Mon, 06/06/2016 - 07:29

Strengthen Your Company Through Community

No matter what niche you're in—rods, restoration, racing, restyling, reps, trucks or wheels and tires—there's a SEMA council or professional network that's right for your company. SEMA councils and networks offer members a variety of market-specific programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular industry segment.


HRIA Logo 
Visit HRIA's website
hria

HRIA Hosting Exciting Events at NSRA Nationals

HRIA General Membership Meeting

The Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) is hosting a general membership meeting at the NSRA Nationals on August 3—one day before the event opens. General membership meetings are a great opportunity to learn more about the council and the resources available exclusively to HRIA members. Attendees will hear the latest updates from the select committee and enjoy an open discussion on the hot rod industry.

With the SEMA Show just around the corner, the select committee will announce opportunities to volunteer at the Show and other opportunities to become more involved in council activities. Enjoy refreshments while connecting with hot-rod professionals.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, August 3, from 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m., in the Saddle and Sirloin Club, Freedom Hall.

Register Here.

HRIA Education Day Moves to NSRA Nationals

The HRIA is moving its Education Day sessions to be hosted at the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Twelve manufacturers will give hour-long presentations on not only their product line but also tips and tricks for your restoration projects. The Education Day will take place Thursday, August 4, with sessions beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the last session concluding at 4:15 p.m., with two simultaneous presentations per hour. The sessions will be set up classroom style with some manufacturers having panel discussions while others will be true presentation style. These valuable sessions are open to all NSRA Nationals attendees. This is a popular event and seats are limited.

Reserve your spot in the sessions.

HRIA Pinewood Builder’s Challenge

If you are attending the NSRA Nationals, you do not want to miss the HRIA Pinewood Builder’s Challenge taking place Friday and Saturday (August 5–6) of the nationals on the show floor. The annual HRIA Pinewood Builders Challenge is an opportunity to showcase the skills of nationally known hot-rod builders while raising money for SEMA Cares charities benefiting Childhelp and Victory Junction facilities.

Cheer on the builders as they race their one-of-a-kind, small-scale pinewood cars for recognition and a good cause. After the races, the pinewoods are placed on display in the HRIA booth and auctioned off during the HRIA Industry Awards Reception at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

If you have questions regarding any of these events, contact SEMA Director of Councils Jim Skelly at 909-978-6690 or jimsk@sema.org.

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YEN Logo
Visit YEN's website
yen
Todd Earsley
yen
Erika Klein

Meet the YEN Power Tour Participants

The Young Executives Network (YEN) will hit the road this summer with 10 members to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour. The YENsters will stop in seven cities, starting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with the finish line in Kansas City, Kansas. Each stop attracts hundreds of local car enthusiasts, students and automotive professionals. YEN members will interact with students, showing them around the “traveling car show,” and discussing career paths in the automotive aftermarket industry.

You can follow them along their journey via the hashtag #YENPowerTour.

Let’s meet one of the teams!

Driver – Todd Earsley, My Shop Assist: President

Todd Earsley has taken his passion for the automotive industry and turned it into a business (well, multiple businesses actually). He co-founded My Shop Assist—a web-based project management system for performance shops—in 2012. He edits the “Do It For A Living” podcast. He teaches a business management seminar for shop owners called “Essentials of Operating a Shop.” And he owns his own dyno/fabrication business called Friction Circle Fabrication. You can also catch Earsley on TV, where he competes in the Ultimate Street Car Association races presented by Optima Batteries in his ’03 Mitsubishi Evo, built by Evolution Dynamics. He will drive his Camaro on the YEN Power Tour.

yen
Todd Earsley will drive his Camaro on the Hot Rod Power Tour.

Passenger – Erika Klein, AutoAnything.com: Product Development Manager

Erika Klein has been in the retail industry developing brands for the past 13 years, and has specifically been in the automotive aftermarket for the last three at AutoAnything.com (an AutoZone company). As the product development manager at AutoAnything, Klein has developed and launched three new private-label brands, which has helped her get more connected to the industry, her customers and their needs.

