By Ashley Reyes

Jay Ehret of Pickup Outfitters has been named the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization’s (PRO) newest volunteer spotlight member. Ehret currently volunteers on the PRO Select Committee, and is the president of his company—an aftermarket truck top and accessory dealer. In his Q&A with SEMA, Ehret shares the one small move he made that had a huge impact on his bottom line and how volunteering for PRO has impacted his professional career.

SEMA: What inspired you to pursue a career in restyling/manufacturing?    

Jay Ehret: We bought the business as an investment.

SEMA: Why did you decide to volunteer for PRO? How has it or will it impact you?    

JE: I decided to get involved with PRO after attending my first long-range planning meeting, which I attended so I could get a tour of Mcity and the American Center for Mobility. I was so impressed with the Select Committee members and their passion to help the industry. The PRO Council just seemed like a great way to get involved and help me learn the industry.

SEMA: What advice do you have for someone pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket?    

JE: Get involved and never stop learning. The industry is constantly evolving, and if you stand on the sidelines you can get stagnant.

SEMA: What is your dream vehicle? Where would we find you in it on any weekend?    

JE: My dream vehicle is my ’04 Stoner Skiff bay boat. (Stoner is the brand name, by the way.) About once a month, you will find me in bays on the Texas coast catching reds and trout, mostly in the Port O Connor area.

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

JE: The best professional advice I’ve ever received is from a coach who told me to start charging for shop supplies. That one small move has had a huge impact to my bottom line. The best personal advice I’ve received is from Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

SEMA: What keeps you in the industry?

JE: It helps that it’s a profitable industry, but really I enjoy what we do to vehicles. I also enjoy going to PRO Council meetings, I look forward to the SEMA Show, and I am enriched by meeting other shop owners.

SEMA: On a Saturday, where can you be found?

JE: Either at the shop doing some paperwork, on the coast or out on the lake.

By Kyle Cheng

New vehicle sales are up 7.6% in September and are just 3.1% below the levels seen in January.

Despite uncertainty over government stimulus and the virus, the overall economy continues its recovery and consumers continue to spend money. Consumer confidence improved in September, as individuals felt better about both today and the months ahead.

Other key insights from the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators Report”:

• New vehicle sales are up 7.6% in September and are just 3.1% below the levels seen in January.
• New truck and SUV sales in September were higher than January for the first time.
• Consumer spending on vehicles and parts in August 2020 was up 12.2% from August 2019—the third consecutive month that spending was above pre-pandemic levels.
• Manufacturing added 66,000 jobs in September and has now regained 52.5% of all jobs lost from the pandemic.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Download the October “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” available for free at www.sema.org/research.

By Kyle Cheng

New vehicle sales are up 7.6% in September and are just 3.1% below the levels seen in January.

Despite uncertainty over government stimulus and the virus, the overall economy continues its recovery and consumers continue to spend money. Consumer confidence improved in September, as individuals felt better about both today and the months ahead.

Other key insights from the latest “SEMA Industry Indicators Report”:

• New vehicle sales are up 7.6% in September and are just 3.1% below the levels seen in January.
• New truck and SUV sales in September were higher than January for the first time.
• Consumer spending on vehicles and parts in August 2020 was up 12.2% from August 2019—the third consecutive month that spending was above pre-pandemic levels.
• Manufacturing added 66,000 jobs in September and has now regained 52.5% of all jobs lost from the pandemic.

Want more information on the trends affecting the specialty-equipment industry? Download the October “SEMA Industry Indicators Report,” available for free at www.sema.org/research.

By Richard Hail

Todd Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it.

Todd Budde is the owner/operater at FabFitters LLC, Located in La Vernia, Texas. For more than 10 years, his shop has been turning out custom and original designs. Budde’s father was a Supermodfied racer, so there was always a race car in the garage that he was getting to work on. His passion for unique cars expanded from there.

Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it. The grille was updated and modernized with LED projector headlights. The fenders and side panels are an alloy of RX-7, RX-3, BMW M3 and VW Beetle sheet metals.

The original rotary engine was swapped out for a high-performance block manufactured by Billet Pro out of Australia. Two Garrett G42-1200 turbos are bolted onto the Wankel for some added freeway passing capabilities. The transmission, normally snugged up right behind the engine, has been moved to the rear of the car. PTP Turbo Blankets 3D-scanned the entire exhaust system and came back with a custom set of blankets to keep the heat output to a minimum.

