By Ashley Reyes

As a trade association, SEMA represents the automotive specialty-equipment industry and provides benefits and resources to help businesses in the industry succeed and prosper. While the association has a team of professionals who execute the day-to-day operations, the staff relies on volunteers from the industry to direct, guide and lead its efforts.

In recognition of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 19–25, SEMA would like to recognize and thank the thousands of members who lend their time, knowledge and expertise to help the industry. Many programs and services originated and exist because of SEMA volunteers, from idea and inception to development and execution.

“The ability for the association to grow and develop new resources for our members is attributed to the dedicated and caring people who volunteer their time with us,” said Nathan Ridnour, SEMA vice president of councils and membership. “Without our volunteers, we would not be able to execute the various programs that provide so much value to the industry.”

Over the past two years, the council leadership contributed nearly 20 new ideas for SEMA Board consideration—many supporting strategic initiatives and others offering new value to members.

Recent programs that resulted from volunteers include the Student UTV Build Pilot Program, powered by the SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN), which connected aspiring industry professionals to serve as mentors for high school students, and the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Cup Challenge. Developed to raise awareness and encourage the customization of new model cars and trucks for mainstream consumers, the PRO Cup Challenge kicked off at the 2019 SEMA Show to showcase how simple and affordable it was to create a customized package that would appeal to a large number of consumers.

By focusing on community building and networking, many volunteers have also implemented new ways to connect with members on social media. Member spotlights, Facebook Live Chats and Member Insights are just a few initiatives that are solely volunteer driven.

“Whether they are out at regional events, participating in education seminars, or serving the aftermarket community within their business, they are always willing to help out and inspire others to carry out our mission,” said Ridnouer. “One week isn’t enough to express our gratitude for all they do for the industry, and for this we are extremely grateful.”

By sharing their experience and vision, SEMA volunteers provide creative solutions to challenges businesses are facing and help plan educational and networking opportunities for members in various market segments. They are comprised of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry enthusiasts who care about the future of the specialty equipment market. SEMA appreciates all that they do for our members and community.

By Ashley Reyes

Mike Brown

SEMA Education has partnered with Mike Brown, founder and CEO of the Brainzooming Group, to host a free six-part webinar series filled with tips and strategies to help SEMA members communicate, respond and plan for the changes resulting from the Coronavirus situation. The first webinar is scheduled for April 28, with additional webinars to be scheduled through May 26.

In the SEMA “Jumpstart Business Operations Webinar Series,” Brown will address looking to the future in a strategic manner and provide essential tools, resources and advice for businesses to think beyond near-term survival. Participants will learn how to communicate messages that reflect the environment, prepare for the potential pent-up demand resulting from a shut down, identify new ways to grow and how to incorporate changes into what will become the new normal.

Webinar 1: Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Making Sure Your Messaging and Tone Are On-Target
All organizations must ensure that their messages reflect the environment. Whether for customers or employees, you don’t want to share tone-deaf messages. In this webinar, Brown will on how to adapt and develop relevant messages that are timely and appropriate.
Register now.

Webinar 2: Thursday, April 30, 2020
Learning the Positive Lessons from Disruption
Businesses have scrambled to change business practices and serving customers. They have suddenly innovated in ways unimaginable even weeks earlier. In this webinar, you’ll learn techniques to ensure that lessons and innovative new practices are incorporated when things return to greater normalcy.
Register now.

Webinar 3: Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Handling Intense Demand When Customers Make Up for Lost Time
Products, services, and experiences that have been cut off to customers are creating pent-up demand that everyone will want to fulfill at the same time. In this webinar, we’ll talk about accelerating development and supply to address potential bottlenecks when social distancing and lockdowns are eased.
Register now.

Webinar 4: Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Adjusting to Lower Demand and Finding New Ways to Grow
Many businesses will begin operating again with revenue levels well below previous trends, making ongoing cost management very important. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to find the balance between aggressively managing costs, protecting assets, and maintaining a viable market presence.
Register now.

Webinar 5: Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Pushing Ahead with Change While Barriers Are Down
Everyone inside and outside your business has faced tremendous changes in relationships and purchasing situations. In this webinar, we’ll focus on sustaining the acceptance of positive change and continuing improving your business operations and performance.
Register now.

