Hennessey Unveils Apex Track-Focused Venom F5 ‘Revolution’ Hypercar

Hennessey has unveiled a new, lighter-weight, track-focused version of the Hennessey Venom F5 that has been comprehensively re-engineered for increased agility, better handling and high downforce. According to Hennessey, the new Venom F5 Revolution Coupe is the most powerful and visceral pure-combustion hypercar in the world.

The Venom F5 Revolution Coupe is based on the Hennessey Venom F5 Coupe, but with comprehensively reworked aerodynamics, suspension, engine cooling and digital telemetry. The engineering team also focused on reducing mass. Due to a systematic focus on weight reduction, the race-honed model tips the scales below 3,000 lbs.—the lightest Venom F5 model.

Mirroring all other Venom F5 models, mid-mounted in the carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is Hennessey’s twin-turbocharged, 6.6L, ‘Fury’ V8 engine rated at 1,817 bhp. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an automated single-clutch gearbox calibrated for competitive use. Carbon-ceramic brakes are fitted as standard and feature muti-piston calipers.

The double-wishbone suspension, with more aggressive alignment settings, is fitted with adjustable dampers that may be calibrated trackside, thus optimizing the suspension system for the particular road course, racing circuit or track. In addition, new forged alloy wheels present a larger contact patch for improved cornering grip and enhanced braking.

The new Venom F5 Revolution Coupe will make its global debut at the Miami Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance on January 15.

Meyer Distributing Announces Waterbury, Connecticut, Location

Meyer Distributing Inc. has announced the addition of its Waterbury, Connecticut, crossdock. The crossdock will have a direct feed from Meyer’s Pennsylvania distribution hubs, which house one of the largest inventories of automotive accessories and RV parts in the region.  

“We are focused on improving service in the Northeast this year,” said Jeff Braun, CEO of Meyer Distributing. “We will be adding several locations, adding more truck routes and hiring more drivers to better service increasing demand. Our recent Albany, New York, expansion has helped improve delivery times and consistency as well as frequency. The same will be the case for our CT customers with this expansion.”

RNR Tire Express Announces Three-Unit Franchise Signing for Chicago

RNR Tire Express (RNR) has announced finalization of a new multi-unit deal for three franchise locations in Chicago. The first location is anticipated to arrive in Melrose Park this fall, with the second and third expected in Waukegan and Aurora, respectively. Site selection is still underway for the remaining three franchise locations.

“Our brands’ entrance into Chicago has been a long time coming,” said Larry Sutton, founder and CEO of RNR Tire Express. “The agreement is a perfect representation of the commitment our team has to serving as many communities and families across the country as possible. Something you can expect to see a lot more of from the RNR brand in the year ahead.”

Yokohama Tire Announces Organizational Changes

Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) has announced three organizational changes within the company. The changes, effective now, include Fardad Niknam, who has been promoted from senior director of consumer product planning and product marketing to vice president of OE sales. Niknam joined YTC in 2014 and has had responsibility for product marketing, including product planning and motorsports for the last five years. According to Jeff Barna, YTC president and CEO, Niknam “will be responsible for guiding OE sales in the United States and establishing forward-looking strategies that are linked to YTC’s overall business goals in his new role.”

Ray Polentz has been promoted from senior director of supply chain and logistics to vice president of supply chain and logistics. “Ray has led this team for the past year under unprecedented circumstances and never before seen challenges as the global supply chain continues its march toward recovery in a post-pandemic world,” said Barna.

Pavan Desaneni has been promoted from vice president of information technology to chief information officer. “Pavan has led our digital transformation efforts and will continue to do so as information technology and the related systems become increasingly important to our business,” said Barna.

LIQUI MOLY Mourns Loss of Press Spokesperson Dr. Peter Szarafinski

LIQUI MOLY’s Head of Media Relations International Dr. Peter Szarafinski, 47, has passed away.

“The terrible news reached us just before Christmas Eve. Unfathomable—the great loss of a valued and extremely popular colleague,” said Managing Director Günter Hiermaier.

At the beginning of 2010, Szarafinski took up the newly created position of head of media relations international at LIQUI MOLY headquarters in Ulm.

“During the past 13 years, Dr. Peter Szarafinski had greatly developed and advanced the public-relations work in our foreign markets,” said Hiermaier. "With his knowledge, dedication and high work ethic, he has played a decisive role in the positive impact of our company. His sudden death is also such a huge loss because he was such a likable and popular colleague.”

After graduating from high school in Füssen, Peter Szarafinski did an internship at Allgäuer Zeitung and worked there as an editor before deciding to study journalism and history at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. He then took up a position in corporate communications at the Beiersdorf Group. Parallel to his work at LIQUI MOLY, he completed his doctorate with the historical research book “Rüstung und politisches System” (Armaments and Political System). In addition to his interest in history, he was also an enthusiastic sailing and paragliding pilot. In 2016, he flew from the Allgäu region to the North Cape of Norway and back again with a friend from the Füssen air sports club.

Ford Joins Virtual Power Plant Partnership as Founding Member to Support Grid Resiliency and Emissions Reductions

Ford has announced the formation of the Virtual Power Plant Partnership (VP3), a coalition led by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) aimed to scale the market for virtual power plants to help advance affordable, reliable electric sector decarbonization and support grid resiliency.

VP3 includes founding members Ford, General Motors, Google Nest, OhmConnect, Olivine, SPAN, SunPower, Sunrun, SwitchDin and Virtual Peaker.

“Electric vehicles are introducing entirely new opportunities for consumers and businesses alike, creating a greater need for sustainable energy solutions to responsibly power our connected lifestyles,” said Bill Crider, head of global charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co. ”Supporting grid stability through the introduction of technologies like Intelligent Backup Power is central to Ford's strategy, and collaborating to advance virtual power plants will be another important step to ensure a smooth transition to an EV lifestyle.”

The full press release from RMI can be found here.

Hankook Tire Announces Executive Promotions for North America Team

Hankook Tire has announced executive promotions at its North American headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. Rob Williams has been named president of Hankook Tire America Corp. Additionally, Jong Jin (JJ) Park has been promoted to vice president of USA PC/LT sales. Intae (Ted) Choi has been promoted to vice president of North American marketing strategy and Byoungjoe (Joe) Park has been named vice president of corporate management.