“It’s an exciting time to be a part of the automotive aftermarket, especially as a woman.” says Klein. “Not only to help drive innovation but to help drive evolution in culture. I have recently had the pleasure of serving on the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network as a select committee member, where I lend my fresh set of eyes and passion for innovation to help elevate women in the automotive industry.” 

Overall it has been a great experience for her learning a new industry and being an SBN select committee member. She is excited to make even more connections with peers and students during the Power Tour! 

For more information on the YEN Power Tour, visit www.sema.org/yen-power-tour.

jayke
Jayke Milton

YEN Member Insight: Jayke Milton, Co-Founder, fuelculture Media

What is fuelculture Media? How does it work?

The fuelculture Media Agency was born of an intuitive and organic inclination toward both modern media and automotive passion. We, in practice, are a full-service media agency dedicated to the automotive aftermarket and specializing in creating and distributing content for mass public consumption. Our progression through the industry has led us to creating and executing many entities, and fuelculture serves somewhat as the zip tie that binds it all together. Wrecked magazine, Sponsor Spotter, Slide America, The Street Driven Tour and more have all been created to serve both our industry and our clients.

What’s the best part about developing this type of business?

The freedom to create. We are free to keep our fingers to the pulse of the consumer, which has allowed us to consistently produce creative marketing initiatives for our clients that truly integrate their brands into the communities they want to sell into. We get to play the bridge of two worlds and, for us, it is a rewarding challenge.

When/how did you decide to merge your experience with your passion for the aftermarket?

The day I decided to quit my restaurant job in college and start a “career.” We decided to shoot a documentary film about grassroots drifting in the United States, and everything after that was created from what we learned and experienced along the road. This industry has provided me the only professional home I have ever known, and with fuelculture, we are constantly pushing the limits to strengthen and drive this industry forward.

What roles do social media and content marketing play in the aftermarket?

I think a broad answer is that this depends on who you target. But for us, the role of social and content-based marketing is of paramount importance. We as industry producers must access the next generation of consumers through a different medium where those consumers are most often found—through a screen. As this new breed of digital consumer evolves, so does their ability to understand when they are being targeted. This leaves it up to us to produce brand-integrated content that is entertaining, educational and experiential and that at least narrows the selection tree during a buying decision. The content is the cargo; social media is the big rig delivering it.

What is your opinion on the youth market? Are young people still interested in cars? How do companies connect with them?

The youth market is something that every industry on this planet is fighting for because they’re all accessible through some medium or another. Because of this access, there are so many different messages competing for the same attention span. Because of this wealth of choice, the youth market bores quickly and is easily distracted. The good news is that this market is obsessive when they find what excites them. This is where we as an industry, as a hobby and as a passion are provided an advantage. The thing that ignited the passion in all of us is not broken in today’s youth. On any street, the sound of a roaring engine still turns heads. Anyone who looks at a well-built and modified, crafted vehicle would much prefer to own it over its stock counterpart. The exhilaration from acceleration is something that runs into the very genetics of who we are as human beings. The difference between today’s youth and yesterday’s comes in its proximity and frequency to these adrenaline-inducing events.

How do companies connect with this youth?

I think we’re asking the wrong question. As our market ages out at the top, how do we develop and expand the next generation of enthusiasts? How do we get them to understand and share the passion that burns in us? My answer is that we bring it to them with events; we increase the proximity and frequency with which the youth experiences our gear-driven fire, the events that sparked our own passions. I helped start an event series last year called the Street Driven Tour, born specifically of this cause. We put on display the wide range in taste and vision for show cars, we explode down dragways, we get people sideways in drift cars and we let people feel the excitement of door-to-door road-course racing. We aim to show, and more importantly, let people feel all that our industry has to offer with the belief that something will resonate. In that resonation we will create a new consumer and only then can we ask how to connect.

How did you make so many connections?