Webinar 6: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Engaging and Re-engaging Your Most Important Audiences
When social distancing ends, there will be a need to engage with employees and customers in ways that incorporate both previous and new strategies. In this webinar, you’ll learn strategies to help ensure the employee and customer experiences of your business reflect and can continue to adapt to new realities.
Register now.

Participants who preregister and attend a webinar may qualify to win a subscription to Brown’s “Strategy for Success: Strategic Planning Made Simple.” The 11-module e-course includes targeted video lessons, downloaded guides and turn-key exercises, valued at $549. This resource is designed to eliminate trial-and-error and quickly implement an innovative approach to strategy and create effective strategic plans that you can put into action right away.

*One winner per webinar. Winner can only win once. No purchase necessary.

By Ashley Reyes

Mike Brown

SEMA Education has partnered with Mike Brown, founder and CEO of the Brainzooming Group, to host a free six-part webinar series filled with tips and strategies to help SEMA members communicate, respond and plan for the changes resulting from the Coronavirus situation. The first webinar is scheduled for April 28, with additional webinars to be scheduled through May 26.

In the SEMA “Jumpstart Business Operations Webinar Series,” Brown will address looking to the future in a strategic manner and provide essential tools, resources and advice for businesses to think beyond near-term survival. Participants will learn how to communicate messages that reflect the environment, prepare for the potential pent-up demand resulting from a shut down, identify new ways to grow and how to incorporate changes into what will become the new normal.

Webinar 1: Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Making Sure Your Messaging and Tone Are On-Target
All organizations must ensure that their messages reflect the environment. Whether for customers or employees, you don’t want to share tone-deaf messages. In this webinar, Brown will on how to adapt and develop relevant messages that are timely and appropriate.
Register now.

Webinar 2: Thursday, April 30, 2020
Learning the Positive Lessons from Disruption
Businesses have scrambled to change business practices and serving customers. They have suddenly innovated in ways unimaginable even weeks earlier. In this webinar, you’ll learn techniques to ensure that lessons and innovative new practices are incorporated when things return to greater normalcy.
Register now.

Webinar 3: Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Handling Intense Demand When Customers Make Up for Lost Time
Products, services, and experiences that have been cut off to customers are creating pent-up demand that everyone will want to fulfill at the same time. In this webinar, we’ll talk about accelerating development and supply to address potential bottlenecks when social distancing and lockdowns are eased.
Register now.

Webinar 4: Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Adjusting to Lower Demand and Finding New Ways to Grow
Many businesses will begin operating again with revenue levels well below previous trends, making ongoing cost management very important. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to find the balance between aggressively managing costs, protecting assets, and maintaining a viable market presence.
Register now.

Webinar 5: Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Pushing Ahead with Change While Barriers Are Down
Everyone inside and outside your business has faced tremendous changes in relationships and purchasing situations. In this webinar, we’ll focus on sustaining the acceptance of positive change and continuing improving your business operations and performance.
Register now.

Webinar 6: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Engaging and Re-engaging Your Most Important Audiences
When social distancing ends, there will be a need to engage with employees and customers in ways that incorporate both previous and new strategies. In this webinar, you’ll learn strategies to help ensure the employee and customer experiences of your business reflect and can continue to adapt to new realities.
Register now.

Participants who preregister and attend a webinar may qualify to win a subscription to Brown’s “Strategy for Success: Strategic Planning Made Simple.” The 11-module e-course includes targeted video lessons, downloaded guides and turn-key exercises, valued at $549. This resource is designed to eliminate trial-and-error and quickly implement an innovative approach to strategy and create effective strategic plans that you can put into action right away.

*One winner per webinar. Winner can only win once. No purchase necessary.

By Ashley Reyes

Mike Brown

SEMA Education has partnered with Mike Brown, founder and CEO of the Brainzooming Group, to host a free six-part webinar series filled with tips and strategies to help SEMA members communicate, respond and plan for the changes resulting from the Coronavirus situation. The first webinar is scheduled for April 28, with additional webinars to be scheduled through May 26.

