By Ashley Reyes

Whether you’re pursuing a career in marketing and sales, accounting, graphic design or any other profession, you may qualify to receive a scholarship of up to $5,000 to help pay for tuition and related expenses. Each year, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation awards more than 100 students hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds.

Each year, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation awards more than 100 students hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds.

Last year, five students received the Top Student Awards, which included a $5,000 scholarship. Ten scholarship winners who were chosen to participate in the SEMA Show Student Experience received a trip to the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where they gained firsthand experience and made valuable connections with professionals in the industry.

“The SEMA Scholarship Program is unlike any other scholarship program, in that our goal is more than just handing out money to help with expenses—we strive to support students in pursuing careers in the industry,” said Chris Standifer, SEMA project manager, recognition programs. “Scholarship applicants become a part of our network in which we support the future generation.”

Applications for this year’s scholarship program, which are due March 1, are available at www.sema.org/scholarships. All students with a passion for automobiles and pursuing a career in the industry are encouraged to apply.  

Alex Borla—the co-founder and CEO of Borla Performance Industries with facilities in Oxnard, California, and Johnson City, Tennessee—has passed away.  

In 1978, Borla co-founded Borla Performance and Borla Exhaust with his wife Alyse Borla. The company, which started as a manufacturer of exhaust components for Rolls-Royce and Ferrari Concours classics, has evolved into a premier exhaust brand covering many cars and trucks.  

Borla, a lifelong auto enthusiast, has participated in several racing events, including the Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Week.

This story was originally published on February 10, 2022. For more industry news, visit SEMANews.com and subscribe to SEMA News at the bottom of the webpage to get the latest updates straight to your inbox, twice a week.

By Rachel Tatum

Kaylee Crayton (@86_nebula), Top 10 of Battle of the Builders: Young Guns division at the 2021 SEMA Show, will join SEMA Young Guns followers for an Instagram “Ask Me Anything” on Tuesday, February 15, from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (PST).

Crayton is a 21-year-old social-media influencer and dual-sport driver. She started bracket racing at 18 and in the past three years, has made a large impact in the automotive world, including being named Import Face off Bracket champion, featured on “All Girls Garage,” obtaining her 7.50 NHRA License and finishing in the top 10 of SEMA Battle of the Builders Young Guns division at the 2021 SEMA Show.

With more than 550,000 followers on TikTok and 20 million views of car-builder content, Crayton is a force to be reckoned with on and off the track.

SEMA continues to actively recruit automotive influencers for the SEMA Social Media Correspondent program. Apply now to be considered.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA Launch Pad, the automotive industry’s product-pitching competition that propelled inventors and entrepreneurs to successful, thriving businesses since 2013, will be featured for the first time on a nationwide television special February 13 on the History Channel.

The 2021 competition included a record-high 200-plus competitors vying for the program’s largest grand prize ever, valued at $100,000. The program features 15 semifinalists who competed live in Las Vegas, where they pitched their products and ideas to a panel of industry experts and icons that included Chip Foose (Foose Design), Jared Hare (Addictive Desert Designs), Myles Kovacs (DUB) and Alex Parker (Redline Detection).

“We’re excited to bring the SEMA Launch Pad to a nationwide television audience,” said Ted Wentz, SEMA Board member and chair of the SEMA Launch Pad Task Force. “For years, the SEMA Launch Pad has encouraged and supported product innovation and new ideas. The television program will give a new audience the opportunity to see the depth of the industry’s innovation.”

The automotive industry has been following the 2021 competition through a five-episode YouTube miniseries that generated almost half a million views. The upcoming television special includes brand-new, exclusive coverage of the finale, with the top two finalists competing in front of thousands of industry professionals at the world-renowned SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Viewers will watch as competitors both triumph and falter along the way, with judges asking hard questions and providing candid feedback.

“The Launch Pad is a competition designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs succeed and grow,” said Wentz. “To see the competition unfold on television is inspiring. We hope that it encourages others to bring new products to the marketplace as well.”

To learn more about the SEMA Launch Pad, visit www.sema.org/launchpad.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

U.S. and Japanese officials announced a tariff-rate quota deal that will end the 25% tariff on steel imports from Japan levied since 2018. The 25% tariff will be suspended on up to 1.25 million metric tons per year of steel imports from Japan and will take effect April 1. (The U.S. imported 1.1 million metric tons of steel from Japan in 2019 but 1.7 million tons in 2017 before the tariffs were imposed.) The agreement does not cover aluminum imports, which are subject to 10% tariffs.