I credit a lot of our success and connections to the opportunities SEMA has provided me through its various functions and trade shows. The great thing about this industry and something that sets it apart from a lot of other industries is that we all as individuals have more in common with each other than just our industry. For most of us, we were able to turn our pastime, our hobby and our passion into our career, and that goes a long way in letting us connect and identify with one another. What allows us all to make our living also unites us in common interest.

After building your own business, what advice would you give someone chasing a new idea?

I would advise someone to never let a gifted skillset be a substitute for hard work; it’s the blend of the two that will make you successful.

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Mon, 06/06/2016 - 07:27
Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:53

By SEMA Editors

hrot
Gordon Central High School qualifitied for the Dual Championship playoffs with a time of 32:04.

After teams competed at the Lane Automotive Car Show in Watervliet, Michigan, last weekend, two more schools made the cut to compete in the Dual National Championships held later this year at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. With the addition of these two schools, the playoff team count now stands at 38.

Persistence paid off for Gordon Central High School, who competed at the Chattanooga Cruise-In in Tennessee on April 2. This was their first-ever competition, and they ran a time of 60:16 with penalties. After two more weeks of hard work, they returned to Summit Racing Motorama in Hampton, Georgia. At this event they were on pace to qualify for the Dual Championship, but an incorrect torque sequence of the oil pan cost them a four-minute penalty. The total time of 36:23 was just 2:23 over the time of 34 minutes they needed to qualify.

The team rallied after the penalty and decided to travel 653 miles to the Lane Automotive Car Show. This time, they qualified for the Dual National Championship with a final time of 32:04.

“It feels great to qualify for the Dual Championship this year,” said Coach Tim Watkins. “The students have been working hard to improve and qualify this year since November. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has great opportunities for students, and they have a chance to receive scholarships and go to college.”

Team Be-Cool, from Elkhart Area Career Center in Indiana, finished in first place with an improved time of 20:24 at the Lane Automotive Car Show. Coming in second was Team Taylor, from Fremd High School in Illinois, with a time of 23:26. And in third place came Team QA1, from Elkhart Area Career Center, with a time of 24:57.

Also heading to the Dual National Championships is Team Weathertech from Lakeshore High School, who qualified with a time of 29:56. With only two events left, time is running out to qualify with a time of 34 minutes or less for the 2016 Dual National Championship at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. This weekend’s qualifier in Sacramento, California, will be the last chance for West Coast high school teams to compete for a spot in the Dual Championship playoffs this year.

Stay tuned for more information on the last qualifying event at the 11th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing in Joliet, Illinois, in July. Visit www.HotRoddersofTomorrow.com or connect with them on Facebook for more information.

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:53

By SEMA Editors

hrot
Gordon Central High School qualifitied for the Dual Championship playoffs with a time of 32:04.

After teams competed at the Lane Automotive Car Show in Watervliet, Michigan, last weekend, two more schools made the cut to compete in the Dual National Championships held later this year at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. With the addition of these two schools, the playoff team count now stands at 38.

Persistence paid off for Gordon Central High School, who competed at the Chattanooga Cruise-In in Tennessee on April 2. This was their first-ever competition, and they ran a time of 60:16 with penalties. After two more weeks of hard work, they returned to Summit Racing Motorama in Hampton, Georgia. At this event they were on pace to qualify for the Dual Championship, but an incorrect torque sequence of the oil pan cost them a four-minute penalty. The total time of 36:23 was just 2:23 over the time of 34 minutes they needed to qualify.

The team rallied after the penalty and decided to travel 653 miles to the Lane Automotive Car Show. This time, they qualified for the Dual National Championship with a final time of 32:04.

“It feels great to qualify for the Dual Championship this year,” said Coach Tim Watkins. “The students have been working hard to improve and qualify this year since November. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has great opportunities for students, and they have a chance to receive scholarships and go to college.”

Team Be-Cool, from Elkhart Area Career Center in Indiana, finished in first place with an improved time of 20:24 at the Lane Automotive Car Show. Coming in second was Team Taylor, from Fremd High School in Illinois, with a time of 23:26. And in third place came Team QA1, from Elkhart Area Career Center, with a time of 24:57.

