By Ashley Reyes

SEMA members are invited to connect with Garrett Reed, founder and content creator of @AmericanMuscleHD, during the SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) Facebook and Instagram live chat, “Follows to Futures: Building a Business via Social Media,” March 9, at 12:00 p.m. (PST).

Since starting @AmericanMuscleHD on Instagram about nine years ago, the account has garnered almost 2.3 million followers and Reed has become one of the most recognizable names in the industry. From his humbled beginnings, he now works with some of the best aftermarket brands as well as the Big Three Detroit automakers.

Reed feels blessed to have started in the social-media scene as influencers were just emerging, as it has allowed him to separate himself from what is now a saturated market. He now looks forward to what the future holds and how he can continue to contribute to this amazing industry that has welcomed him. Tune in to the live chat directly on the FLN Facebook or Instagram accounts on March 9. 

By SEMA Editors

Latest Jobs Added to SEMA Career Center

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.

Product Manager
T Sportline is hiring a product manager responsible for developing an electric-vehicle product portfolio that is informed by market research combined with company core competencies. You will define and propose new products, oversee development and sourcing, develop forecasts and pricing plans, and manage the lifecycle for the assigned product lines. Responsibilities also include supplier relationship management, value proposition development, training and collaboration with marketing asset development. Candidates must have a minimum of three years of progressive experience in a branded-product, consumer goods product manager-related role.

Automotive Customization Technician
Wildside Jeep Customs is hiring a highly motivated automotive customization technician with experience working on vehicles. Candidates must have experience performing brake jobs, maintenance and installing suspensions systems. Experience with welding, re-gearing, alignments on lifted vehicles, wheel mounting and balancing and other 4X4 upgrades is definitely a plus.

Sourcing Agent
Quadratec is hiring a sourcing agent to lead the planning, monitoring, execution and successful completion of all projects in the portfolio—on time, on budget, on quality and on scope—generating awesome online content to attract new and existing customers in both the Jeep and off-roading communities. Candidates must have at least three years of experience in a similar role with comparable goals and responsibilities and proven project-management experience.

SEMA eNews highlights SEMA-member companies’ websites weekly through the Hot Links to Cool Sites section. SEMA members: To be included in Hot Links to Cool Sites, email your company name and website to enews@sema.org. Note: Make sure to include “Hot Links” in the subject line of the email.

• AEM Induction
• B&W Hitches
• Bushwacker
• ENEOS
• Gibson Performance Exhaust
• IAG Performance
• K&N
• Mishimoto
• Motive Gear
• Northern Radiator

By SEMA Editors

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

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) will kick off its inaugural Professional Development Program with a mixer on March 23, from 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California.  

The event is open to industry professionals under the age of 40 and will bring together members from throughout the area to grow and expand their professional network.  

“It's a chance for both current and prospective FLN members to come together and celebrate our industry,” said FLN Director Denise Waddingham. “It’s always a pleasure when our members connect in-person, and this event will provide the quality connections that our industry thrives off of.”  

Attendees from the first-ever FLN Professional Development Training and the FLN select committee will be in attendance. All FLN members will be able to learn about FLN’s current member resources and share laughs and stories during the event.   

Learn more and RSVP here. 

Companies planning to exhibit at the 2022 SEMA Show need to submit booth space applications and deposit prior to Monday, April 4, to participate in the Priority Space Selection process.

The space selection takes place May 2–18, and provides exhibitors with the opportunity to secure the best location for their SEMA Show display. The selection process is based on exhibitor seniority.

Reserve Space Here

The 2022 SEMA Show space selection process takes place May 2–18, and provides exhibitors with the opportunity to secure the best location for their SEMA Show display.

To secure your booth for the 2022 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

The 2022 SEMA Show is scheduled for Tuesday–Friday, November 1–4, in Las Vegas. Complete information about the 2022 SEMA Show is available at www.SEMAShow.com.

SEMA is always looking for the next trend or advancement in technology and the SEMA Show is the cultivation of that ideology brought to one place. Ford and Fox are putting the technology that they bring to the SEMA Show to real-world use.

SEMA News Caught up with them in Johnson Valley, California, to see how they are revolutionizing the off-road game.

In partnership with Nissan, the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, has announced a Measuring Session for the all-new ’23 Nissan Z, March 15–18.

The performance-grade Nissan Z is equipped with a standard twin-turbo V6 engine with 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque and six-speed manual transmission.