In the SEMA “Jumpstart Business Operations Webinar Series,” Brown will address looking to the future in a strategic manner and provide essential tools, resources and advice for businesses to think beyond near-term survival. Participants will learn how to communicate messages that reflect the environment, prepare for the potential pent-up demand resulting from a shut down, identify new ways to grow and how to incorporate changes into what will become the new normal.

Webinar 1: Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Making Sure Your Messaging and Tone Are On-Target
All organizations must ensure that their messages reflect the environment. Whether for customers or employees, you don’t want to share tone-deaf messages. In this webinar, Brown will on how to adapt and develop relevant messages that are timely and appropriate.
Register now.

Webinar 2: Thursday, April 30, 2020
Learning the Positive Lessons from Disruption
Businesses have scrambled to change business practices and serving customers. They have suddenly innovated in ways unimaginable even weeks earlier. In this webinar, you’ll learn techniques to ensure that lessons and innovative new practices are incorporated when things return to greater normalcy.
Register now.

Webinar 3: Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Handling Intense Demand When Customers Make Up for Lost Time
Products, services, and experiences that have been cut off to customers are creating pent-up demand that everyone will want to fulfill at the same time. In this webinar, we’ll talk about accelerating development and supply to address potential bottlenecks when social distancing and lockdowns are eased.
Register now.

Webinar 4: Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Adjusting to Lower Demand and Finding New Ways to Grow
Many businesses will begin operating again with revenue levels well below previous trends, making ongoing cost management very important. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to find the balance between aggressively managing costs, protecting assets, and maintaining a viable market presence.
Register now.

Webinar 5: Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Pushing Ahead with Change While Barriers Are Down
Everyone inside and outside your business has faced tremendous changes in relationships and purchasing situations. In this webinar, we’ll focus on sustaining the acceptance of positive change and continuing improving your business operations and performance.
Register now.

Webinar 6: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Engaging and Re-engaging Your Most Important Audiences
When social distancing ends, there will be a need to engage with employees and customers in ways that incorporate both previous and new strategies. In this webinar, you’ll learn strategies to help ensure the employee and customer experiences of your business reflect and can continue to adapt to new realities.
Register now.

Participants who preregister and attend a webinar may qualify to win a subscription to Brown’s “Strategy for Success: Strategic Planning Made Simple.” The 11-module e-course includes targeted video lessons, downloaded guides and turn-key exercises, valued at $549. This resource is designed to eliminate trial-and-error and quickly implement an innovative approach to strategy and create effective strategic plans that you can put into action right away.

*One winner per webinar. Winner can only win once. No purchase necessary.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Rep. Posey (center) accepts an award from Doug Evans (left), a member of the SEMA Hall of Fame, and Chris Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO.

U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) is a former racer, classic car owner and has been one of SEMA’s strongest allies in Congress since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. As the House co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance & Motorsports Caucus, Congressman Posey is both an enthusiast and a true champion for the specialty automotive aftermarket. While the Congressman has been working from home over the last few weeks, he jumped at the chance to take his ’66 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu out of the garage and participate in the Southern Classics Car Club cruise last Saturday in Titusville, Florida. The cruise counted more than 50 classic cars and trucks participating in the event, which brought joy to local families and seniors while observing social distancing rules.

“Car folks are pretty social, but to respect social distancing, everyone stayed in their cars,” said Rep. Posey “It seemed everyone who participated enjoyed it and I want to thank Southern Classics Car Club and Eckler’s Automotive Restoration & Performance Parts for putting on a great event. I would not be surprised if it starts a new trend.”

SEMA’s longstanding relationship dates back to Rep. Posey’s days in the Florida State Legislature, when SEMA worked with him to pass laws simplifying the process for titling and registering street rods, creating a new classification for custom vehicles and exempting vehicles that occasionally transport personal property to a motorsports facility from commercial motor carrier regulations.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Rep. Posey (center) accepts an award from Doug Evans (left), a member of the SEMA Hall of Fame, and Chris Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO.