Williams has overall responsibility for Hankook Tire America Corp. as president, overseeing the United States and Canada regions. He will lead four departments and direct teams, including the Tennessee Plant and TBR sales department—a role he’s held since joining Hankook in January 2019. In June 2022, Williams was appointed senior vice president of commercial and consumer sales for Hankook Tire America, adding leadership in consumer products to his existing oversight of commercial replacement and OE product sales and related services. Williams brings more than three decades of tire industry experience and has a proven track record of success in sales and operations executive leadership positions, strategic planning and optimizing profitability.

Park will serve as vice president of USA PC/LT sales, overseeing sales innovation, corporate sales, as well as the North, South and West regional USA PC/LT sales teams. Previously, he served as vice president of marketing and U.S. sales innovation director for Hankook Tire America. Park joined Hankook Tire in 2004 and has experience across the American and United Kingdom regions.

Choi steps into the vice president of marketing role, responsible for marketing strategy, TBR marketing, technical services, Canada sales, as well as supply chain and logistics operations. He also will continue his role as vice president of Tennessee plant management support. Choi has previously held executive positions with Hankook, including vice president of its Australia subsidiary, vice president of GAIA project and corporate strategy and innovation team manager.

Park was promoted to vice president of the North America corporate management team overseeing finance, accounting, tax and internal audit functions for Hankook Tire America Corp. as well as for Hankook Tire’s Canadian subsidiary. Most recently, he served as Tennessee plant corporate management team manager. He also held leadership positions at Hankook's global headquarters on its internal audit and accounting teams.

AAM Group, Engine Parts Group Finalize Agreement

The AAM Group has finalized an agreement with Engine Parts Group (EPGI). As part of the agreement, AAM may now assume operations and management responsibilities for the Engine Pro marketing program, along with operational oversight for the Engine Parts Group corporation. AAM Group’s Tim Odom and EPGI’s Jesse Jones signed the contract in the EPGI booth at the 2022 PRI Trade Show. For more information, visit theaamgroup.com and enginepro.com.

EGR USA Introduces Newly Designed, User-Friendly Website

EGR USA has rolled out a newly designed, user-friendly website that allows consumers and dealers to research products by make, model and year. The site has many new products featured, including the manual and electric EGR RollTrac tonneau cover and the new Baseline Fender Flares introduced in late 2022. The new website offers navigation by product line or by vehicle year, make and model and allows users to search for all products EGR makes for each vehicle.

Developed to assist in direct-to-consumer sales and to provide more complete and accurate asset information including images, videos, product details and warranty, the site now allows consumers and dealers to quickly access product information while providing upgraded visuals and details to assist the purchase decision. New to the site also is a “Find a Dealer” section that informs users of local dealers, online retailers and warehouse distributors. There is also a link on the dealer locator page to request information about becoming an EGR dealer.

Additional changes are planned for the website in the first quarter of 2023, including a new video section that will house how-to and product introduction videos, event videos, promotional videos and company background videos. A news media section is also planned to host press releases and other media assets for easy download.

K&N Engineering Enters Restructuring Agreement

K&N Engineering has announced a new agreement to strengthen its financial position and reduce debt by approximately $250 million. K&N Engineering has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) with 100% of its lenders. Upon consummation of the transaction, K&N’s debt will be reduced by approximately $250 million and participating lenders will inject $60 million of cash into the business. K&N expects to complete the transaction in the first quarter of 2023. The recapitalization will provide K&N with increased financial flexibility to execute its growth strategies and continue investing in the industry-leading automotive, industrial and residential HVAC filtration technology that it provides to its customers worldwide, a company release stated.

In related news, K&N is mourning its co-founder Ken Johnson, who passed away in December at the age of 91.

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

 By Mike Imlay

This past November 3, nearly 3,000 industry professionals gathered for the annual 2022 SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. The Thursday-night celebration encompasses the presentation of several distinguished honors, but perhaps none as prestigious as the SEMA Person of the Year Award. Beyond any personal or professional achievements, the award pays tribute to an individual who embodies service and dedication to the specialty automotive industry and the advancement of SEMA members throughout the aftermarket.

SEMA Person of the Year Josh Poulson at the 2022 SEMA Show Pro Council Booth. Poulson is the current PRO chair.

For 2022, the award went to SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Council Chair Josh Poulson. The principal of Auto Additions, Poulson is well known for his industry leadership contributions, philanthropy and overall positive influence on SEMA members.

“SEMA is proud to recognize Josh Poulson as our 2022 Person of the Year,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “Josh has long been an active SEMA member who exemplifies the association’s spirit of volunteerism. He has served many years on the PRO council and on multiple SEMA task forces. More recently, first as a PRO select-committee member and now as chair, he has guided PRO in creating incredible benefits for its members, including sales and installer training programs. We congratulate Josh on this well-deserved honor.”

Poulson (right) receives his Person of the Year Award from Sara Morosan, the prior year’s honoree, at the 2022 SEMA Industry Awards Banquet. Jarod DeAnda (left) emceed the event.

Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Poulson began his aftermarket career at age 16, when a friend recruited him as a part-time technician for Auto Additions. In Poulson’s words, it was more a “fluke” than anything else—simply a job to work himself through college.

“I showed up the first day and asked, ‘What do we do?’ And he said, ‘Well, we put sunroofs and striping on cars and stuff like that.’ I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’ To be honest, cars weren’t really my first love,” Poulson recalls.

“I was an installer for probably about six or seven years, and they realized I wasn’t that great of one, but I was dependable. I had my strengths and my weaknesses, but I was better at talking to people. So one year they all went to the SEMA Show and left me to run things. When they came back, the owner [Ken Morris] said, ‘Oh man, he did a great job while we were gone. Let’s, put him into management/sales,’ and my role just grew from there.”

Moving up the ranks, Poulson became good friends with Morris and his wife Vicki, who together entrusted him with their company in 2000. “I still keep in frequent contact with them—they’re actually still part of the business. They’ve just treated me like a son going on 30 years now. They’ve always given me the [business] freedom when I’ve needed it, and their mentorship when I’ve needed it,” said Poulson.

As a SEMA council volunteer, Poulson has built strong relationships with his association peers. Here he is pictured with (from left) SBN select-committee member Tiffanie Hartenstein, SEMA Council Director Nicole Bradle, SEMA Council Director Denise Waddingham, his wife Amanda, and SBN member Melissa Parker.

Under Poulson’s guidance, Auto Additions has since doubled its sales to become one of the nation’s premier restyling brands, employing more than 35 people serving car dealerships and the retail public alike with more than 300 accessories and services. Along the way, Poulson became an increasingly active member of PRO and was named the council’s Restyler of the Year in 2012 and PRO Person of the Year in 2015. Having served on the PRO select committee since 2013, he was recently elected council chair. He is also a veteran of more than 25 SEMA Shows.