The event will allow SEMA members to test-fit prototypes, 3-D scan, measure and have a close-up experience with the newly designed Z.

The event will feature a Performance grade level Z, equipped with:

• A standard twin-turbo V6 engine with 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Six-speed manual transmission.

U.S. market consumers will have the option of a Sport- or Performance-grade vehicle, six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission, as well as a special-edition Proto Spec (limited to just 240 units).

Please note that this will be an in-person event at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California. In order to comply with state and local health guidelines, this event will require scheduled appointments. Due to high demand, all appointments will be time limited. All attendees will be required to sign an NDA upon arrival. Photography will be limited during the event.

Register now!

*All registered attendees will be required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing during their appointment. With the exception of wheels & tires, there will be no disassembly of this vehicle.

SEMA News—March 2022

SEMA DATA

By Gigi Ho

SEMA Data Product News

The products featured below are from SEMA Data member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SEMA Data members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.

KC HiLites

50-in, Pro6 Gravity LED Eight-Light Curved Light Bar System—160W Combo Beam

Patented Gravity LED G6 optical inserts provide exceptional output and efficiency. Pro6 light utilizes a combination of SAE/ECE Driving and Wide-40 G6 optical inserts. Driving beam lights provide powerful forward distance and equal beam distribution, while the Wide-40 beam offers a wider area of coverage, increasing high-speed cornering visibility. The result is a highly targeted light distribution and beam shape to deliver more usable light than standard forward-facing LED lights.

Information: www.kchilites.com

PN: 91398

SpeedFX

MaxFlow Xtreme Exhaust System Kit

Built using T-304 austenitic stainless steel, which will not pit or rust. A 300-series stainless-steel weld filler supports the overall quality and durability of the system. Smooth mandrel-bent angles ensure maximum air flow for the very best sound and performance. CNC manufacturing creates precise fitment and reduces installation times. Dual side or dual rear exit options are included on applicable systems.

Information:

www.speed-fx.com

PN: 50100

Ksport

Procomp Big Brake Kit

Ksport says that its Big Brake Kits provide the ultimate in stopping power for vehicles. Integrating new brake technology into the design allows for a kit that highly reduces brake fade and continually cools and refreshes the brake pad surface under braking. These brake systems are designed for easy installation with minimal tools (in most applications). The extremely lightweight one-piece caliper comes in differential bore configurations. CNC machined from aircraft-quality billet and weighs just over 5 lbs. each.

Information:

www.ksportusa.com

PN: BKFD050-432SO

SEMA News—March 2022

PEOPLE

A Man of Many Talents

As Stuart Gosswein Announces His Retirement, SEMA Salutes His Four Decades of Industry Achievements

By Mike Imlay

SEMA Senior Director for Federal Governmental Affairs Stuart Gosswein at his office in Washington, D.C. After four decades protecting the specialty-equipment industry’s interests in the nation’s capital, Gosswein is retiring to pursue his career in art and other personal interests.

After four decades of service to SEMA and the aftermarket industry, SEMA Senior Director for Federal Governmental Affairs Stuart Gosswein is retiring. His career with the association represents one of incredible achievement, but more than that, said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting, Gosswein’s tireless and respected voice as an industry advocate will be sorely missed.

“More than any other person I’ve known, when Stuart sets his mind to accomplishing something for the industry, he stays with it and gets results,” Kersting said. “Whether it was the passage of the Low Volume Replica Act, fending off cash-for-clunker programs or preserving the Bonneville Salt Flats, Stuart always made the industry’s causes his own. He deserves our sincere appreciation and congratulations for all he has done.”

“I love the industry and don’t really want to leave, but I have other things on my bucket list that I want to get to, and that’s really my motivation for leaving SEMA,” Gosswein said.

One of the things he wants to get to—or rather, get back to—is his fulltime career as an artist, which was his original calling.

“When I was a little kid growing up in Chicago, I was drawing and painting, and my parents nurtured and supported that, putting me into art schools,” he explained. “When I graduated from high school and said I wanted to continue art school, they said, ‘Well, how are you going to support yourself?’ The one thing art school doesn’t teach you is how to sell art. I didn’t know I was going to be working for [former SEMA General Counsel] Russ Deane and SEMA.”

After high school, Gosswein entered The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, graduating in 1975. He then moved to Washington, D.C., for graduate studies at George Washington University. In 1983, Gosswein joined Deane’s law firm to gain some added income while pursuing his art.