The metal tariffs were initially imposed in 2018 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on national security grounds. The U.S.-Japan agreement comes four months after a similar deal was reached between the U.S. and European Union to end the dispute over both steel and aluminum tariffs. Negotiations are underway to end steel and aluminum tariff disputes with the United States and United Kingdom.

For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.

By Ashley Reyes

While the current trajectory of OEMs focusing on EV technology threatens the potential applications for products designed for internal-combustion engines (ICE), a new hydrogen-fueled ICE offers manufacturers hope into future possible markets and applications. Introduced by Mike Copeland of Diversified Creations, the new technology was recently showcased on a ’48 Chevy truck with a supercharged LS engine.  

Codenamed Zero, the truck—which produces zero tailpipe emissions—debuted at the 2021 SEMA Show and amassed wide media coverage and industry interest. Copeland will share details about the technology during a live webinar on February 23, at 11:00 a.m. (PST). Join Copeland as he shares:

• Hydrogen ICE technology and the viability of hydrogen as a fuel.
• The difference between hydrogen ICE and fuel cell.
• The applicability of hydrogen ICE in the performance segment.
• The hydrogen infrastructure and performance potential of hydrogen ICE.

Learn more and register here for the SEMA webinar “Hydrogen-Fueled ICE for Performance Application.”

By Fredy Ramirez, Jay Carpio, and Carr Winn

Just 21 years old, Christopher Polvoorde passed by friends, competitors, and some of his heroes, on his way to taking first place in the Hammers Toyo Tires Desert Challenge in the T2 class. SEMA News caught up to Polvoorde to talk about the experience.

Truly a challenge to even the most seasoned drivers, the course featured 227 miles of racing over both rocky terrain and high-speed areas. Polvoorde was thrilled to pilot his #94 Optima Batteries Ford Raptor across the finish line.

In a recent Toyo Tires press release, Polvoorde explained the challenges of the race. “This race throws every different type of terrain at you and it gets more challenging every lap,” said Polvoorde. “I am stoked to be able to have all the stars align and win the T2 class and 2nd overall."

For more information about the 2022 Progressive King of the Hammers, presented by Optima Batteries, please visit www.Ultra4Racing.com.

By Ashley Reyes

Destiny Skipper is the SEMA Future Leaders Network’s (FLN), formerly Young Executives Network (YEN), newest spotlight member. Skipper is the marketing manager at Beta Tools—manufacturer of tools and instruments for a wide variety of working fields, including building, hydraulics, electrotechnics and the automotive industry.

Get to know Skipper in her Q&A with SEMA below.

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

Destiny Skipper: A very smart mentor with my former company once told me that if I eliminated the word “but” from my professional vocabulary, I’d find greater acceptance for my ideas and greater cooperation from my team members.

She said people would have a very different perception of me if I could change this one thing. The reason, she said, is because the word “but” negates everything that precedes it, and you cast a negative spin on anything you say when you use it. “But” is exclusive and isolating, “and” is inclusive and welcoming. She was absolutely right, and it’s advice I currently challenge myself and others around me to use every day!

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

DS: I love being part of an industry where I can continue to build on what I have learned over my 18-plus years of marketing and sales. In my current role, I can recognize industry evolution as it happens and work with new technologies that enable us to succeed within our business model. The pace of change also feeds into my competitive nature and drives me to meet each challenge with determination and perseverance.

Although each win is hard-fought, I feel the ever-growing resiliency inside of me and that motivates me to work harder and stay laser focused on continuous improvement.

SEMA: Where can you be found on a Saturday?

DS: I can be found camping. Spring, summer or fall—you will find me with my family somewhere in the Carolina’s primitive camping. My little girl is now almost seven years old and has been camping since she was one-and-a-half years old; she loves it more than I do, which is hard to believe. Something about being unplugged from life and being on the water with the peaceful sounds of nature helps me rest for the busy week ahead—clears my headspace to allow for all the new obstacles coming my way.

SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?

DS: The first thing I ask myself is if we need to have this meeting or can it be resolved by an email or phone call. If the answer is no, then I make sure I communicate clear objectives along with the suggested agenda. In the email invite depending on the objective, I ask for any upfront input on topics I may have missed and/or feedback on any possible obstacles. This allows the participants to be engaged and make sure we are all invested in the key topics that will allow for a productive meeting. Lastly, I make sure I communicate what the desired outcome is and how it will impact all parties involved.

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

DS: If I were able to have lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, I would choose Steve Jobs. He is a man of high character with a mind that is always pushing the limits. He had an idea that he wanted to bring to market and poured all his effort into getting it done. He surrounded himself with people who believed in his dream and who could play a role and take ownership of the plan’s success. It is amazing how he remained cutting edge for so long and formed an army of followers inside and outside of his company to believe in him and his direction.

