Compiled by SEMA Editors

Kahn Media has promoted Franco Gutierrez (left) to vice president of creative and Cory Burns (right) to vice president of accounts.

Kahn Media Appoints Two Vice Presidents, Adds to Staff and Client Roster

Kahn Media has announced expansions to its staff and client roster, as well as several key promotions. Cory Burns has been promoted to vice president of accounts after nine years of employment at Kahn Media. Burns is responsible for overseeing most of Kahn Media’s accounts and leading overall PR and marketing strategy for brands, including MagnaFlow, Rolex Watch U.S.A., Dinan Engineering and more. Franco Gutierrez has been promoted to vice president of creative after leading Kahn Media’s art department and creative efforts, including video production, graphic design and photography for the last five years. Kahn Media has also added several new hires. Andrew Gessler, a photographer and videographer who started his career in the off-road and motorsports space, brings a motorsports content focus to the staff. Ben Roget joins Kahn Media as an account executive, coming to Kahn from Lexus USA, where he worked as a district manager. Recent client additions include two shows: The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. Kahn is also working with Classic Car Studio, the custom shop featured on Velocity’s “Speed Is the New Black” television program. Also new to the roster is Niteo Products and Karges Fine Art.

Mark Mojica

R&R Marketing welcomes Mark Mojica as Sales and Marketing Representative

R&R Marketing Consultants Inc. (RRMCI) has announced the addition of Mark Mojica as sales and marketing representative. Mojica will join the RRMCI Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma team. Mojica joins RRMCI with more than 30 years of experience from all channels within the automotive aftermarket. His career began with Rancho Suspension as a parts assembler, where he would eventually become Tenneco’s (Rancho Suspension) director of sales, special markets. Mojica has held various sales roles within ReadyLIFT, N-FAB and Earl Owen Co. From manufacturing to distributing, he has called on many major distributors and retailers in the North American aftermarket.

The 13th Annual Edelbrock Car Show to Be Held May 5

Edelbrock has announced that its 13th Annual Car Show will be held Saturday, May 5. On Friday, May 4, Edelbrock will open the doors of its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Torrance, California, to the public for free shop tours. Participants will get the opportunity to take a guided tour of Edelbrock's Research & Development, Manufacturing and Quality Control departments. Shop tours begin at 10:00 a.m., and will end at 1:00 p.m. Limited spots are available. Interested parties can register online at www.edelbrockcarshow.com. On Saturday, May 5, more than 400 cars will fill the streets around Edelbrock’s Distribution Center for the 13th Annual Edelbrock Car Show. Automotive enthusiasts are invited to enjoy a day of hot rods, food and live entertainment. The show will also host the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge and Kids’ Corners. Many aftermarket manufacturers will be in attendance to exhibit their products. Show hours are from 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Spectator entry is free. Car show participants can register online at www.edelbrockcarshow.com. Standard registration is available from now until April 29 at $35 per vehicle. 

ididit’s latest marketing efforts highlight the 2017 Tri-Five of the Year, built by Matt Martinez from his garage in Thornton, Colorado.

ididit announces 2018 “I Did It With ididit" Tour

The inaugural “I Did It With ididit” tour stops at grassroots races and car events across the country in search of not only the best vehicles, but also the up-and-coming builders behind the scenes who are the backbone of the aftermarket industry. ididit team members will award three builders per event with a custom gift as recognition of their talent and tenacity. At the end of the tour, a final winner will be named and receive a grand-prize package from ididit. Builders and fans can follow the tour at @ididitsteering on Instagram and track the #ididitwithididit hashtag across social media for updates, photos and videos as ididit showcases the best grassroots builds in the country. ididit’s latest marketing efforts highlight the 2017 Tri-Five of the Year, built by Matt Martinez from his garage in Thornton, Colorado.