In addition to his work with PRO, Poulson is part of a group of individuals who formed Restylers United in 2006. Representing top non-competing restyling businesses from around the country, Restylers United members meet semiannually to share ideas and assist each other with problems and challenges in the field. To date, the group boasts 14 active members who have also become lasting friends.

“We talk about what problems and challenges we’re going through, bring in vendors, and things like that. Whether it’s about buying a competitor, going over financials, or deciding to bring on a new product line, just having peers like that whom you can talk to and get honest opinions from—people who have done it and been in business longer than me—is invaluable,” said Poulson.

In 2018, Poulson also became a partner in Auto Accessory Configurator, a software solution for U.S. restylers and shops that helps car dealers sell and provide accessories to their customers. According to Poulson, his experiences with Restylers United, Auto Accessory Configurator and his industry peers in general have provided him with a keen understanding of markets and challenges, making him a more effective voice within PRO and SEMA.

“There are many challenges for SEMA to address,” he explains. “There are the major ones, like CARB and emissions regulations and the right to modify your vehicle. But there are also some unseen things coming down the pipeline that maybe we’re not effectively reacting to because we don’t know how they’ll unfold.”

A specific concern for PRO is the changing model of how OEs sell vehicles through dealers, he added. Fast disappearing are the days when customers would walk into a dealership, select from many vehicles on the lot, and order a restyle package to further refine a vehicle to their tastes. “Now they can just order it however they want from the factory, and we’re maybe cut out. So for PRO membership, the future car-selling process and ensuring we’re a part of it is the biggest thing. The second biggest thing is the future of technicians and skilled labor, because now we’re competing with the OEMs, dealers and every mechanic shop out there. And not only do technicians have to be good with their hands, but with their brains too, because working on cars is harder than ever.”

Luckily, through his skill, dedication and openness, Poulson has built a strong network of peers and supporters within the SEMA community to take on such challenges.

Poulson is greatly assisted in running Auto Additions by Accounting Manager Kathy Ross and General Manager Jamie Rambo, who have become close personal friends.

“If you have ever had the opportunity to hang out with Josh, he will jokingly say that he hates cars,” said BOOSTane founder and fellow SEMA volunteer Ian Lehn. “The irony is that it comes from someone who at every turn has made his professional and volunteer career about giving back to the automotive industry. I’d hazard to say he’s one of the biggest enthusiasts in our industry, and just doesn’t want to admit it. Person of the Year speaks to his commitment to those around him and to the future of the aftermarket.”

“I am fortunate to call Josh a close friend, and to have witnessed up close the sacrifices that he has made for our membership and aftermarket community,” echoed Denise Waddingham, SEMA director of councils and liaison to PRO. “Whether he wants to admit it or not, he is the kind of guy that we need leading us into tomorrow, even if he says he prefers car businesses to actual cars.”

For his own part, Poulson said he has a number of people to thank for his career and his SEMA Person of the Year Award. Among them is his wife of 22 years, Amanda, who he said is the family’s true car enthusiast. “She’s the one who pushes me a little bit to make sure I keep up my game there,” he laughs. “Our daughter Halle is 16, is just starting to drive, and is excited about it. Our son Chase, who’s 14, is also super excited about cars.”

“I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention two key people at my business,” he added. “My right hand man, General Manager Jamie Rambo, pretty much takes care of the day-to-day operations of the company. We’ve worked together for about 13 years, but he’s been a lifelong friend. And there’s also our Accounting Manager Kathy Ross, who has been with us for 20 years and helped me tremendously. And, of course, there’s my mentor Ken Morris and his wife Vicki, who hired me, got me started, brought me along and then entrusted me with the company.”

In fact, it’s the relationships that he’s formed over the years that have not only kept Poulson in the industry but fueled his advocacy for it. “Cars may not be my biggest passion, but the people in this industry are passionate about them, and I’m passionate for them,” he explained. “Whether it’s my employees, my family, fellow PRO members, other SEMA volunteers, or walking the SEMA Show and seeing 135,000 people who love and breathe this business, I keep thinking: Am I doing everything I can to help all of them?

“When we as car people—as business people and entrepreneurs—put in our heads to do something and are willing to put in the hard work, we’re a dangerous group of people,” he concluded.

SEMA Show management has announced that the 2023 Exhibitor Space Rental Agreement (ESRA) is now live.

The deadline to submit ESRAs and deposits is Monday April 3, 2023. SEMA Show Priority Space Selection is scheduled for Monday, May 1–May 17, 2023. Companies that reserve space by the deadline are eligible for the year’s early space selection, where exhibitors select their booth location at the Show.

The 2023 SEMA Show will take place October 31–November 3, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For complete Show information, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

For additional information about exhibiting at the SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/exhibitor.

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

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

Product Development Engineer
Fox Factory Inc.

Fox Factory Inc. is hiring a product development engineer to conduct engineering studies on design for products, associated and subsystems components and structures; analyze engineering proposals, process requirements and related technical data pertaining to design; use computer-assisted engineering software and equipment; and analyze data to determine feasibility of product proposal and product or equipment specifications and performance requirements to determine designs that can be produced by existing manufacturing or processing facilities and methods. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in design or mechanical engineering or a related area.

Marketing Manager
UTV Source LLC

UTV Source LLC is hiring a marketing manager to help guide the next phase of growth in the UTV/side-by-side e-commerce space. The right candidate has a diverse marketing background with digital expertise. Marketing experience is essential, as you’ll be relied upon to help develop the top-level marketing plan and budget and see the program through to completion.

Customer Service Rep/Inside Salesperson
Motorsports Industries

Motorsports Industries is hiring a customer service rep/inside salesperson with general automotive knowledge and basic computer and keyboarding skills to deliver outstanding customer service in person, over the phone or by email. No telemarketing is involved. All levels of experience are considered.

By SEMA Editors

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

SEMA News—February 2023

BUSINESS

By Mike Imlay

Turning New Corners

A Look at What’s Trending in the Wheel and Tire Market for 2023 and Beyond

In concept, wheels and tires seem simple enough. They’re round, grip the road, spin on their axles, bear the load of a car or truck, and take a vehicle where it needs to go. What more can be said?

