By Katie Carson

Rich Barsamian (left) presents Michael Murray of National Business Media with the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference.

Michael Murray of National Business Media was named the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award recipient at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference. The reception took place Tuesday evening, January 24, after exhibiting manufacturers spent the day having private one-on-one meetings with media to showcase their products.

The Robert E. Petersen award is named in honor of the man to whom the motorsports industry owes so much, and is presented to an individual from the media who has made a positive impact on the industry and MPMC during the previous calendar year. The MPMC general membership was called upon to nominate and vote to recognize a deserving member of the media.

Murray grew up in Southern California, or what he calls the “mecca of motorsports.” From a young age, he remembers his dad taking the family out to any event with a green and a checkered flag, and from there, he was hooked. He turned his passion into a career, starting out at just 19 years old, and the 2016 SEMA Show marked his 20th year in attendance with SEMA-member companies. A major trend that he sees coming to the motorsports industry is a diversity of builds within a single shop.

“We talk to many grassroots shops, and they are building tremendous vehicles ranging from ’60s two-doors, budget builds, diesel trucks to off-road performance—all out of the same shop,” Murray said.

He is currently with National Business Media, out of Broomfield, Colorado, working on the publication The Shop.

“To influence an industry in which I grew up is an honor and something I take seriously,” Murray said. “This award means a great deal to me to be voted on by the MPMC group of brands that I have worked for or with for the past 20 years.”

Murray joins the previous Robert E. Petersen Award Winners:

• 2004: Jeff Smith
• 2005: David Freiburger
• 2006: Dick Berggren
• 2007: Ed Zinke
• 2008: Bill Middaugh
• 2009: Karl Fredrickson
• 2010: Steve Wolcott
• 2011: James Lawrence
• 2012: Jim Ryan
• 2013: KJ Jones
• 2014: John DiBartolomeo
• 2015: Chad Reynolds

By Katie Carson

Rich Barsamian (left) presents Michael Murray of National Business Media with the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference.

Michael Murray of National Business Media was named the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award recipient at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference. The reception took place Tuesday evening, January 24, after exhibiting manufacturers spent the day having private one-on-one meetings with media to showcase their products.

The Robert E. Petersen award is named in honor of the man to whom the motorsports industry owes so much, and is presented to an individual from the media who has made a positive impact on the industry and MPMC during the previous calendar year. The MPMC general membership was called upon to nominate and vote to recognize a deserving member of the media.

Murray grew up in Southern California, or what he calls the “mecca of motorsports.” From a young age, he remembers his dad taking the family out to any event with a green and a checkered flag, and from there, he was hooked. He turned his passion into a career, starting out at just 19 years old, and the 2016 SEMA Show marked his 20th year in attendance with SEMA-member companies. A major trend that he sees coming to the motorsports industry is a diversity of builds within a single shop.

“We talk to many grassroots shops, and they are building tremendous vehicles ranging from ’60s two-doors, budget builds, diesel trucks to off-road performance—all out of the same shop,” Murray said.

He is currently with National Business Media, out of Broomfield, Colorado, working on the publication The Shop.

“To influence an industry in which I grew up is an honor and something I take seriously,” Murray said. “This award means a great deal to me to be voted on by the MPMC group of brands that I have worked for or with for the past 20 years.”

Murray joins the previous Robert E. Petersen Award Winners:

• 2004: Jeff Smith
• 2005: David Freiburger
• 2006: Dick Berggren
• 2007: Ed Zinke
• 2008: Bill Middaugh
• 2009: Karl Fredrickson
• 2010: Steve Wolcott
• 2011: James Lawrence
• 2012: Jim Ryan
• 2013: KJ Jones
• 2014: John DiBartolomeo
• 2015: Chad Reynolds

By Katie Carson

Rich Barsamian (left) presents Michael Murray of National Business Media with the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference.

Michael Murray of National Business Media was named the 2016 Robert E. Petersen Award recipient at the Media Appreciation Reception during the 2017 Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference. The reception took place Tuesday evening, January 24, after exhibiting manufacturers spent the day having private one-on-one meetings with media to showcase their products.

The Robert E. Petersen award is named in honor of the man to whom the motorsports industry owes so much, and is presented to an individual from the media who has made a positive impact on the industry and MPMC during the previous calendar year. The MPMC general membership was called upon to nominate and vote to recognize a deserving member of the media.

Murray grew up in Southern California, or what he calls the “mecca of motorsports.” From a young age, he remembers his dad taking the family out to any event with a green and a checkered flag, and from there, he was hooked. He turned his passion into a career, starting out at just 19 years old, and the 2016 SEMA Show marked his 20th year in attendance with SEMA-member companies. A major trend that he sees coming to the motorsports industry is a diversity of builds within a single shop.

“We talk to many grassroots shops, and they are building tremendous vehicles ranging from ’60s two-doors, budget builds, diesel trucks to off-road performance—all out of the same shop,” Murray said.