Also heading to the Dual National Championships is Team Weathertech from Lakeshore High School, who qualified with a time of 29:56. With only two events left, time is running out to qualify with a time of 34 minutes or less for the 2016 Dual National Championship at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. This weekend’s qualifier in Sacramento, California, will be the last chance for West Coast high school teams to compete for a spot in the Dual Championship playoffs this year.

Stay tuned for more information on the last qualifying event at the 11th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing in Joliet, Illinois, in July. Visit www.HotRoddersofTomorrow.com or connect with them on Facebook for more information.

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:53

By SEMA Editors

hrot
Gordon Central High School qualifitied for the Dual Championship playoffs with a time of 32:04.

After teams competed at the Lane Automotive Car Show in Watervliet, Michigan, last weekend, two more schools made the cut to compete in the Dual National Championships held later this year at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. With the addition of these two schools, the playoff team count now stands at 38.

Persistence paid off for Gordon Central High School, who competed at the Chattanooga Cruise-In in Tennessee on April 2. This was their first-ever competition, and they ran a time of 60:16 with penalties. After two more weeks of hard work, they returned to Summit Racing Motorama in Hampton, Georgia. At this event they were on pace to qualify for the Dual Championship, but an incorrect torque sequence of the oil pan cost them a four-minute penalty. The total time of 36:23 was just 2:23 over the time of 34 minutes they needed to qualify.

The team rallied after the penalty and decided to travel 653 miles to the Lane Automotive Car Show. This time, they qualified for the Dual National Championship with a final time of 32:04.

“It feels great to qualify for the Dual Championship this year,” said Coach Tim Watkins. “The students have been working hard to improve and qualify this year since November. Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has great opportunities for students, and they have a chance to receive scholarships and go to college.”

Team Be-Cool, from Elkhart Area Career Center in Indiana, finished in first place with an improved time of 20:24 at the Lane Automotive Car Show. Coming in second was Team Taylor, from Fremd High School in Illinois, with a time of 23:26. And in third place came Team QA1, from Elkhart Area Career Center, with a time of 24:57.

Also heading to the Dual National Championships is Team Weathertech from Lakeshore High School, who qualified with a time of 29:56. With only two events left, time is running out to qualify with a time of 34 minutes or less for the 2016 Dual National Championship at the SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show. This weekend’s qualifier in Sacramento, California, will be the last chance for West Coast high school teams to compete for a spot in the Dual Championship playoffs this year.

Stay tuned for more information on the last qualifying event at the 11th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing in Joliet, Illinois, in July. Visit www.HotRoddersofTomorrow.com or connect with them on Facebook for more information.

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:03

By SEMA Editors

senter
Louis Senter

Louis Senter—one of SEMA’s founding members and a Hall of Famer—died Saturday, May 28. He was 95.

Senter got his start by building and modifying engines for midgets and other forms of oval-track racing. He was the founder of Ansen Automotive and, later, the Senter Wheel Company.

He opened his own machine shop on Crocker Street in downtown Los Angeles called Senter Engineering.

After moving the business to Jefferson Boulevard in 1947, he took on Jack Andrews as a partner. The new partnership also brought a name change from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering—a combination of Andrews and Senter—and was one of the first true speed shops in the city, according to Senter. There, Senter developed a lightened, balanced and polished Ford flathead crankshaft kit. The firm sold complete engines, which were shipped for the most part to NASCAR drivers in the southern states.

During that period, Senter became well acquainted with other industry pioneers, such as Ed Iskenderian, Vic Edelbrock Sr. and Phil Weiand. All of them grew increasingly adept at producing specialty-equipment parts.