Budde’s love of carbon fiber is evident as you can see it adorning the mirrors, skirts, interior panels and more. EVO-R taillights have been fitted to the rear and features the same sequential turn signal pattern as a Lamborghini. Wilwood brakes are evident behind the 19-in. Vossen wheels, which are wrapped in wide, low-profile rubber.

“So not only is it an opportunity for the trade to put their products out there, it’s also an opportunity for us as car builders to do innovative things like this,” says Budde. He continues, “No other platform allows us to take member products, put them together many times in custom formats such as this, and then showcase them and then have the world see them.”

Visit the SEMA Show YouTube Channel for more videos and builder interviews, and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss future episodes. For more details about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, visit www.semabotb.com.

Qualified industry personnel interested in attending SEMA360, the exclusive trade-only online marketplace taking place November 2-6, 2020, are invited to register at www.sema360.com.

By Richard Hail

Todd Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it.

Todd Budde is the owner/operater at FabFitters LLC, Located in La Vernia, Texas. For more than 10 years, his shop has been turning out custom and original designs. Budde’s father was a Supermodfied racer, so there was always a race car in the garage that he was getting to work on. His passion for unique cars expanded from there.

Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it. The grille was updated and modernized with LED projector headlights. The fenders and side panels are an alloy of RX-7, RX-3, BMW M3 and VW Beetle sheet metals.

The original rotary engine was swapped out for a high-performance block manufactured by Billet Pro out of Australia. Two Garrett G42-1200 turbos are bolted onto the Wankel for some added freeway passing capabilities. The transmission, normally snugged up right behind the engine, has been moved to the rear of the car. PTP Turbo Blankets 3D-scanned the entire exhaust system and came back with a custom set of blankets to keep the heat output to a minimum.

Budde’s love of carbon fiber is evident as you can see it adorning the mirrors, skirts, interior panels and more. EVO-R taillights have been fitted to the rear and features the same sequential turn signal pattern as a Lamborghini. Wilwood brakes are evident behind the 19-in. Vossen wheels, which are wrapped in wide, low-profile rubber.

“So not only is it an opportunity for the trade to put their products out there, it’s also an opportunity for us as car builders to do innovative things like this,” says Budde. He continues, “No other platform allows us to take member products, put them together many times in custom formats such as this, and then showcase them and then have the world see them.”

Visit the SEMA Show YouTube Channel for more videos and builder interviews, and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss future episodes. For more details about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, visit www.semabotb.com.

Qualified industry personnel interested in attending SEMA360, the exclusive trade-only online marketplace taking place November 2-6, 2020, are invited to register at www.sema360.com.

By Richard Hail

Todd Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it.

Todd Budde is the owner/operater at FabFitters LLC, Located in La Vernia, Texas. For more than 10 years, his shop has been turning out custom and original designs. Budde’s father was a Supermodfied racer, so there was always a race car in the garage that he was getting to work on. His passion for unique cars expanded from there.

Budde’s entry into SEMA Battle of the Builders is a custom ’93 Mazda RX-7 featuring the front end of a ’70s Series 1 RX-3 grafted onto it. The grille was updated and modernized with LED projector headlights. The fenders and side panels are an alloy of RX-7, RX-3, BMW M3 and VW Beetle sheet metals.

The original rotary engine was swapped out for a high-performance block manufactured by Billet Pro out of Australia. Two Garrett G42-1200 turbos are bolted onto the Wankel for some added freeway passing capabilities. The transmission, normally snugged up right behind the engine, has been moved to the rear of the car. PTP Turbo Blankets 3D-scanned the entire exhaust system and came back with a custom set of blankets to keep the heat output to a minimum.

Budde’s love of carbon fiber is evident as you can see it adorning the mirrors, skirts, interior panels and more. EVO-R taillights have been fitted to the rear and features the same sequential turn signal pattern as a Lamborghini. Wilwood brakes are evident behind the 19-in. Vossen wheels, which are wrapped in wide, low-profile rubber.

“So not only is it an opportunity for the trade to put their products out there, it’s also an opportunity for us as car builders to do innovative things like this,” says Budde. He continues, “No other platform allows us to take member products, put them together many times in custom formats such as this, and then showcase them and then have the world see them.”

Visit the SEMA Show YouTube Channel for more videos and builder interviews, and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss future episodes. For more details about the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition, visit www.semabotb.com.

Qualified industry personnel interested in attending SEMA360, the exclusive trade-only online marketplace taking place November 2-6, 2020, are invited to register at www.sema360.com.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) has named Missy Boudreaux as this week’s #SheIsSEMA Spotlight member. Boudreaux is an inside sales manager at Oracle Lighting—manufacturers of designer lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle and marine markets.

