.

The 2017 SEMA Show is scheduled for Tuesday–Friday, October 31–November 3, in Las Vegas. There’s still time to participate in the Priority Space Selection Process. Secure booth space for 2017 now by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.