In addition, Senter became involved in drag racing. He began at the Santa Ana Blimp Base in Los Angeles—the first strip in the area—and then at the Saugus Drag Strip, where he held races every Sunday.

ansen
After entering a partnership with Jack Andrews, in 1947, Senter (second from left) changed the name of his business from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering.
senter
During the ’60s, Ansen Automotive began to build one-piece and two-piece aluminum wheels for first race cars and then street cars using a centrifugal casting machine of Senter’s design. In 1963, Senter developed the Ansen Sprint wheel, which was a slotted aluminum type that could be disassembled to change offsets.

In late October of 1950, after Senter became the sole owner of Ansen Automotive, the company expanded again into a building on Normandie Boulevard in Los Angeles. During the ensuing years, a number of automotive icons worked there, including Lou Raney, Ed Pink and Jim Kavanaugh.

In 1963, Senter and other manufacturers formed an organization known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), later renamed the Specialty Equipment Market Association. Senter said that the organization was designed to formulate safety standards in the high-performance industry and organize the manufacturers for representation in Washington, D.C., to keep SEMA informed about legislation being introduced that might affect the industry.

In the early ’60s, Ansen Automotive moved to a building constructed specifically for the business on Western Avenue in Gardena, California. The company’s catalog grew to more than 100 pages and featured hundreds of parts, including forged pistons and forged-steel rods, aluminum connecting rods and a safety bell housing that became compulsory at all dragstrips. The piston department was later sold to Nick Arias, who is still making pistons today, and the rod department was sold to Miller Rods.

Senter began to pull back from the business in 1969, selling to Whittaker Corp. He stayed with Ansen until 1974 and then became a consultant for W.R. Grace, which included Appliance Industries, Mr. Gasket, Lakewood and Hickey. In 1978, Louis Senter was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Senter continued to develop wheel products and companies over the next few years but eventually retired for good. He was named to the Hot Rod Magazine Hall of Fame in 1997, received a Western Racing Association award for his 50-year contribution to racing in 1998 and was named to the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

 

 

 

 

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:03

By SEMA Editors

senter
Louis Senter

Louis Senter—one of SEMA’s founding members and a Hall of Famer—died Saturday, May 28. He was 95.

Senter got his start by building and modifying engines for midgets and other forms of oval-track racing. He was the founder of Ansen Automotive and, later, the Senter Wheel Company.

He opened his own machine shop on Crocker Street in downtown Los Angeles called Senter Engineering.

After moving the business to Jefferson Boulevard in 1947, he took on Jack Andrews as a partner. The new partnership also brought a name change from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering—a combination of Andrews and Senter—and was one of the first true speed shops in the city, according to Senter. There, Senter developed a lightened, balanced and polished Ford flathead crankshaft kit. The firm sold complete engines, which were shipped for the most part to NASCAR drivers in the southern states.

During that period, Senter became well acquainted with other industry pioneers, such as Ed Iskenderian, Vic Edelbrock Sr. and Phil Weiand. All of them grew increasingly adept at producing specialty-equipment parts.

In addition, Senter became involved in drag racing. He began at the Santa Ana Blimp Base in Los Angeles—the first strip in the area—and then at the Saugus Drag Strip, where he held races every Sunday.

ansen
After entering a partnership with Jack Andrews, in 1947, Senter (second from left) changed the name of his business from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering.
senter
During the ’60s, Ansen Automotive began to build one-piece and two-piece aluminum wheels for first race cars and then street cars using a centrifugal casting machine of Senter’s design. In 1963, Senter developed the Ansen Sprint wheel, which was a slotted aluminum type that could be disassembled to change offsets.

In late October of 1950, after Senter became the sole owner of Ansen Automotive, the company expanded again into a building on Normandie Boulevard in Los Angeles. During the ensuing years, a number of automotive icons worked there, including Lou Raney, Ed Pink and Jim Kavanaugh.

In 1963, Senter and other manufacturers formed an organization known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), later renamed the Specialty Equipment Market Association. Senter said that the organization was designed to formulate safety standards in the high-performance industry and organize the manufacturers for representation in Washington, D.C., to keep SEMA informed about legislation being introduced that might affect the industry.