Find out what her advice is for staying goal-oriented, and which industry leader inspires her, in her Q&A with SEMA.

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

Missy Boudreaux: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus energy on higher goals instead of what’s right in front of you. Reaching higher than you normally would.

SEMA: What keeps you involved in this industry?

MD: The industry is ever changing and growing. Seeing the innovation of product in our business is really amazing to watch. We always have something new every day.

SEMA: On a Saturday, where can you be found?

MD: Spending time with family and my dogs, going out on the boat and enjoying local New Orleans festivals.

SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?

MD: Prepared with talking points. Either a printed agenda or notes on a notebook, always come with ideas prepared and written down for reference.

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

MD: Jessi Combs. After watching her year after year at the SEMA Show banquet and understanding the magnitude of her presence, I would have loved to talk with her about her perseverance in a male-dominated industry.

Fill out this form to be a part of the #SheIsSEMA family. You will have the opportunity to be featured on SBN’s social media, SEMA eNews and be recognized on the www.sema.org/sheissema website. While there, check out other inspirational women who are leading the industry and are paving the path for future success.

Not an SBN member? Fill out this form to join today.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) has named Missy Boudreaux as this week’s #SheIsSEMA Spotlight member. Boudreaux is an inside sales manager at Oracle Lighting—manufacturers of designer lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle and marine markets.

Find out what her advice is for staying goal-oriented, and which industry leader inspires her, in her Q&A with SEMA.

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

Missy Boudreaux: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus energy on higher goals instead of what’s right in front of you. Reaching higher than you normally would.

SEMA: What keeps you involved in this industry?

MD: The industry is ever changing and growing. Seeing the innovation of product in our business is really amazing to watch. We always have something new every day.

SEMA: On a Saturday, where can you be found?

MD: Spending time with family and my dogs, going out on the boat and enjoying local New Orleans festivals.

SEMA: How do you prepare for an important meeting?

MD: Prepared with talking points. Either a printed agenda or notes on a notebook, always come with ideas prepared and written down for reference.

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

MD: Jessi Combs. After watching her year after year at the SEMA Show banquet and understanding the magnitude of her presence, I would have loved to talk with her about her perseverance in a male-dominated industry.

Fill out this form to be a part of the #SheIsSEMA family. You will have the opportunity to be featured on SBN’s social media, SEMA eNews and be recognized on the www.sema.org/sheissema website. While there, check out other inspirational women who are leading the industry and are paving the path for future success.

Not an SBN member? Fill out this form to join today.

By SEMA Editors

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) will be a part of SEMA360, November 2–6, with a series of complimentary offerings showcasing I-CAR’s educational experts and robust learning experiences. Plug in and join I-CAR for a variety of free, live, one-hour technical mini-training sessions, including:

• Using RTS (I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support portal) on a Collision Damaged Vehicle
• Steel Welding Advanced Techniques
• Metal Straightening Considerations You Haven’t Thought About
• Spot Welds Beyond Pulling the Trigger
• Electric Vehicles Safety—Where to Begin
• Take Your Aluminum Welds to the Next Level
• How ADAS, Calibration, Structure and Wheel Alignments Are Connected
• Take Your MIG Brazing to the Next Level
• A “Sneak Peak” of  I-CAR’s Get to Gold Class Package

Experience first-hand how I-CAR can take your training game to the next level. I-CAR experts will be available for live chats during SEMA360. Visit I-CAR’s Virtual Showcase when SEMA360 launches at www.SEMA360.com.

By SEMA Editors

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) will be a part of SEMA360, November 2–6, with a series of complimentary offerings showcasing I-CAR’s educational experts and robust learning experiences. Plug in and join I-CAR for a variety of free, live, one-hour technical mini-training sessions, including:

• Using RTS (I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support portal) on a Collision Damaged Vehicle
• Steel Welding Advanced Techniques
• Metal Straightening Considerations You Haven’t Thought About
• Spot Welds Beyond Pulling the Trigger
• Electric Vehicles Safety—Where to Begin
• Take Your Aluminum Welds to the Next Level
• How ADAS, Calibration, Structure and Wheel Alignments Are Connected
• Take Your MIG Brazing to the Next Level
• A “Sneak Peak” of  I-CAR’s Get to Gold Class Package

Experience first-hand how I-CAR can take your training game to the next level. I-CAR experts will be available for live chats during SEMA360. Visit I-CAR’s Virtual Showcase when SEMA360 launches at www.SEMA360.com.