As vehicles and their technologies evolve, so do wheels and tires. And the specialty automotive industry continues to play a leading role in bringing new solutions to these popular market segments.

For the aftermarket, plenty more. The right wheels and tires enhance a vehicle’s performance, but more than that, they also make a statement. Plus, they continue to advance in complexity and design year after year. These and other factors have made them a favored category for the aftermarket.

In fact, wheels and tires, along with suspension components, rank among the industry’s healthiest product segments, according to SEMA Market Research Director Gavin Knapp. “We often say the wheel and tire segments are the ‘gateway drugs’ to our industry. They are great categories to be in because when consumers are spending, that’s their starting point. It’s a place where they can get the most bang for the buck in terms of customizing and personalizing their vehicles,” he said.

That spending is especially strong among pickup owners, he added. “Whatever you’re going to do with your pickup or 4x4, you’re going to get the wheels and tires for it. And if you’re going to lift it, you’re definitely getting new wheels and tires to go with that lift kit.”

Younger consumers with a penchant for sportier cars also find wheel and tire upgrades irresistible. “Whether you have a true performance vehicle and want its outside look to match what’s under the hood, or if you just want your Camry to look like it’s a performance vehicle, wheels and tires offer an ideal way to do it,” explained Knapp.

No wonder that—despite some initial worries in 2020—wheels and tires managed to not only ride out the pandemic but grow in sales. (Of course, tires had the added advantage of being a perishable necessity. “No matter what kind of car you have, whether it’s a gas car, an electric car, a truck, a van, or whatever, there’s always a need for tires,” Knapp observed.)

Sizing the Market

Pickups comprise one of the aftermarket’s largest segments, so it’s no surprise that they also represent the bulk of off-road and oversize tire sales, with SUVs a distant second. The explosion of interest in overlanding and off-roading during COVID lockdowns has no doubt contributed to market growth.

Just how big are wheels and tires with consumers? According to the “2022 SEMA Market Report,” the wheels, tires and suspension category accounted for $11.94 billion in sales, with wheels and tires contributing $6.60 billion to that total. Breaking down the figures further, the performance and special-purpose tire market was sized at $2.79 billion, off-road and oversized tires at $2.13 billion, and custom wheels at $1.55 billion. All these figures represent robust growth over prior years.

In terms of tire sales, performance and specialty categories do well across nearly every vehicle segment. Not surprisingly, pickup applications comprise 68% of off-road and oversize tire sales, with SUVs coming in a distant second at 23% of sales. The bulk of purchasing for all tire types is done in-store, although DIY installations account for 27% of off-road and oversize tire buys, and 25% for performance and specialty tires.

Pickup applications also make up the highest percentage of custom wheel sales (28%), followed by SUVs (20%), midsize and large cars (14%), CUVs (12%), small cars (10%) and sports cars (8%). Nearly half (40%) of all wheel purchases are made for in-store pickup and install. Online ship-to-home orders account for 31% of purchases, and online orders for in-store pickup and installation comprise 21% of purchasing.

Trend Watching

As with tires, sales of custom wheels also continue to trend upward, with pickup and SUV applications leading the way. Wheels have traditionally ranked among the first appearance modifications that vehicle purchasers make to their car or truck, and often prime the pump for additional aftermarket sales.

Moreover, with a few caveats, the future continues to look bright for wheel and tire businesses. “Based on input from [our] members, we see many positive wheel and tire trends going into 2023. In general, supply-chain issues seem to finally be resolving. Losses for 2022 seem to have stabilized, and our RTO customers are increasing,” said Mike Lusso, SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) chair-elect.

“Also, there has been development in electric vehicle (EV) technology across all major brands, along with the tires and wheels that support those vehicles. The development of non-pneumatic tires continues as well. With supply-chain issues somewhat easing, we are also seeing overseas brands that had issues fulfilling demand during the pandemic starting to flood the market,”

However, Lusso added, “for industry businesses, challenges remain. For instance, parts for testing machinery are up to 200 days out in some cases, and materials testing delays can be up to five months. Plus, with inflation, consumers are starting to stretch their dollars. We are seeing an ‘emptying out’ of demand in the Tier-2 space with more consumers seeking Tier-3 supply.”

Beyond 2023, industry experts say they’ll also be keeping their eyes on the following market trends:

• As pickups—and especially CUVs—come to dominate the American market over the next decade, wheel and tire offerings in the light-truck category will likewise proliferate.
• With off-roading, overlanding and powersports also growing in popularity, consumer demand for applications aimed specifically at those pursuits will only rise.
• Increasing competition among China, India, Thailand and Vietnam will likely help manufacturers contain costs while expanding production.
• Advancing technology and logistics will allow manufacturers to make and move product faster and more efficiently.
• The rise of EVs will spur wheel and tire makers to address issues associated with higher torque, increased wear and tear, rolling resistance, weight and quiet operation.
• Additionally, as EVs go mainstream, their owners will likely become more open to vehicle modification than they typically are now, increasing wheel and tire sales in this space.
• Green and sustainability regulations and initiatives will undoubtedly also exert greater influences on the choice and sourcing of raw materials as well as manufacturing processes.

With these trends taking shape, competition is already heating up, especially among tire makers. And that competition has made marketing more important than ever, said Roman Racela, marketing director for the Venom Power and Predator Tire brands, subsidiaries of Transamerica Tire based in Memphis, Tennessee. Both the brands target the coveted truck demographic.

“Obviously, there are many tire companies [and] other brands that we have to compete with,” he explained. “We need to make sure that we have a good product and that people know about the brand.”

For Racela, that has meant strong print and social-media campaigns with a heavy dose of influencer endorsements and consumer education.

“The selection for tires on any vehicle is really important,” he observed. “It really boils down to philosophy of use. If you’re going to use it for a specific purpose, you have to match your tools to accomplish your goals to reach your destination.”

Fortunately, in today’s tire market there’s something for everyone. Aided by advanced technologies, tire designs and compounds continue to evolve, delivering constantly improved handling, grip and wet traction, plus improved rock and debris ejection to boot.

And Racela sees additional industry opportunities in the expanding EV segment, where consumers are looking for both weight reduction and silent rides. “Having an electric motor, there’s no sound. But when you’re on the road using the wrong tire, you hear road noise or the harmonics of the tire. That kind of defeats the purpose of having an electric motor,” he said.

Of course, there is more to the tire market than the rubber itself. For tire sellers, ancillary products that can increase margins include TPMS replacement units and intelligent tire-mount sensors capable of providing a wide variety of tire-life, pressure and safety data. Needless to say, there is also a large market for shop and consumer tools, including powerful, compact compressors for airing up on the road or trail.