He is currently with National Business Media, out of Broomfield, Colorado, working on the publication The Shop.

“To influence an industry in which I grew up is an honor and something I take seriously,” Murray said. “This award means a great deal to me to be voted on by the MPMC group of brands that I have worked for or with for the past 20 years.”

Murray joins the previous Robert E. Petersen Award Winners:

• 2004: Jeff Smith
• 2005: David Freiburger
• 2006: Dick Berggren
• 2007: Ed Zinke
• 2008: Bill Middaugh
• 2009: Karl Fredrickson
• 2010: Steve Wolcott
• 2011: James Lawrence
• 2012: Jim Ryan
• 2013: KJ Jones
• 2014: John DiBartolomeo
• 2015: Chad Reynolds

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

In a new interview with SEMA Action Network’s Colby Martin, SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting underscored the ongoing threat to motorsports and urged race enthusiasts and the industry to tell their lawmakers to support the RPM Act of 2017.

“We need all of you to once again visit www.sema.org/rpm, write your members of Congress and ask them to support the RPM Act. Help us get the bill passed into law this year,” Kersting said.

The RPM Act permanently protects Americans' right to modify street cars and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles, along with industry's right to sell race and performance parts.

Tell Congress to pass the RPM Act by contacting your lawmakers today. Please take a minute to send a new letter to your lawmakers, even if you have done so in the past. Every letter counts! Visit www.sema.org/rpm today!

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

In a new interview with SEMA Action Network’s Colby Martin, SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting underscored the ongoing threat to motorsports and urged race enthusiasts and the industry to tell their lawmakers to support the RPM Act of 2017.

“We need all of you to once again visit www.sema.org/rpm, write your members of Congress and ask them to support the RPM Act. Help us get the bill passed into law this year,” Kersting said.

The RPM Act permanently protects Americans' right to modify street cars and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles, along with industry's right to sell race and performance parts.

Tell Congress to pass the RPM Act by contacting your lawmakers today. Please take a minute to send a new letter to your lawmakers, even if you have done so in the past. Every letter counts! Visit www.sema.org/rpm today!

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship offers dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

Scholarship applications for the 2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund are due March 1.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing, and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness aspect that offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

For more information about the program, please contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA manager of education projects, at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship offers dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

Scholarship applications for the 2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund are due March 1.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing, and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness aspect that offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

For more information about the program, please contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA manager of education projects, at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship offers dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

Scholarship applications for the 2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund are due March 1.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing, and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness aspect that offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

For more information about the program, please contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA manager of education projects, at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

By Katie Carson

SEMA is now accepting nominations for council and network select committee positions.

Nominations are now being accepted for select committee positions on SEMA’s councils and networks.

Are you facing a business challenge that is bigger than your own company? See an opportunity for change and growth in the market? Have an idea but need some industry muscle to make it happen? If so, it may be time for you to volunteer and make your voice heard.

The elected select committee of each council and network serves as the volunteer leadership for the group. Because these elected volunteers are in tune with their market and have the drive needed to influence change, they are entrusted to direct SEMA resources toward building solutions, benefits and opportunities that help companies and individuals succeed and prosper.

Currently, there are 10 councils and networks within SEMA serving the various niche markets within the automotive aftermarket industry. Councils work to identify related business goals, issues and challenges for member companies in a particular market segment, while the professional networks are platforms for individuals within a SEMA-member company who share a common interest or characteristic. Nominate yourself or another exceptional SEMA-member professional today by using the quick and easy online councils nomination form.

All nominations must be received by February 22, 2017. The select committee elections will take place in late April.

For more information about SEMA's councils and networks or the nomination and election process, contact Katie Carson.

By Katie Carson

SEMA is now accepting nominations for council and network select committee positions.

Nominations are now being accepted for select committee positions on SEMA’s councils and networks.

Are you facing a business challenge that is bigger than your own company? See an opportunity for change and growth in the market? Have an idea but need some industry muscle to make it happen? If so, it may be time for you to volunteer and make your voice heard.

The elected select committee of each council and network serves as the volunteer leadership for the group. Because these elected volunteers are in tune with their market and have the drive needed to influence change, they are entrusted to direct SEMA resources toward building solutions, benefits and opportunities that help companies and individuals succeed and prosper.

Currently, there are 10 councils and networks within SEMA serving the various niche markets within the automotive aftermarket industry. Councils work to identify related business goals, issues and challenges for member companies in a particular market segment, while the professional networks are platforms for individuals within a SEMA-member company who share a common interest or characteristic. Nominate yourself or another exceptional SEMA-member professional today by using the quick and easy online councils nomination form.

All nominations must be received by February 22, 2017. The select committee elections will take place in late April.

For more information about SEMA's councils and networks or the nomination and election process, contact Katie Carson.