U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) is a former racer, classic car owner and has been one of SEMA’s strongest allies in Congress since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. As the House co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance & Motorsports Caucus, Congressman Posey is both an enthusiast and a true champion for the specialty automotive aftermarket. While the Congressman has been working from home over the last few weeks, he jumped at the chance to take his ’66 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu out of the garage and participate in the Southern Classics Car Club cruise last Saturday in Titusville, Florida. The cruise counted more than 50 classic cars and trucks participating in the event, which brought joy to local families and seniors while observing social distancing rules.

“Car folks are pretty social, but to respect social distancing, everyone stayed in their cars,” said Rep. Posey “It seemed everyone who participated enjoyed it and I want to thank Southern Classics Car Club and Eckler’s Automotive Restoration & Performance Parts for putting on a great event. I would not be surprised if it starts a new trend.”

SEMA’s longstanding relationship dates back to Rep. Posey’s days in the Florida State Legislature, when SEMA worked with him to pass laws simplifying the process for titling and registering street rods, creating a new classification for custom vehicles and exempting vehicles that occasionally transport personal property to a motorsports facility from commercial motor carrier regulations.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

Rep. Posey (center) accepts an award from Doug Evans (left), a member of the SEMA Hall of Fame, and Chris Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO.

U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) is a former racer, classic car owner and has been one of SEMA’s strongest allies in Congress since he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. As the House co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance & Motorsports Caucus, Congressman Posey is both an enthusiast and a true champion for the specialty automotive aftermarket. While the Congressman has been working from home over the last few weeks, he jumped at the chance to take his ’66 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu out of the garage and participate in the Southern Classics Car Club cruise last Saturday in Titusville, Florida. The cruise counted more than 50 classic cars and trucks participating in the event, which brought joy to local families and seniors while observing social distancing rules.

“Car folks are pretty social, but to respect social distancing, everyone stayed in their cars,” said Rep. Posey “It seemed everyone who participated enjoyed it and I want to thank Southern Classics Car Club and Eckler’s Automotive Restoration & Performance Parts for putting on a great event. I would not be surprised if it starts a new trend.”

SEMA’s longstanding relationship dates back to Rep. Posey’s days in the Florida State Legislature, when SEMA worked with him to pass laws simplifying the process for titling and registering street rods, creating a new classification for custom vehicles and exempting vehicles that occasionally transport personal property to a motorsports facility from commercial motor carrier regulations.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published interim instructions for implementing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued guidelines providing North American automakers more time to comply with the trade accord’s rules of origin. The Trump Administration has been eager to replace NAFTA with the USMCA by July 1. The automakers have said that they will need additional time to put in place ways to verify the new 75% North American content requirement for motor vehicles, compared with 62.5% currently, and confirm that at least 40%–45% of the vehicle content is made by workers earning at least $16 an hour.

The CBP’s 45-page guidance document provides a comprehensive overview of rules governing the trade agreement. The USTR’s Procedures for Petitioning Alternative Method for Complying with Rules of Origin provides five years rather than three for phasing in the new rules of origin.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published interim instructions for implementing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued guidelines providing North American automakers more time to comply with the trade accord’s rules of origin. The Trump Administration has been eager to replace NAFTA with the USMCA by July 1. The automakers have said that they will need additional time to put in place ways to verify the new 75% North American content requirement for motor vehicles, compared with 62.5% currently, and confirm that at least 40%–45% of the vehicle content is made by workers earning at least $16 an hour.

The CBP’s 45-page guidance document provides a comprehensive overview of rules governing the trade agreement. The USTR’s Procedures for Petitioning Alternative Method for Complying with Rules of Origin provides five years rather than three for phasing in the new rules of origin.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published interim instructions for implementing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued guidelines providing North American automakers more time to comply with the trade accord’s rules of origin. The Trump Administration has been eager to replace NAFTA with the USMCA by July 1. The automakers have said that they will need additional time to put in place ways to verify the new 75% North American content requirement for motor vehicles, compared with 62.5% currently, and confirm that at least 40%–45% of the vehicle content is made by workers earning at least $16 an hour.

The CBP’s 45-page guidance document provides a comprehensive overview of rules governing the trade agreement. The USTR’s Procedures for Petitioning Alternative Method for Complying with Rules of Origin provides five years rather than three for phasing in the new rules of origin.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.