Although the automotive industry has come to know Gosswein as a tireless legal advocate, he is also widely known in the nation’s arts community as an accomplished painter and sculptor. His painting “Horse” is among his prized creations.

Those, of course, were the days when Deane was taking on California’s new emissions and noise regulations and undertaking a historic lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reverse onerous rule-making threatening the aftermarket. Decades later, Deane still marvels at the tremendous work ethic and late-night research abilities that Gosswein brought to those issues.

“He never would say ‘no’ to any task, and the interesting characteristic about Stuart is there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do,” Deane said. “He was materially involved in every single important thing that happened to SEMA and was largely responsible for causing things to happen. So many of our industry’s government affairs acheivements largely rest upon the things he did.”

In 1996, Kersting joined what had by then become SEMA’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., serving in the role of vice president. In 2002, Kersting became SEMA president and CEO. At the same time, Gosswein (who had served as a governmental affairs manager) began taking on a series of ever-greater roles, including that of regulatory affairs manager, director of governmental affairs and, ultimately, the senior director title that he holds today.

Kersting also praised Gosswein’s dedication, adding that he brought several unique qualities to his work, including keen insights into problems, determination and tenacity.

“Over Stuart’s time serving the industry, he developed a bond and a kinship with the people SEMA serves,” Kersting observed. “Their causes became personal to him. One of the wonderful things about knowing Stuart throughout his career has been seeing him emerge from a behind-the-scenes support position to find his voice and make a powerful and lasting impact.”

Gosswein (left) is a veteran of numerous annual Washington Rallies in which industry businessmen meet with elected officials to lobby for the aftermarket. In this 2018 meeting with Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL, seated right), he was joined by SEMA Director of Congressional Affairs Eric Snyder (left center) and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting (right center).

Famed Hot Rod editor/publisher and Edelbrock designer Jim McFarland also came to know Gosswein during his early work on organizing an effective industry response to air-quality initiatives. Today, he too regards Gosswein as a lifelong friend.

“He just has a way of getting things done, and I don’t know how to describe it beyond that,” McFarland said. “He established a working relationship with a lot of people around the Hill [in Washington], including the people who support various political leaders. He understands how the system works. He’s been right in the thick of things and very much an organizer.”

When asked to name what he considers his career accomplishments with SEMA, Gosswein’s immediate reply is the low-volume replica car law enacted in 2015.

“That was huge,” he said. “For our office, it represented four years of work up on Capitol Hill, and now we’re going to be looking at placing a spotlight on the program, making consumers aware of it, and getting replica car manufacturers up and running.

“The other is the Bonneville Salt Flats. We’re still working with all the stakeholders to implement that [preservation]program. It’s all incremental—you have to be in it for the long run, and SEMA has been. But what’s been really exciting and rewarding for me personally is how we represent small businesses. SEMA doesn’t just take on automotive issues. We look at all the issues that face our members, so we’ve had to become experts on taxes, health care, you name it—even the recent anti-dumping duties.”

Gosswein with friends and colleagues Russ Deane, SEMA’s former general counsel (center), and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting (right). The trio worked together at Deane’s legal firm in Washington, D.C., which gave birth to the SEMA Governmental Affairs office.

Still, throughout his busy career with SEMA, Gosswein managed to carve out the time and energy for his other passions in life. He has climbed Mt. Whitney in the High Sierras nine times and was instrumental in creating the Downtown Arts Coalition in Washington, D.C., to develop a vibrant arts district in the city. He now looks forward to burning the midnight oil in his studio there.

“I’ve learned from SEMA members that you have to follow your bliss and identify what that is,” he said. “In terms of art, you know, I do portraits, landscapes. I’ve dabbled in architecture. The 9/11 attacks hit close to home, and I ended up doing several different architectural designs—one submission for the New York memorial and one for Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I’ve been doing some sculpture right now, and I just can’t wait to get back to painting.”

But he’ll always have a place for SEMA and will continue to lend his support to its mission and especially to its people when needed.

“I’ll miss the daily interaction with all my coworkers the most,” he said. “I’m one that likes the repetitious things—getting up and coming into the office and having my cup of coffee, catching up with the newspapers and blogs, and greeting coworkers. Yes, I’m going to miss that.”

And SEMA will surely feel Gosswein’s absence as well.

“He’s one of the people who brings real meaning to the words, ‘We couldn’t have done this without him,’” Kersting said. “We wish Stuart a very fulfilling retirement.”