Flashy Wheels

Last year, this magazine reported that while pandemic lockdowns and supply-chain issues had briefly roiled the wheel market, the segment was proving resilient and poised for growth. If anything, the 2022 SEMA Show confirmed that. Wheel exhibitors showed up en masse, and the big trends were aggressive new spoke patterns and dazzling wheel finishes for trucks as well as street performance cars.

“Obviously following a lot of adjustments in the market with performance parts, customers are looking for safe, reliable modifications, and rims and tires have proven to be that,” said Nicolas Nazzaro, CEO of Subimods, a Bloomfield, Connecticut, online retailer specializing in the Subaru sport compact aftermarket. “In terms of style, it’s across the board. Six spoke, five spoke, flashy colors. Very popular in 2022 [were] yellows, blues, oranges, whites, just nonstandard colors and designs. We find that the consumer base that we cater to likes to know that their money delivers a flashy design. They want to stand out.”

Chrome wheels also remain highly prized, which brought Superior Industries to the 2022 SEMA Show as a first-time exhibitor. Based in Southfield, Michigan, the company has been in the OEM wheel business since 1957, and believes its OEM-level technology is now a good fit for the aftermarket.

“We’re able to offer superior powdercoating and acrylics,” said Jim Kruse, the company’s senior account manager for aftermarket wheels. “As far as finishes go, we offer any color you can imagine in the rainbow.”

According to Kruse, Superior Industries also boasts the only OEM-approved PVD chroming process in the industry. “We’ve learned there’s a lot of interest in coming back to bright chrome, and the PVD option is very environmentally friendly,” he said.

The company further specializes in a laser-etching process that can reach down through different color layers applied to a wheel to create daring, intricate line patterns in the finish.

In regards to the wheels themselves, “flow-forged” products appear to be gaining in popularity due to their weight savings compared with cast wheels and their lower price points compared to forged wheels.

“Flow-forging technically is one of the most up-and-coming [manufacturing techniques] that we see,” said Nazzaro. “There are a lot of new brands coming out of the Asian Pacific sector that are doing flow-forging, taking that path and kind of rolling the wheel out. That is probably the most advanced product that’s coming out because forged wheels were usually on the highest end of spectrum on price, with your cast, flow-form stuff on the bottom. So bridging that gap is going to be key to success in 2023, because end users get a really well-put-together product for a mid-level price.”

Meanwhile, the wheel accessories market is also looking up, said Chris Buck, owner of Custom Wheel Accessories. Based in Murrieta, California, the family-run wholesale distributor is celebrating its 40th year of supplying a full line of lug nuts, spacers, valve stems, wheel weights, and all the hardware needed to mount and balance wheels. Buck said that after a year of sputters, supply-chain issues are notably improving.

“Shipping costs from overseas are coming down—they’re about half of what they were a year ago,” he said. “Where we got hit was fuel costs and shipping costs from Asia to the Americas. It seems like material costs are starting to settle down.”

Asked what the current big sellers are, Buck replied: “OEM, Ford and GM lug nuts are very hot, but probably our hottest commodity are aluminum spacers. Whether you’re spacing the wheels out for a more aggressive look, or if you have a set of wheels you want to put on a vehicle of a different bolt pattern, we offer almost 400 SKUs of just spacers and adapters alone.”

“Some of the old vintage stuff has definitely been dying off—hubcaps, knockoff spinners, things of that nature,” he continued. “But we’re trying to bring that stuff back because they’ve been phased out over time and there is still a demand for older vehicle stuff [like] wire wheels and spinners.”

“In recent years, it’s been hard to get that product for a lot of people because the minimums are so high to bring in that kind of product. But we’re changing our philosophy because there’s a market for it. We’re going to lay out the capital to get the molds going again and bring in some of that old-school stuff to take care of the guys with cars that are 30, 40, 50 years old.”

The Road Ahead

Although generally optimistic about the coming year, industry sources do see some challenges ahead. Inflation and a threat of recession top the list of concerns. In addition, with new-vehicle purchases often driving aftermarket wheel sales, slacking OEM dealership sales may negatively impact the wheel market. Current used-car prices may also hinder the transfer of older vehicles to new owners who might be inclined to dress up their purchases with striking new wheels. Fresh business models like mobile installation may further upend traditional brick-and-mortar operations.

Longer term, Lusso sees increasing challenges for the industry from advancing vehicle trends like electrification and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). New technologies are driven by market consumption, he said, “and shop owners need education to support the vehicles they see in the shop.”

“Wheels and tires are the first things to hit the road, so we need good education around the effects they bring to the vehicle,” he added. “There will also be new challenges in wheel and tire manufacturing, pricing, training and staffing. In fact, training and retention of front-line personnel is still a major opportunity.”

While conceding that keeping up with change and emerging technologies can be costly—especially in the current economy—Lusso believes investments now will benefit individual companies and the entire industry at large. “We need to push forward,” he said.

SEMA News—February 2023

By Market Research

Vehicle Sales Slowing, But Specialty-Equipment Industry Demand Remains Solid

Thanks to supply-chain restrictions and high prices, new-vehicle sales have slowed and are projected to finish 2022 at around 13.9 million—about a million short of 2021 levels. As a result, new-vehicle sales are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025.

While some supply-chain issues have improved, disruptions remain ongoing, especially for chips, and a significant backlog in production means it will take a while for automakers to catch up. And it’s not just new vehicles; used-car sales have also slowed for similar reasons and are expected to finish more than a million units below 2021. Rising interest rates are also making purchasing a vehicle unattractive right now. Despite this, demand for specialty aftermarket parts remains solid, as consumers hold onto their vehicles longer.

New-vehicle sales are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025 and are expected to finish around a million units short of 2021 at 13.9 million.

Used-vehicle sales are also expected to finish below 2021 levels. Because of high prices for vehicles, consumers have opted to stay with their current vehicles longer.

Used-vehicle prices in September 2022 were 47% higher than in September 2019 . The average price of a new vehicle skyrocketed to a record $48,301 in August 2022.

To learn more about the specialty-equipment and broader automotive industries, download the “Fall 2022 SEMA State of the Industry” report today at www.sema.org/research.

SEMA News—February 2023

EVENTS

By Douglas McColloch

SEMA Launch Pad 2022: The Final Five

Since its inauguration in 2013, SEMA Launch Pad has been the specialty-equipment industry’s ultimate competition for aspiring and established entrepreneurs to introduce their products to a worldwide audience.