MARTIN Technologies Announces Expansion to Include Facility in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

MARTIN Technologies has announced its new facility located at 100 Hicks Dr., Lawrenceburg, TN 38464. The MARTIN facility supports the company’s expansion of its engineering and manufacturing segments. The company has partnered with the Economic Development, Chamber of Commerce, and Technical Education Groups to facilitate a faster onboarding process for new hires. MARTIN’s initial space is approximately 60,000 sq. ft. Phase I will immediately support engineering and testing services for automotive, aerospace and defense customers. Phase II will provide additional services for OEM and tier suppliers.

Jon Pestinger

Aeromotive Promotes Jon Pestinger to Vice President of Sales

Aeromotive has announced the promotion of Jon Pestinger to vice president of sales. Formerly the company’s national sales manager, the new position became effective January 1. Pestinger joined Aeromotive in 2012, soon after graduating from Kansas State University with a B.B.A. in business administration and management. Immediately prior to employment at Aeromotive, he was the top-selling Camaro salesman in the state of Kansas at Hendrick Automotive Group. During Pestinger’s five-year tenure with Aeromotive, he was responsible for building a strong relationship with the SEMA Data Co-op and coordinating the company’s product data information to ensure accurate and standardization of all information for distributors, retailers and e-commerce. As national sales manager, he was also responsible for finding new markets to grow sales and to increase sales with companies that could benefit from Aeromotive’s superior technical expertise.

Champion Oil Adds Airheart Sales Rep Agency

Champion Oil has announced that Airheart Sales is its newest rep agency covering the Western United States and Canada. 

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

Wade Kawasaki, Chris Kersting and John Waraniak gather to discuss ADAS at the 2017 SEMA Show.

Wade Kawasaki, Chris Kersting and John Waraniak gather to discuss ADAS at the 2017 SEMA Show.

Wade Kawasaki, Chris Kersting and John Waraniak gather to discuss ADAS at the 2017 SEMA Show.

By SEMA Editors

Ford will highlight the ’18 Mustang, among other models, for its 2018 Project Vehicle Program.

Proposals for the 2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program are due March 1. The Ford booth at the 2018 SEMA Show will highlight the following vehicles, in addition to its existing lineup:

• ’19 Ford Ranger
• ’19 Edge ST
• ’18 Ford Super Duty
• ’18 All-New Ford EcoSport
• ’18 Ford Expedition
• ’18 Ford Mustang (2.3L EcoBoost/5.0L GT)
• ’18 F-150
• ’18 Ford Raptor
• ’18 Ford Transit

Information and high-resolution images for proposal renderings for the above models can be found at the Ford media website or www.ford.com.

While the above vehicles have the greatest probability of being awarded, the entire retail Ford product lineup, with the exception of Ford GT, GT350/R and Lincoln products, are eligible for the Project Vehicle Program. The criteria is listed below:

2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program

Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1, 2018
Award Recipient Notification Date: by May 1, 2018

Mail a detailed project proposal—must be received by March 1. Include details supporting the one-page project summary on company letterhead, a color rendering and past project vehicle examples.

Information on Ford vehicles is available at: www.ford.com.

Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program Criteria

Aftermarket companies requesting project vehicles should be:

• A manufacturer or designer/restyler dedicated to supporting new-product development.
• Financially capable and willing to spend promotional dollars.
• Actively promoting the vehicle with their product(s) through an established marketing plan.
• A current SEMA member.

Aftermarket companies receiving project vehicles must:

• Feature the vehicle in a booth at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
• Use Ford accessory products as specified and provided by Ford Motor Company.
• Register and keep the vehicle in your company name during the entire contract period.
• Purchase and maintain $3 million in general liability, $3 million in automotive liability, $1 million in employer liability and demonstrate worker's compensation coverage. An umbrella policy may be used to achieve coverage limits.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the Ford logo intact and visible.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Make vehicles available to Ford or its dealers for display, at the owner's discretion.
• Submit written quarterly status reports for a period of 18 months, as specified in the contract, stating:

1. Product development
2. Modifications to the vehicle
3. Events (including dates, location and type of event)
4. Media exposure (originals or color copies)
5. Company advertising featuring the vehicle
6. Social media exposure
7. A copy of your current vehicle registration

Information on the specific vehicles Ford plans to emphasize at the 2018 SEMA Show will follow in January. Details will be provided to allow you to research those products and find high-resolution images for renderings.