One of my favorite business-related quotes coming from Steve states: “We don’t hire smart people to tell them what to do, we hire them so they can tell us what to do.” For someone at his level to have the understanding that it takes a team effort to achieve great things and that arrogance has no place is really telling. Later in life, he understood the sacrifices he made to win in the office and what he may have missed out on in other areas. With that said I would love to learn what his major takeaways were (or what he would do differently) since he did live that transition. We all understand work-life balance is a must. How do the greats do it?

If you are a current FLN member, fill out an FLN member spotlight form. Selected candidates may be featured on FLN’s social media, SEMA eNews and FLN member updates.

By Kyle Cheng

The monthly “SEMA Industry Indicators” report details how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy.

As we enter 2022, the overall economic outlook remains positive. While the economy would be bigger today had it not been hit by the pandemic, there was strong growth in 2021 and it is set to expand by 3.9% in 2022. That said, there are challenges on the horizon to keep an eye on: ongoing supply issues, coronavirus variants and high inflation.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Check out the “SEMA Industry Indicators” report each month to learn how movements in the broader economy may impact your business strategy. In this report, published monthly, you’ll get a snapshot of the overall economy and our industry, including:

• Overall economic outlook
• New-vehicle sales and statistics on auto-parts production
• Consumer sentiment and spending
• Economic growth and unemployment
• Other important industry insights

To learn more, download the January “SEMA Industry Indicators” report, now available for free at www.sema.org/research.

Also from SEMA Market Research:

“SEMA Future Trends—January 2022.” In this report, SEMA Market Research provides its outlook for 2022 and beyond for the overall economy, the global supply chain and the specialty-equipment industry. This report also includes a deep dive into changing consumer demographics and its potential implications for the aftermarket in the future.

By Ashley Reyes

The deadline for applications to the Future Leaders Network (FLN) Professional Development Training Program is February 11, 2022. While space is limited, applications are still be accepted at FLN Professional Training.

The program is presented as part of FLN’s commitment to cultivating young talent and developing strong leadership skills. FLN partnered with the world-renown Dale Carnegie trainers to present members with the highly rated, research-based program at a significant cost savings. With decades of proven results, the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training Program is synonymous with leadership and success. FLN is subsidizing the cost of the program and making the program available to members at 50% off—a cost savings of $800. FLN is also providing complimentary hotel and meals for the entire two days of the program, taking place March 24–25 in Southern California.

While there are many courses that help individuals enhance their leadership skills, here are five reasons why members should take advantage of the FLN Program:

1. Designed specifically for the automotive aftermarket. 

The program is open only to FLN members, which consists of top technology, marketing and sales, operations and executive minds in the automotive industry. (Non-FLN members who meet qualifications are invited to join FLN at no cost.) Whether a member is an entrepreneur, business leader or actively pursuing a higher level of professionalism the specialty-equipment aftermarket, this program is specifically for aspiring leaders in the automotive workspace.  

2. Led by world renown Dale Carnegie trainers  

For years, the most successful individuals and organizations have turned to Dale Carnegie's books and seminars to help them reach new levels of advancement. “How To Win Friends and Influence People” essentially set the standard for interpersonal effectiveness, and the book continues to be as valid today as ever. Dale Carnegie’s methods and principles will help FLN members gain the confidence and tools to build relationships and drive results by gaining willing cooperation and commitment.

3. Cost savings of more than $1,000  

The same training program from Dale Carnegie $1,600, but available to FLN members at 50% of the cost and includes complimentary hotel and food for the two-day program in Southern California. (Participants will need to arrange their own travel to the event.)

4. Tailored courses for aspiring leaders  

The program is among the most highly rated training programs available and designed specifically for up-and-coming leaders. Whether you’re struggling with the transition from employee to supervisor, looking to gain skills as a business owner, or aspire to a C-Suite position, the program is proven to help with the skills most needed by new leaders:

• Communicating professionally and confidently in business situations.
• Engaging others by building rapport, asking pertinent questions and listening.
• Building relationships and dealing effectively with people in a multitude of scenarios.
• Gaining cooperation and influencing people, including direct reports, laterally and upward.
• Using emotional controls to sustain success.

5. Two days of high-collaborative industry interaction and networking

With limited participation, the program offers quality networking time and targeted conversations. Instructors hone in on the information more relevant to participants and engage with the group in a meaningful way. Participants are also able to connect and engage with others of like mind and make quality connections with individuals who have similar passions and goals.

FLN members are encouraged to sign up, and supervisors and business owners are encouraged to send their star employees. Deadline to take advantage of the discounted program is February 11.

Interested individuals can learn more or contact Denise Waddingham, FLN director, at deniselw@sema.org.