Caption: The 2022 Launch Pad finalists (from left) Susan Pieper, DMOS; Frank Terlep, Auto Techcelerators LLC; Jake Hawksworth, Hypercraft; Dustin Golat, Thread Wizard; and Kevin Robinson, TRAC LLC.

For 2022, the tenth annual SEMA Launch Pad competition attracted a record-high number of applications. From these, 15 semifinalists were chosen by a panel of industry experts. After a day of oral presentations and product demonstrations at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, five contestants were chosen to advance to the finals, held last November at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. We briefly recapped the event in last month’s issue, but for 2022, we decided to expand our print coverage to include a spotlight on each of the five finalists. What follows, edited for clarity and length, is a profile of each contender and a look at the unique products they’ve brought to life—all in their own words.

Jake Hawksworth

Hometown: Provo, Utah
Job Title, Company: CEO, Hypercraft
Product: Modular vehicle battery systems

SEMA News: What’s your latest project? What’s in your driveway/garage/studio, etc.?

Jake Hawksworth: When I went into this business a year and a half ago, full-time, I sold my ’65 Falcon four-door wagon. It had a 347 stroker in it, and it was my passion project, but I sold it to focus on the business side. So currently, no projects.

SN: Tell us a bit about your background: Where you grew up, how you got into the industry, and how many years you’ve been in it.

JH: Most of my kind of school years were spent in Arizona. I was big into mountain biking. My parents were entrepreneurs and my grandparents owned a manufacturing company in Minnesota. So after high school, I moved to Minnesota and got involved in manufacturing for powersports and eventually that got me into product design and development. That’s how I spent 15 years of my early career, and that’s led me to today, which is just a passion for emerging markets, new technology and developing products that fit within gaps in the industry.

SN: What was the inspiration/motivation for your product?

JH: The original inspiration was developing an electric vehicle. And the problem we had was that there are really no good powertrains for it unless you want to take parts out of an existing vehicle like a Tesla. We wanted more of a ground-up, bespoke powertrain system and we couldn’t find it, so we ended up starting to design it and doing it in-house. And that’s what’s led us to where we are today. Now, we’re 100% focused on powertrains only and we support vehicle builders and manufacturers instead.

SN: How long did it take to develop your product? Were there any difficulties you had to work through?

JH: Well, the product is in a constant state of development because technology is evolving and changing and we will continually develop with it. But on this specific design, we’ve spent the last nine months in R&D and testing it. Now we have it in some vehicle platforms, and we’ll continue to design it even further and we’ll work on scaling the manufacturing of it.

SN: What have you learned from the Launch Pad experience that you hadn’t known before? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

JH: We’re an EV company in an industry that’s been really dominated by internal combustion. And instead of people being hostile to us, they’ve been really encouraging. And the judges have been the same way—their positivity has just been amazing for us. They’ve been happy to help us along the way and hear what our problems are and to be a part of the solution.

SN: If you should win the competition, what do you plan to do with the money?

JH: The money is going to be invested right back into the product itself, and that will include some of the sales and marketing and continuing to show up to events like the SEMA Show and to get our product out there.

SN: What advice would you give to folks who are thinking about competing in the future?

JH: There’s no downside to trying. We had no idea if we were a good fit for a program like this, so we decided to enter and we just put our best foot forward, and we’re here in the top five. So I would say my best advice is, don’t think twice. Just enter and go for it.

SN: When you’re not at work, where will we find you, and what will you be doing?

JH: If I’m not working, I’m with my family. I have a wife and two young daughters, and we’re probably going to be up in the mountains in Utah camping or just out with our dogs. So just having family time.

Frank Terlep

Hometown: Poway, California
Job Title & Company: CEO, Auto Techcelerators LLC
Product: Test Drive CoPilot

SN: What’s your latest project? What’s in your driveway/garage/studio, etc.?

Frank Terlep: My latest project is a mobile app where a user can scan a VIN barcode or QR code and they will be presented with every ADAS system, component, component location, required calibration, what triggers the required calibration, and the app delivers OEM repair procedures, OEM position statements, ADAS videos and more.

SN: Tell us a bit about your background: Where you grew up, how you got into the industry, and how many years you’ve been in it.

FT: I grew up on the south side of Chicago and joined the Army out of high school. After my three years in the military, I attended Southern Illinois University, where I first started my auto career in their auto technology and management program. I’ve been actively working in the automotive industry since 1979 where I started as a brake and alignment technician at a Kmart auto center. I started my first company in 1985 when my partner and I raised $100,000 from an angel investor and designed and developed one of the first business management software systems for the auto aftermarket.

SN: What was the inspiration/motivation for your product?

FT: During my time as the CTO of asTech, we performed remote scanning and calibrations and at the bottom of every scan/calibration report we would tell the shop to perform a “proper test drive.” The problem was that the company never told the shops how to properly perform the “test drive,” i.e., what were the OEM validation procedures to ensure the ADAS systems operated as they were supposed to. Today, as far as we know, Test Drive CoPilot is the only platform in the world that helps the automotive aftermarket properly perform and document post-customization, repair and/or calibration of ADAS-equipped vehicles.

SN: How long did it take to develop your product? Were there any difficulties you had to work through?

FT: We started to design and develop Test Drive CoPilot in September 2019. We introduced a prototype to the industry in late February 2020. We all know what happened in March of 2020. COVID set us back almost two years, and almost bankrupted the company!

SN: What have you learned from the Launch Pad experience that you hadn’t known before? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

FT: I learned that if you want to win, you need to play the game. I was hesitant to send in the initial video but because of that and being passionate about my invention, here I am—a finalist! The best piece of advice? Be yourself!

SN: If you should win the competition, what do you plan to do with the money?

FT: The first thing I will do is take Sue, my wife of 41 years, to dinner to thank her for her support and patience during the design, creation and launch of Test Drive CoPilot. The remainder of the money will be spent on PR and marketing to make sure all aspects of the auto aftermarket industry know how they can benefit from our test platform.

SN: What advice would you give to folks who are thinking about competing in the future?

FT: Go for it! If you believe in your automotive-related product or service, you need to let the world know about it, and SEMA Launch Pad is one of the best ways to get your product/service the PR and exposure it needs to become successful.

SN: When you’re not at work, where will we find you, and what will you be doing?