In the early ’60s, Ansen Automotive moved to a building constructed specifically for the business on Western Avenue in Gardena, California. The company’s catalog grew to more than 100 pages and featured hundreds of parts, including forged pistons and forged-steel rods, aluminum connecting rods and a safety bell housing that became compulsory at all dragstrips. The piston department was later sold to Nick Arias, who is still making pistons today, and the rod department was sold to Miller Rods.

Senter began to pull back from the business in 1969, selling to Whittaker Corp. He stayed with Ansen until 1974 and then became a consultant for W.R. Grace, which included Appliance Industries, Mr. Gasket, Lakewood and Hickey. In 1978, Louis Senter was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Senter continued to develop wheel products and companies over the next few years but eventually retired for good. He was named to the Hot Rod Magazine Hall of Fame in 1997, received a Western Racing Association award for his 50-year contribution to racing in 1998 and was named to the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

 

 

 

 

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:03

By SEMA Editors

senter
Louis Senter

Louis Senter—one of SEMA’s founding members and a Hall of Famer—died Saturday, May 28. He was 95.

Senter got his start by building and modifying engines for midgets and other forms of oval-track racing. He was the founder of Ansen Automotive and, later, the Senter Wheel Company.

He opened his own machine shop on Crocker Street in downtown Los Angeles called Senter Engineering.

After moving the business to Jefferson Boulevard in 1947, he took on Jack Andrews as a partner. The new partnership also brought a name change from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering—a combination of Andrews and Senter—and was one of the first true speed shops in the city, according to Senter. There, Senter developed a lightened, balanced and polished Ford flathead crankshaft kit. The firm sold complete engines, which were shipped for the most part to NASCAR drivers in the southern states.

During that period, Senter became well acquainted with other industry pioneers, such as Ed Iskenderian, Vic Edelbrock Sr. and Phil Weiand. All of them grew increasingly adept at producing specialty-equipment parts.

In addition, Senter became involved in drag racing. He began at the Santa Ana Blimp Base in Los Angeles—the first strip in the area—and then at the Saugus Drag Strip, where he held races every Sunday.

ansen
After entering a partnership with Jack Andrews, in 1947, Senter (second from left) changed the name of his business from Senter Engineering to Ansen Automotive Engineering.
senter
During the ’60s, Ansen Automotive began to build one-piece and two-piece aluminum wheels for first race cars and then street cars using a centrifugal casting machine of Senter’s design. In 1963, Senter developed the Ansen Sprint wheel, which was a slotted aluminum type that could be disassembled to change offsets.

In late October of 1950, after Senter became the sole owner of Ansen Automotive, the company expanded again into a building on Normandie Boulevard in Los Angeles. During the ensuing years, a number of automotive icons worked there, including Lou Raney, Ed Pink and Jim Kavanaugh.

In 1963, Senter and other manufacturers formed an organization known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), later renamed the Specialty Equipment Market Association. Senter said that the organization was designed to formulate safety standards in the high-performance industry and organize the manufacturers for representation in Washington, D.C., to keep SEMA informed about legislation being introduced that might affect the industry.

In the early ’60s, Ansen Automotive moved to a building constructed specifically for the business on Western Avenue in Gardena, California. The company’s catalog grew to more than 100 pages and featured hundreds of parts, including forged pistons and forged-steel rods, aluminum connecting rods and a safety bell housing that became compulsory at all dragstrips. The piston department was later sold to Nick Arias, who is still making pistons today, and the rod department was sold to Miller Rods.

Senter began to pull back from the business in 1969, selling to Whittaker Corp. He stayed with Ansen until 1974 and then became a consultant for W.R. Grace, which included Appliance Industries, Mr. Gasket, Lakewood and Hickey. In 1978, Louis Senter was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

Senter continued to develop wheel products and companies over the next few years but eventually retired for good. He was named to the Hot Rod Magazine Hall of Fame in 1997, received a Western Racing Association award for his 50-year contribution to racing in 1998 and was named to the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

 

 

 

 

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 13:46

By AJ Carney


SEMA invites industry professionals to its final Town Hall Meeting of 2016 in Livonia, Michigan, where members and prospective members will gather at Roush Retail and Automotive Museum for an evening of tours, shop talk and networking with local industry leaders.