Submit Ford Project Vehicle proposals to:

Ford Motor Co.
21175 Oakwood Blvd., PDCDC MD579
Dearborn, MI 48124
Attn: Mike Nicopolis & Rob Fridenberg
semainfo@ford.com

By SEMA Editors

Ford will highlight the ’18 Mustang, among other models, for its 2018 Project Vehicle Program.

Proposals for the 2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program are due March 1. The Ford booth at the 2018 SEMA Show will highlight the following vehicles, in addition to its existing lineup:

• ’19 Ford Ranger
• ’19 Edge ST
• ’18 Ford Super Duty
• ’18 All-New Ford EcoSport
• ’18 Ford Expedition
• ’18 Ford Mustang (2.3L EcoBoost/5.0L GT)
• ’18 F-150
• ’18 Ford Raptor
• ’18 Ford Transit

Information and high-resolution images for proposal renderings for the above models can be found at the Ford media website or www.ford.com.

While the above vehicles have the greatest probability of being awarded, the entire retail Ford product lineup, with the exception of Ford GT, GT350/R and Lincoln products, are eligible for the Project Vehicle Program. The criteria is listed below:

2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program

Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1, 2018
Award Recipient Notification Date: by May 1, 2018

Mail a detailed project proposal—must be received by March 1. Include details supporting the one-page project summary on company letterhead, a color rendering and past project vehicle examples.

Information on Ford vehicles is available at: www.ford.com.

Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program Criteria

Aftermarket companies requesting project vehicles should be:

• A manufacturer or designer/restyler dedicated to supporting new-product development.
• Financially capable and willing to spend promotional dollars.
• Actively promoting the vehicle with their product(s) through an established marketing plan.
• A current SEMA member.

Aftermarket companies receiving project vehicles must:

• Feature the vehicle in a booth at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
• Use Ford accessory products as specified and provided by Ford Motor Company.
• Register and keep the vehicle in your company name during the entire contract period.
• Purchase and maintain $3 million in general liability, $3 million in automotive liability, $1 million in employer liability and demonstrate worker's compensation coverage. An umbrella policy may be used to achieve coverage limits.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the Ford logo intact and visible.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Make vehicles available to Ford or its dealers for display, at the owner's discretion.
• Submit written quarterly status reports for a period of 18 months, as specified in the contract, stating:

1. Product development
2. Modifications to the vehicle
3. Events (including dates, location and type of event)
4. Media exposure (originals or color copies)
5. Company advertising featuring the vehicle
6. Social media exposure
7. A copy of your current vehicle registration

Information on the specific vehicles Ford plans to emphasize at the 2018 SEMA Show will follow in January. Details will be provided to allow you to research those products and find high-resolution images for renderings.

Submit Ford Project Vehicle proposals to:

Ford Motor Co.
21175 Oakwood Blvd., PDCDC MD579
Dearborn, MI 48124
Attn: Mike Nicopolis & Rob Fridenberg
semainfo@ford.com

By SEMA Editors

Ford will highlight the ’18 Mustang, among other models, for its 2018 Project Vehicle Program.

Proposals for the 2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program are due March 1. The Ford booth at the 2018 SEMA Show will highlight the following vehicles, in addition to its existing lineup:

• ’19 Ford Ranger
• ’19 Edge ST
• ’18 Ford Super Duty
• ’18 All-New Ford EcoSport
• ’18 Ford Expedition
• ’18 Ford Mustang (2.3L EcoBoost/5.0L GT)
• ’18 F-150
• ’18 Ford Raptor
• ’18 Ford Transit

Information and high-resolution images for proposal renderings for the above models can be found at the Ford media website or www.ford.com.

While the above vehicles have the greatest probability of being awarded, the entire retail Ford product lineup, with the exception of Ford GT, GT350/R and Lincoln products, are eligible for the Project Vehicle Program. The criteria is listed below:

2018 Ford Project Vehicle Program

Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1, 2018
Award Recipient Notification Date: by May 1, 2018

Mail a detailed project proposal—must be received by March 1. Include details supporting the one-page project summary on company letterhead, a color rendering and past project vehicle examples.