FT: I typically work 70–80 hours per week, but I also try to find 90–150 min. per day to exercise, workout and run or ride a bike. I also golf once or twice per week, but my handicap does not reflect all the time I spend trying to figure out the crazy game of golf.

Dustin Golat

Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska
Job Title & Company: CEO, GolaTTaylor Tools LLC
Product: Thread Wizard Bolt Cleaner

SN: What’s your latest project? What’s in your driveway/garage/studio, etc.?

Dustin Golat: My daily driver is nothing special, a Nissan Rogue I picked up after someone T-boned my Subaru. Working in car sales for my other job, you definitely learn not to fall in love with iron, so things pass through my hands a lot. Just got rid of an SRT-8 6.1 and am currently with a ’17 Roush GT Premium.

SN: Tell us a bit about your background: Where you grew up, how you got into the industry, and how many years you’ve been in it.

DG: I have a background in production, but I feel like this is more a question about Gary Taylor, the tool’s inventor. Gary was from Port Huron, Michigan, where we manufacture our tool. Gary entered the workforce at 13 and started out in a junkyard but quickly moved to the Ford plant that employed his father and grandfather. Gary spent 50 years in the business, right until the time he passed away. He spent more than 45 of those years as a mechanic of one kind or another, working for almost every American car manufacturer at one point.

SN: What was the inspiration/motivation for your product?

DG: Gary’s inspiration came from two incidents. The first was a bolt being taken out of Gary’s hands and fired toward his face by a wire wheel on a bench grinder, narrowly missing him. The second incident involved his son Tony. An individual wire came loose out of the wire wheel as it was spinning and lodged itself into his eye after making it between his face and safety glasses. Between the two, Gary asked himself, “Why are we still cleaning bolts this way?”

SN: How long did it take to develop your product? Were there any difficulties you had to work through?

DG: The design came to Gary pretty much as you see it in the finished product. The development time of about a year to prototype was mostly twofold. Getting the exact placements of the holes, the right steel for the wire wheel and such being part of it. The other was sourcing quality U.S.-made parts and raw materials while also trying to keep costs down.

SN: What have you learned from the Launch Pad experience that you hadn’t known before? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

DG: Business is a cold, hard world and you kind of get used to that reality, so it caught me off guard and warmed my heart to meet the judges and experience their desire to help others. I’d met Chip [Foose] before and thought he was a great guy, but this experience only drove that home. Both Myles [Kovacs] and Alex [Parker] gave me invaluable insight about taking marketing in-house despite not coming from that background.

SN: If you should win the competition, what do you plan to do with the money?

DG: Advertising would be one of the biggest things that prize money would help fund. Even with the internet, it can be tough trying to get word out about a brand-new tool. For us, getting it out there so people know it exists is the most crucial hurdle to long-term success.

SN: What advice would you give to folks who are thinking about competing in the future?

DG: Do it! Really, do not hesitate or think twice. I had no idea what a great experience it would be on both a personal and business level. Meeting my fellow competitors was very exciting. Each of them brought something different but top-tier to the table, and it was wonderful getting to spend some time with such innovative and hard-working people.

SN: When you’re not at work, where will we find you, and what will you be doing?

DG: 99% of the time I’ll be doing something family-related with my wife and kids. We like to go out from time to time but are usually at home playing games, making food or watching movies. The winter in Fairbanks is pretty cold, but you’ll find us having cocoa at the Santa Claus House and playing table games over hot coffee drinks.

Susan Pieper

Hometown: Kettering, Ohio
Job Title & Company: Founder and CEO, DMOS Collective Inc. dba DMOS Pro Shovel Tools
Product: The Delta and Stealth Mobility Shovels

SN: What’s your latest project? What’s in your driveway/garage/studio, etc.?

Susan Pieper: My latest project is building out my ’21 2500 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter Van. I want to create YouTube videos documenting the build as I know there are a lot of people who will be interested in seeing how I think through the design decisions and create something that is not like a Class A RV but more like an industrial chic garage, which allows for gear change-up based on seasonality.

SN: Tell us a bit about your background: Where you grew up, how you got into the industry, and how many years you’ve been in it.

SP: As a boat owner, I’ve sailed 10,000 ocean miles and bought everything at West Marine three times (I like to say). I’ve worked in other people’s startups after earning an MBA, but automotive is actually the newest dimension for me. Since starting DMOS, I’ve done the Rebelle Rally four times and built out a ’16 Toyota 4Runner as well as a ’17 Jeep JK. I’ve built out our DMOS Show trailer, a 12-ft. Stealth Titan Trailer that is finished in the inside, and now I’m working on my van.

SN: What was the inspiration/motivation for your product?

SP: My son was the inspiration for our shovels. My son, who’s now a pro snowboarder, was breaking his lawn and garden store shovels. I recognized that he and others needed a pro-quality tool that had purpose-built heads and was virtually indestructible and portable so he could carry it into the backcountry to build the perfect jump. DMOS was born out of this recognition and has since sold over 27,000 shovels.

SN: How long did it take to develop your product? Were there any difficulties you had to work through?

SP: It took me about a year to develop our first shovel. The hardest part was the marketing, where we had to pick a market segment and speak to it. We picked backcountry skiers and snowboarders and even got an endorsement from Travis Rice. It was hard in the following two years to pivot out of that very narrow niche, but our breakthrough moment was in 2018 when we went to our first Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona.

SN: What have you learned from the Launch Pad experience that you hadn’t known before? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

SP: The SEMA Launch Pad is an incredible experience. I’m grateful SEMA decided to do it, and I truly admire all of the judges who not only bring their A-game to the competition. The best piece of advice I’ve received was from Myles Kovacs who told me to “Bustle—not just hustle.” What I took by that is that bustle is making something happen whereas hustle is just working hard. He takes a “no prisoners” outlook on achieving results and I do, too.

SN: If you should win the competition, what do you plan to do with the money?

SP: We are very clear that we need to invest in sales. We have great products and, to grow sales, we need to invest in growing our wholesale business with the displays and packaging that they need as well as we need to further invest in expanding our product line into related tools and storage products to make your shovels and other essential recovery gear “always at hand and never in the way.”

SN: What advice would you give to folks who are thinking about competing in the future?

SP: Just enter Launch Pad! It is an awesome competition, program and group of passionate entrepreneurs, and I can think of no better way to grow than to put your hat in the ring next June and enter Launch Pad. Don’t ask yourself ‘if.’ Just say, why not me? And go for it!

SN: When you’re not at work, where will we find you, and what will you be doing?