SEMA invites industry professionals to its Town Hall Meeting in Livonia, Michigan, where members and prospective members will gather at Roush Retail and Automotive Museum, Wednesday July 13, from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., for an evening of networking with local industry leaders and the SEMA team.

SEMA's Town Hall Meetings provide both members and prospective members with the opportunity to learn about the association’s current programs and objectives while networking with automotive aftermarket professionals from the same geographic region. These personal interactions give members a chance to share the business challenges and opportunities they face. As SEMA staff interacts with attendees, they also gain valuable feedback, which helps identify how current benefits can enhance members’ business operations to better meet their needs.  

“As a new member within SEMA, my experience at the Town Hall Meeting in St. Charles [Illinois] was certainly without regret. I found the topics discussed within the panel very informative. I was able to capture industry-related subjects that are worth discussing within the Mecum organization. Debra Fickler provided me knowledge that will allow me to make an intelligent decision as to which committee to join. Lastly, what an honor it was listening to the legendary Vic Edelbrock tell his story and how he has impacted the industry for so many years.”

—Christine Giovingo, Mecum Auctions

“Hosting the SEMA Town Hall was certainly one of the best events we’ve been involved with. As a warehouse distributor [WD], having the event at our facility allowed us to network with a cross-section of industry people that we normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to. They included customers, retailers, other WDs and manufacturers. The SEMA Town Hall is an asset to our industry. It gives everyone involved the opportunity to learn more about our industry and its members in an intimate setting.”

—Daryl Sampson, Turn 14 Distribution

SEMA has led Town Hall Meetings in several cities across the United States. Attend a Town Hall near you.

For more information or to register, visit SEMA's Town Hall Meetings website or contact Andrea “AJ” Carney at 909-978-6697 or andreac@sema.org.

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 13:46

By AJ Carney


SEMA invites industry professionals to its final Town Hall Meeting of 2016 in Livonia, Michigan, where members and prospective members will gather at Roush Retail and Automotive Museum for an evening of tours, shop talk and networking with local industry leaders.

SEMA invites industry professionals to its Town Hall Meeting in Livonia, Michigan, where members and prospective members will gather at Roush Retail and Automotive Museum, Wednesday July 13, from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., for an evening of networking with local industry leaders and the SEMA team.

SEMA's Town Hall Meetings provide both members and prospective members with the opportunity to learn about the association’s current programs and objectives while networking with automotive aftermarket professionals from the same geographic region. These personal interactions give members a chance to share the business challenges and opportunities they face. As SEMA staff interacts with attendees, they also gain valuable feedback, which helps identify how current benefits can enhance members’ business operations to better meet their needs.  

“As a new member within SEMA, my experience at the Town Hall Meeting in St. Charles [Illinois] was certainly without regret. I found the topics discussed within the panel very informative. I was able to capture industry-related subjects that are worth discussing within the Mecum organization. Debra Fickler provided me knowledge that will allow me to make an intelligent decision as to which committee to join. Lastly, what an honor it was listening to the legendary Vic Edelbrock tell his story and how he has impacted the industry for so many years.”

—Christine Giovingo, Mecum Auctions

“Hosting the SEMA Town Hall was certainly one of the best events we’ve been involved with. As a warehouse distributor [WD], having the event at our facility allowed us to network with a cross-section of industry people that we normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to. They included customers, retailers, other WDs and manufacturers. The SEMA Town Hall is an asset to our industry. It gives everyone involved the opportunity to learn more about our industry and its members in an intimate setting.”

—Daryl Sampson, Turn 14 Distribution

SEMA has led Town Hall Meetings in several cities across the United States. Attend a Town Hall near you.

For more information or to register, visit SEMA's Town Hall Meetings website or contact Andrea “AJ” Carney at 909-978-6697 or andreac@sema.org.