Information on Ford vehicles is available at: www.ford.com.

Ford Aftermarket Project Vehicle Program Criteria

Aftermarket companies requesting project vehicles should be:

• A manufacturer or designer/restyler dedicated to supporting new-product development.
• Financially capable and willing to spend promotional dollars.
• Actively promoting the vehicle with their product(s) through an established marketing plan.
• A current SEMA member.

Aftermarket companies receiving project vehicles must:

• Feature the vehicle in a booth at the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
• Use Ford accessory products as specified and provided by Ford Motor Company.
• Register and keep the vehicle in your company name during the entire contract period.
• Purchase and maintain $3 million in general liability, $3 million in automotive liability, $1 million in employer liability and demonstrate worker's compensation coverage. An umbrella policy may be used to achieve coverage limits.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the Ford logo intact and visible.
• Order a California-certified vehicle if you intend to register or use the vehicle primarily in California or any other state that has adopted California emissions standards. Failure to do so may subject you to a state fine.
• Make vehicles available to Ford or its dealers for display, at the owner's discretion.
• Submit written quarterly status reports for a period of 18 months, as specified in the contract, stating:

1. Product development
2. Modifications to the vehicle
3. Events (including dates, location and type of event)
4. Media exposure (originals or color copies)
5. Company advertising featuring the vehicle
6. Social media exposure
7. A copy of your current vehicle registration

Information on the specific vehicles Ford plans to emphasize at the 2018 SEMA Show will follow in January. Details will be provided to allow you to research those products and find high-resolution images for renderings.

Submit Ford Project Vehicle proposals to:

Ford Motor Co.
21175 Oakwood Blvd., PDCDC MD579
Dearborn, MI 48124
Attn: Mike Nicopolis & Rob Fridenberg
semainfo@ford.com

By SEMA Editors

SEMA is now accepting applications for the 2018 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund. Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto-parts industries can apply at www.sema.org/scholarships.  

New this year, high-school and part-time students can apply for a scholarship. The change is part of an effort by SEMA’s Scholarship Committee to start students down the automotive path and support their efforts at an earlier stage.

“SEMA is dedicated to activating the next-generation automotive workforce by providing financial support and career resources to students enrolled in various high schools, universities, colleges and/or vocational schools in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman-Elect Tim Martin.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. The deadline for the program is March 1, 2018.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

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

For more information, contact SEMA Manager of Student Programs Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

SEMA is now accepting applications for the 2018 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund. Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto-parts industries can apply at www.sema.org/scholarships.  

New this year, high-school and part-time students can apply for a scholarship. The change is part of an effort by SEMA’s Scholarship Committee to start students down the automotive path and support their efforts at an earlier stage.

“SEMA is dedicated to activating the next-generation automotive workforce by providing financial support and career resources to students enrolled in various high schools, universities, colleges and/or vocational schools in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman-Elect Tim Martin.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. The deadline for the program is March 1, 2018.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

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

For more information, contact SEMA Manager of Student Programs Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

By Jenny Galvan

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

Nominations are still being accepted for select committee positions on SEMA’s councils and networks, but they must be received by midnight February 23.

SEMA council or network select committee volunteers work alongside automotive professionals from different segments of the industry and identify common challenges. More importantly, they work toward solutions, make key connections, grow in their professions and gain fulfillment from being an integral part of something bigger.

If you are ready to dive deeper into the industry, or if you know someone who is, now’s your chance to nominate yourself or fellow professionals who have the skills and character to influence industry progress.

Currently, there are 10 councils and networks within SEMA. Councils work to identify related business goals, issues and challenges for member companies in a particular market segment, while the professional networks are a platform for individuals within a SEMA-member company who share a common interest or characteristic.

Join your peers and become an industry leader. Nominate yourself or another exceptional SEMA-member employee today by using the quick and easy online councils nomination form. The select committee elections will take place in late April.

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