SP: When not at work, you’ll find me off-roading, overlanding, mountain biking, fly fishing or, in the winter, backcountry snowboarding and ski touring. For me, movement is life and I live the DMOS vibe.

Kevin Robinson

Hometown: Brighton, Colorado
Job Title: President/Owner
Product/Company: TRAC Tire Rotation Assistance Cart

SN: What’s your latest project? What’s in your driveway/garage/studio, etc.?

Kevin Robinson: Currently I am working on my ’06 Jeep LJ. We stretched out the axles to increase the wheelbase and added some aluminum armor and ORI struts. I have had this for a little over five years, and it has come a long way.

SN: Tell us a bit about your background: Where you grew up, how you got into the industry, and how many years you’ve been in it.

KR: I grew up in New Jersey. I’ve always had a passion for unique cars and trucks and have been through a fair share of them through the years. I then moved to Florida to get a pilot’s license. My career paths changed, and I moved to Colorado in 1996 when I started my new career in automotive paintless dent repair. I still repair door dings and hail cars to this day. I also still go boating, motorcycling, Jeeping, and have the passion to be outdoors.

SN: What was the inspiration/motivation for your product?

KR: The motivation for the Tire Jack came from needing a solution in the industry to provide safety in the shop, whether it be at home or in the professional workplace. Now more people can benefit from the use of this tool. I even saw a small female try to pick up a tire at one of our shows. The tire weighed more than her. When she used the tool, she was able to do the task. Her father was impressed and bought the Tire Jack and told her she can now do the tires on the family vehicle.

SN: How long did it take to develop your product? Were there any difficulties you had to work through?

KR: Development is always still in progress. Our team came to us with the idea, and we then made a few changes for more leverage and to this day we are still doing some refinements. Even for such a simple tool, there can always be changes. The most challenging part of this is how to get it out to the masses and to get them to understand its benefits. Once it is seen, people get it and want it.

SN: What have you learned from the Launch Pad experience that you hadn’t known before? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

KR: Launch Pad has opened doors to some people in the industry that I would have never thought I would have access to—the judges and their input and expertise. Their advice is real-world and can make a big impact to one’s business. I had one judge mentor me through a licensing agreement with a new distributor. Without the help, I may not have gotten such a good deal in the agreement.

SN: If you should win the competition, what do you plan to do with the money?

KR: If I win for the TRAC Tire Jack, I plan on building my inventory and doing way more advertising. Currently, when we do a show, we sell the product easily and people are learning the brand, but we need to be in front of a much larger audience to make a change in the industry. Advertising will do just that.

SN: What advice would you give to folks who are thinking about competing in the future?

KR: Don’t think you won’t get in. Submit your idea, and go for it! I had a guy stop by my booth last year with an idea. I loved it and told him to enter. He did and he made it to the top 15! He’s Robert Carale, the founder of the Airflex Automatic Tire Inflator.

SN: When you’re not at work, where will we find you, and what will you be doing?

KR: When I am not at work I will most likely be with the family and friends at the lake or doing a 500-mi. day-trip motorcycle ride in the Colorado Rockies. We enjoy going to the Bronco games and visiting with family in the mountains. We are a very busy and active family with twin boys attending their second year of college.

Launch Pad 2023: How to Enter

Launch Pad is open only to legal residents of the United States and the District of Columbia age 18 years or older (residents of Alabama and Nebraska must be 19 or older) and who have a valid email address. Applicants need not be SEMA members. The presenter must be the business’ owner, its leading executive (i.e., president, CEO, CFO, COO) or vice president. The business must offer a product or service that is a functioning prototype, a functioning concept or a production model currently for sale.

For more information, visit www.sema.org/sema_launchpad.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) named Zenen Chamizo as the network’s newest spotlight member. Chamizo is the sales and marketing manager at Kooks Headers & Exhaust, a manufacturer of headers and exhaust components for the automotive aftermarket.  

Get to know Chamizo in his interview with SEMA below:

SEMA: What is the best advice you have ever received?

Zenen Chamizo: It’s not about the mistake you made, it’s about understanding you made a mistake and finding a solution. I made a mistake in the past and was not sure how to handle the situation and ran to my boss with no solution to the problem. He told me, “Before you ever go to your boss at any company with a problem, have a solution—even if it’s not the one he agrees with.”  

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

ZC: The opportunity to continue to work with people from different brands, markets and learn the way different products can make a difference in a car’s performance.

SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?

ZC: On Saturdays, I can be found on the lake with my fiancée, golfing, out in the city of Charlotte enjoying the breweries or on the football field coaching.

SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?

ZC: I start preparing for the meeting a week in advance to give me time get my stuff done as well as review. I stay in contact with the person to make sure that we are still good to go on our meeting. I do my research on the person and their company to find out everything I can about them. Depending on what the meeting is about, I will have notes or a PowerPoint.

SEMA: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who it would be?

ZC: Robert Yates because he is known as a legendary engine builder. In the ’90s, Robert Yates made a set of cylinder heads that helped make more than 50 hp than any other competitor. I would like to learn how he thought about the engineering processes when building a motor that gave him that much more of an advantage.

Fill out an FLN member spotlight form. Selected candidates may be featured on FLN's social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates.

By Ashley Reyes

The 2023 SEMA Scholarship application period for students preparing for careers in the automotive or performance parts industries is now open and will run through March 1. Interested applicants can review and complete the scholarship application at www.sema.org/scholarships.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to foster future leaders and innovators in the automotive aftermarket industry. A loan forgiveness component is also available to employees that work for SEMA-member companies who have completed and are currently paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical school within the United States.

“Education can be expensive, but that shouldn’t limit students from getting ahead in their careers,” said Pamela Brown-Matthis, SEMA director of education. “There are so many career options in the automotive aftermarket, and it’s a thriving industry to be in. We encourage students who have a passion for cars a to apply for a SEMA scholarship so that we can help jump-start their careers.”   

The annual scholarship program is a cornerstone of SEMA’s efforts to support career development and access in the automotive industry. Scholarship winners will have the opportunity to attend the 2023 SEMA Show, providing unparalleled networking and education opportunities at the world’s largest trade show for the automotive aftermarket.  

Applicants must be U.S. citizens 18 years or older and demonstrate a passion for automotive hobbies and careers. Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, including but not limited to, accounting, sales, marketing and engineering. Eligible students and SEMA-member company employees can apply until March 1 at www.sema.org/scholarships.